Fifth Sunday of Lent
Lectionary: 35
Lectionary: 35
The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers
the day I took them by the hand
to lead them forth from the land of Egypt;
for they broke my covenant,
and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.
But this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD.
I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives
how to know the LORD.
All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD,
for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.
when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and the house of Judah.
It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers
the day I took them by the hand
to lead them forth from the land of Egypt;
for they broke my covenant,
and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.
But this is the covenant that I will make
with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD.
I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts;
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives
how to know the LORD.
All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD,
for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15.
R. (12a) Create
a clean heart in me, O God.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Reading 2HEB 5:7-9
In the days when Christ Jesus was
in the flesh,
he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears
to the one who was able to save him from death,
and he was heard because of his reverence.
Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
and when he was made perfect,
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears
to the one who was able to save him from death,
and he was heard because of his reverence.
Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
and when he was made perfect,
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
Verse Before
The GospelJN 12:26
Whoever serves me must follow me, says the Lord;
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
GospelJN 12:20-33
Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."
Philip went and told Andrew;
then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
Jesus answered them,
"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.
"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour'?
But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name."
Then a voice came from heaven,
"I have glorified it and will glorify it again."
The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder;
but others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
Jesus answered and said,
"This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
Now is the time of judgment on this world;
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself."
He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."
Philip went and told Andrew;
then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
Jesus answered them,
"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.
"I am troubled now. Yet what should I say?
'Father, save me from this hour'?
But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name."
Then a voice came from heaven,
"I have glorified it and will glorify it again."
The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder;
but others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
Jesus answered and said,
"This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
Now is the time of judgment on this world;
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself."
He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
Meditation: "When I am lifted up
- I will draw all people to myself"
How does God bring us into an inseparable bond of love
and unity with himself? God is a covenant-maker who draws men and women to
himself in a bond of peace and friendship. God established a covenant with his
people when he freed them from slavery in Egypt and brought them to his holy
mountain at Sinai. "I will be your God, and you will be my people"
(Exodus 6:7; Leviticus 26:12). But his people time and again broke covenant
with him and did not follow his ways (Jeremiah 31:32) - "each did what was
right in his or her own eyes" (Judges 17:26 and 21:25). God, nonetheless,
continued to send his prophets to draw his people back.
A new and everlasting covenant
When the prophet Jeremiah was sent to the exiles to offer them a message of hope and restoration, he spoke of a new covenant that would surpass the previous covenant which God had made. God intended to establish a new and everlasting covenant that would wipe away the sins of his people and open the way to God's throne of mercy and grace (his undeserved favor and blessing). This new covenant would be sealed with the blood of the perfect sacrifice that Jesus would offer to the Father when he died upon the cross to atone for our sins. At the beginning of Jesus' ministry John the Baptist prophetically pointed to Jesus as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, was sent from the Father in heaven to became a man for our sake so he could as man offer the one perfect sacrifice that would unite us with God and give us everlasting life.
When the prophet Jeremiah was sent to the exiles to offer them a message of hope and restoration, he spoke of a new covenant that would surpass the previous covenant which God had made. God intended to establish a new and everlasting covenant that would wipe away the sins of his people and open the way to God's throne of mercy and grace (his undeserved favor and blessing). This new covenant would be sealed with the blood of the perfect sacrifice that Jesus would offer to the Father when he died upon the cross to atone for our sins. At the beginning of Jesus' ministry John the Baptist prophetically pointed to Jesus as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, was sent from the Father in heaven to became a man for our sake so he could as man offer the one perfect sacrifice that would unite us with God and give us everlasting life.
Jesus' hour of glory
Shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover, Jesus announced to his disciples that the "hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified" (John 12:23). The Son of Man is a prophetic title for the Messiah recorded in the prophecy of Daniel (see the Book of Daniel 7:13-14). In Jesus' time the Jewish people were looking for a Messiah who would set them free from the oppressive rule of Rome. Jesus came to set people free from the worst oppression of all - the tyranny of endless slavery to sin, Satan, and death. Jesus came to bring us into a new covenant relationship with God that would not end with death but lead to eternal life.
Jesus announced to his followers that when "he would be lifted up from the earth, he would draw all people to himself" (John 12:32). What did Jesus mean by the expression of being "lifted up" and "drawing people to himself"? When a great leader won a complete and decisive conquest over his enemies and brought freedom and peace to his people, he was crowned and given a new title, as Victor, Savior, and Deliverer of the people. A conquering ruler was robed in royal splendor and raised up and enthroned on high in the sight of his people.
