Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year B)

Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year B)

Jer 31:31-34; Heb 5:7-9; John 12:20-33

Die to Live on

image courtesy: Google

There is a beautiful hymn – Lose yourself in me and you will find yourself (click here for the hymn). This hymn gives us the same message that Jesus gives us in today’s gospel passage. 

Unless a grain of wheat, falls into the ground

It still remains but a grain of wheat

But if it falls and dies, then it bears much fruit

So it is with those who lose themselves in me.

The Greek philosopher Socrates is regarded as one of the wisest men of all time. This man who lived between 470 and 399 BC devoted his life to exposing ignorance, hypocrisy and conceit among his fellow Athenians and calling them to a radical re-examination of life. “The unexamined life,” he said, “is not worth living.” He challenged popular opinions regarding religion and politics as he sought to bring people to a better understanding of virtue, justice, piety and right conduct. He attracted many followers, especially among the youth. But those in power arrested him, tried him and sentenced him to death. He was charged with false teaching regarding the gods of the state, propagating revolutionary ideas and corrupting the youth of Athens. His family and friends wanted to intervene to overturn the sentence but he would not let them. He had the option to go into exile from Athens but he would not take it. Instead he accepted to drink the poison hemlock and die. Subsequent generations of Greeks came to regard Socrates as a martyr for truth. 

In our day-today experience we know how hard it is to face sufferings. When we foresee some dangers looming on our way, we try to compromise, find new ways to alleviate them. It was not so with our Lord. Today’s Gospel sets the scene for the forthcoming drama of Holy Week. Jesus is, in effect, telling his disciples both that his work of preaching is over and the climax of his public ministry is about to take place. It is going to be a battle, a battle will involve his death, but that death will be unimaginably fruitful in defeating evil and granting his followers access to eternal life.

The first reading, taken from the book of the Prophet Jeremiah, explains how God will replace the Old Covenant of Judgment with a New Covenant of Forgiveness of sins. This New or Renewed Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah was fulfilled through Jesus’ life, death and Resurrection. 

Jesus tells his disciples: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."   Here Jesus tells us that this is the price of eternal life.  The grain, of course, does not actually die but is totally transformed into something completely new: roots, leaves and fruit. Jesus here speaks about his own life which he sacrificed in order to gain new life in the Kingdom.  He invites us too to be ready to lose our life for the sake of Jesus in order to gain eternal life.  

What is the lesson that we need to take home from today’s liturgy of the Word?

We have beautiful examples of men and women who chose sufferings for the sake of Christ and his Kingdom. They have died, yet they live on. Today in our life we encounter many sufferings. It is truly hard. Yet, Christ is our strength, who has set an example for us to face them courageously in order to have eternal life. Salt delivers its taste by dissolving in water; a candle gives light by having its wick burned and its wax melted. The oyster produces a priceless pearl by a long and painful process. Loving parents sacrifice themselves so that their children can enjoy a better life than they themselves have had. 

Let us pray,

Dear Lord, 

Teach me to embrace sufferings as you did.

Teach us to die to our sinfulness and rise in newness of life in you. 

Teach us to suffer gracefully and never to grumble. 

Give us a heart that feels and moves us to act when others suffer. 

Lord, make us sensitive to others and never allow us to be the cause of the sufferings of others. 

Amen. 

(You are most welcome to add your reflections and thoughts in the comment section below)

Happy Sunday