Shortly before the Jewish feast of Passover, Jesus announced to his disciples that the "hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified" (John 12:23). The Son of Man is a prophetic title for the Messiah recorded in the prophecy of Daniel (see the Book of Daniel 7:13-14). In Jesus' time the Jewish people were looking for a Messiah who would set them free from the oppressive rule of Rome. Jesus came to set people free from the worst oppression of all - the tyranny of endless slavery to sin, Satan, and death. Jesus came to bring us into a new covenant relationship with God that would not end with death but lead to eternal life.
Jesus announced to his followers that when "he would be lifted up from the earth, he would draw all people to himself" (John 12:32). What did Jesus mean by the expression of being "lifted up" and "drawing people to himself"? When a great leader won a complete and decisive conquest over his enemies and brought freedom and peace to his people, he was crowned and given a new title, as Victor, Savior, and Deliverer of the people. A conquering ruler was robed in royal splendor and raised up and enthroned on high in the sight of his people.
Victory through suffering and the cross
How did Jesus fulfill his mission as the Anointed (Messiah) King who came to bring victory and freedom for his people? Jesus knew that the only way to decisive victory for God's kingdom on the earth would be through his voluntary suffering and death on the cross. Jesus described his willingness to go to the cross as his “hour of glory” (John 12:23) when he would fulfill his Father's will and accomplish the mission entrusted to him. Jesus saw his death on the cross as triumph over the powers of sin and Satan's forces of darkness. The real enemy that Jesus came to overcome was Satan who tempts the human race to rebel against God and his commands in order to create their own destiny through sinful pride and disobedience. Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross to set us free from condemnation to death and destruction, and the eternal consequence of separation from God.
How did Jesus fulfill his mission as the Anointed (Messiah) King who came to bring victory and freedom for his people? Jesus knew that the only way to decisive victory for God's kingdom on the earth would be through his voluntary suffering and death on the cross. Jesus described his willingness to go to the cross as his “hour of glory” (John 12:23) when he would fulfill his Father's will and accomplish the mission entrusted to him. Jesus saw his death on the cross as triumph over the powers of sin and Satan's forces of darkness. The real enemy that Jesus came to overcome was Satan who tempts the human race to rebel against God and his commands in order to create their own destiny through sinful pride and disobedience. Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross to set us free from condemnation to death and destruction, and the eternal consequence of separation from God.
"Unless the grain of wheat
dies..."
How can suffering and death bring life and freedom? Jesus used the illustration of the “grain of wheat” to show how God brings life from death and good fruit through patience and suffering. Seeds by themselves are worthless and lifeless. Only when the seed is destroyed by burying it in the ground, can it rise to new life and bear fruit.
What is the analogy which Jesus alludes to in the image of the grain of wheat that must first die in order to rise to new life and bear good fruit? Is this simply a veiled reference to his own impending death on the cross and to his resurrection? Or does Jesus have another kind of "death and rebirth" in mind for his disciples as well? Jesus, no doubt, had both meanings in mind. Jesus' obedience and death on the cross obtain for us freedom and new life in the Holy Spirit. His cross frees us from the tyranny of sin and death and shows us the way of perfect love and readiness to lay down our lives in sacrificial service for the good of others.
How can suffering and death bring life and freedom? Jesus used the illustration of the “grain of wheat” to show how God brings life from death and good fruit through patience and suffering. Seeds by themselves are worthless and lifeless. Only when the seed is destroyed by burying it in the ground, can it rise to new life and bear fruit.
What is the analogy which Jesus alludes to in the image of the grain of wheat that must first die in order to rise to new life and bear good fruit? Is this simply a veiled reference to his own impending death on the cross and to his resurrection? Or does Jesus have another kind of "death and rebirth" in mind for his disciples as well? Jesus, no doubt, had both meanings in mind. Jesus' obedience and death on the cross obtain for us freedom and new life in the Holy Spirit. His cross frees us from the tyranny of sin and death and shows us the way of perfect love and readiness to lay down our lives in sacrificial service for the good of others.
A new "creation" in Christ
If we want to receive the abundant new life and the fruit of the Spirit which the Lord Jesus freely offers us, then the "outer shell" of our fallen sinful nature must first be broken and be put to death. In baptism our "old nature" which was enslaved by sin is buried with Christ so we may rise to new life with Christ through the cleansing waters of baptism. Paul the Apostle describes this death and rebirth in Christ as a “new creation” which Christ accomplishes in us through the power of his saving death and resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:17).
If we want to receive the abundant new life and the fruit of the Spirit which the Lord Jesus freely offers us, then the "outer shell" of our fallen sinful nature must first be broken and be put to death. In baptism our "old nature" which was enslaved by sin is buried with Christ so we may rise to new life with Christ through the cleansing waters of baptism. Paul the Apostle describes this death and rebirth in Christ as a “new creation” which Christ accomplishes in us through the power of his saving death and resurrection (2 Corinthians 5:17).
This process of death to the “old fallen self” is both
a one-time event which occurs in our baptism, and it is also a daily, on-going
cycle of growth in which the Holy Spirit buries us more deeply into Jesus'
death to sin so we might rise anew in the power of God's love, righteousness
(moral goodness), and holiness. There is a great paradox here. Death leads to
life. When we "die" to our selves - to our rebellious sinful nature
and willful rejection of God's commandments - we receive God's forgiveness and
the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit which frees us to love and serve
others, and follow God faithfully. It is God's free gift of grace (his blessing
and favor towards us) and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit that
enables us to live and serve joyfully as sons and daughters of God.
Pruning and bearing good fruit in Christ
How can I practically "die" to myself so that the Lord Jesus can live in me and transform me into his likeness and holiness? It certainly means that what is contrary to God's will must be "put to death" within me. God gives us grace to say "yes" to his will and the strength we need to reject whatever is contrary to his commands and plan for our lives. The Lord Jesus promises that we will bear much "fruit" for him, if we choose to deny ourselves for his sake and embrace his will for our lives.
How can I practically "die" to myself so that the Lord Jesus can live in me and transform me into his likeness and holiness? It certainly means that what is contrary to God's will must be "put to death" within me. God gives us grace to say "yes" to his will and the strength we need to reject whatever is contrary to his commands and plan for our lives. The Lord Jesus promises that we will bear much "fruit" for him, if we choose to deny ourselves for his sake and embrace his will for our lives.
Jesus used strong language to describe the kind of
self-denial he had in mind for his disciples. "He who loves his life loses
it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life"
(John 12:25). What did Jesus mean when he said that a follower of Christ must
hate himself or herself? The expression to hate something often meant to prefer
less. Jesus says that nothing should get in the way of our preferring him and
the will of our heavenly Father above all else. Paul the Apostle reminds us
that "what is sown in the earth is subject to decay, what rises is
incorruptible" (1 Corinthians15:42). Do you believe in the power and
victory of Christ's saving cross and resurrection? And are you ready to reject
whatever is contrary to God's commands and to trust him for the strength and
joy to embrace his will for your life?
"Lord Jesus, let me be wheat sown in the
earth, to be harvested for you. I want to follow wherever you lead me. Give me
fresh hope and joy in serving you all the days of my life."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Love what is in the image of God, by Caesarius
of Arles (470-543 AD)
"Whatever you love is either the same as yourself, below you or above you. If what you love is beneath you, love it to comfort it, care for it and to use it but not to cling to it. For example, you love gold. Do not become attached to the gold, for how much better are you than gold? Gold, indeed, is a shining piece of earth, while you have been made in the image of God in order that you may be illumined by the Lord. Although gold is a creature of God, still God did not make it according to his own image, but you he did. Therefore, he put the gold beneath you. This kind of love should be despised. Those things are to be acquired for their usefulness, but we should not cling to them with the bond of love as if with glue. Do not make for yourself members over which, when they have begun to be cut away, you will grieve and be afflicted. What then? Rise from that love with which you love things that are lower than you, and begin to love your equals, that is, things that are what you are... The Lord himself has told us in the Gospel and clearly showed us in what order we may have true love and charity. For he spoke in this way, 'You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul and with your whole strength. And your neighbor as yourself'' (Luke 10:27). Therefore, first love God and then yourself. After these, love your neighbor as yourself." (excerpt from SERMONS 173, 4-5.25)
"Whatever you love is either the same as yourself, below you or above you. If what you love is beneath you, love it to comfort it, care for it and to use it but not to cling to it. For example, you love gold. Do not become attached to the gold, for how much better are you than gold? Gold, indeed, is a shining piece of earth, while you have been made in the image of God in order that you may be illumined by the Lord. Although gold is a creature of God, still God did not make it according to his own image, but you he did. Therefore, he put the gold beneath you. This kind of love should be despised. Those things are to be acquired for their usefulness, but we should not cling to them with the bond of love as if with glue. Do not make for yourself members over which, when they have begun to be cut away, you will grieve and be afflicted. What then? Rise from that love with which you love things that are lower than you, and begin to love your equals, that is, things that are what you are... The Lord himself has told us in the Gospel and clearly showed us in what order we may have true love and charity. For he spoke in this way, 'You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul and with your whole strength. And your neighbor as yourself'' (Luke 10:27). Therefore, first love God and then yourself. After these, love your neighbor as yourself." (excerpt from SERMONS 173, 4-5.25)
5th Sunday of Lent – Cycle B
Note: The readings given for Cycle A may be used in place of the Cycle B readings.
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Jeremiah 31:31-34
For nearly 75 years after the death of Isaiah no great prophet arose in Judah. It seemed as though the work of the religious leaders of the eighth century B.C. had been in vain. During the long and wicked reign of King Manasseh (693-639 B.C.), son and successor of King Hezekiah, idolatrous worship was established more firmly than ever, and the morals of the people sank to their lowest ebb. The prophets of Yahweh who dared to raise their voices in protest and warning were either silenced or brutally murdered. It was only after a change for the better had been inaugurated under the successors of Manasseh, that the “men of God” again came to the front, and a second golden age of Hebrew prophecy began. It is the age of Jeremiah and Zephaniah, Nahum and Habakkuk, Ezekiel and Daniel. The greatest of these, and at the same time the most Christlike of all the prophets, was Jeremiah.
Jeremiah came from a priestly family whose estates lay in Anathth, a town in the tribe of Benjamin, about two miles northeast of Jerusalem. He received his call as a young man in 626 B.C. (the thirteenth year of the reign of king Josiah). He warned and admonished kings, priests, and people that they were bringing disaster on the nation because they would not live according to the covenant that they had with Yahweh. The very institutions of Judah, the Temple and sacrifices, had become corrupt because they were now being used as an excuse for breaking the covenant: for not treating each other fairly; for exploiting the stranger, the orphan and the widow; for shedding innocent blood; for following alien gods. Therefore, Yahweh would destroy the Temple as He destroyed Shiloh; He does not want their holocausts but adherence to the way of life He had marked out for them. Such preaching earned for Jeremiah the hatred of the people, priests and kings, who persecuted him. Like Christ, he preached against the established order, stood up for justice for the poor, the widow and the orphan, and was persecuted by those to whom he came to preach. In the end he was carried off to Egypt (about 680 B.C.), where according to Hebrew legend, he was stoned to death.
Our reading for today has been called “Jeremiah’s Spiritual Testament.” His entire message is condensed in these few words. This reading is also the longest Old Testament quotation in the New Testament; it comprises Hebrews 8:8-12.
31 The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant
This is the only time the term “new covenant” is used in the Old Testament.
with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
The Davidic kingdom. Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom) went their separate ways after the reign of king Solomon (930 B.C.). This is a promised of the restored Davidic kingdom which God had said would last forever.
32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant
The covenant at Mount Sinai, where the ten commandments were given
and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.
No longer father, but master. They are now slaves without an inheritance, rather than sons.
33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,
“After those days” is a frequently used expression by Jeremiah – it indicates a sort of rupture in the course of Israel’s history through the wonderful intervention of Yahweh.
says the LORD. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts;
The Old Covenant of Sinai was written on stone tablets (Exodus 31:8). The New Covenant, which fulfills the old one, is to be internal and loving (see Ezekiel 36:26).
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
This is covenant language; it will no longer be a master – slave relationship, it is to be a family relationship once again with God as the Father. This is a common expression in the Old Testament as God, again and again, reminds the Israelites that the original intention was that they be children, not slaves.
34 No longer will they have need to teach their friends and kinsmen how to know the LORD.
In this new era of the New Covenant, intermediaries such as Moses, the Levitical priesthood, and the prophets will be useless; Yahweh will intervene directly and they will be able to recognize God in every action and situation. They will have a different life attitude because the very inner nature of humanity is created anew (we must remember that for the Hebrew, the “heart” refers to the center of human intelligence and willpower).
All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.
When sin is forgiven by God, it is forgotten as well. God does not bear a grudge.
2nd Reading - Hebrews 5:7-9
The identity of the author of Hebrews is unknown. With the exception of 1 John, it is the only New Testament epistle that begins without a greeting which mentions the writer’s name. Its ascription to Saint Paul goes back at least to the end of the second century in the Church of Alexandria. According to Eusebius (a 4th century historian), it was accepted as Saint Paul’s work by Saint Clement. Saint Clement believed that Saint Paul had written it in Hebrew for Hebrews and that Saint Luke had translated it into Greek.
The epistle to the Hebrews demonstrates that the Old Covenant, specifically the worship of the Old Covenant, has been superseded by the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ. It has been postulated that this letter to the Hebrews was addressed to former Jewish priests who had converted to Christianity. Today’s reading comes from the section of the letter which contrasts Jesus to the High Priest.
7 In the days when he was in the flesh,
The time of Jesus’ mortal life, when He lived in the sphere of the flesh
he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death,
A reference to Jesus’ agony in the garden of Gethsemani (Mark 14:35).
and he was heard because of his reverence.
Although Jesus suffered a physical death on the cross, He also was resurrected because physical death had no power over Him. Levitical priests were prevented from remaining in office by death and also by an upper age limit of fifty. Jesus’ priesthood is eternal, he is of the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:6 – the verse immediately preceding our reading of today).
8 Son though he was,
The sacred author considers Jesus’ sonship in two ways: He became Son when exalted; and He always was Son because he existed with the Father even before He appeared on earth.
he learned obedience from what he suffered;
The learning-through-suffering motif is common in Greek literature but here, Romans 5:19, and Philippians 2:8 are the only places in the New Testament where the obedience of Christ in His passion is explicitly mentioned.
9 and when he was made perfect,
Through Jesus’ obedience He was brought to the full moral perfection of His humanity.
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
Jesus’ obedience leads to His priestly consecration, which in turn qualifies Him to save those who are obedient to Him. The salvation that Jesus brings His followers is eternal because it is based on His eternal priesthood. It is eternal because it belongs to the heavenly sphere, which is permanent, as opposed to the transitory realities of earth.
Gospel - John 12:20-33
Saint John had a clear purpose in mind when he wrote his gospel: “That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). He seeks to strengthen the faith of those early Christians in the young churches (congregations) of Asia Minor, who are threatened by the latent danger of going astray and even falling into doctrinal error about who Jesus Christ is and what is the true story of His life. Saint John goes straight to the point: Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God made man.
Our reading today occurs during that first Holy Week – Jesus has come to Jerusalem for His passion, death and resurrection. The verses immediately preceding this reading describe Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem; He has ridden into town like a king with the waving of palm branches and cries of joy.
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the feast.
These are Gentiles, non-Jews.
21 They came to Philip,
The name “Philip” means “lover of horses.” Both Philip and Andrew have Greek names and may have understood Greek. It would be natural for the Greeks to seek out someone who would understand their culture and language to act as an intermediary.
who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
Bethsaida means “house of fishing.” Technically, it is in Gaulanitis which adjoins Galilee, but the Jews of Bethsaida were considered Galileans.
and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew;
The name “Andrew” means “manly.” It may be that they consulted with each other because there is no precedent for Jesus dealing with Gentiles.
then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them,
The “them” is Philip and Andrew. There is no indication that the Gentiles were with them but it would make these Gentiles the first fruits of the spread of the Christian faith in the Greek speaking world.
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Now that the week of His passion has started, Jesus again begins to explain what is to happen to Him.
24 Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
If it is thought to be strange that He must die in order to bring life, remember that this paradox already exists in nature. The grain of wheat left to itself produces nothing – only when it appears to have died and has been buried does it bring forth life, in far greater abundance.
25 Whoever loves his life loses it,
Selfishness, man’s false love for himself that will not permit him to sacrifice himself, ends in destroying him. Only by treating his life as worthless from a this-worldly view does man gain the only life that really counts.
and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.
In Semitic usage, “hates” means “loves less.”
26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.
Service is a sacrifice of self. The principle of sacrifice is the explanation of Christ’s life and if you wish to be His follower, you must walk in His footsteps and sacrifice self. If you serve, you minister to another (“as you did it to the least of your brethren...”). The imitation of Christ is the Christian standard of perfection.
27 “I am troubled now.
In the face of an imminent and cruel death, Jesus can and does feel anguish.
Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Jesus asks the question and immediately answers it by submitting to the will of His Father. The value of the sacrifice is in the readiness to offer it.
28 Father, glorify your name.”
This is Jesus’ final answer to this crisis of spirit – it is wholehearted acceptance of the Father’s will. Recall that in Semitic usage, “name” is synonymous to “person.” Faith is not simply acceptance of a proposition, but a commitment to a person.
Then a voice came from heaven,
This observation is unique to John’s gospel. It brings to mind Jesus’ baptism (Mark 1:11) and His transfiguration (Mark 9:7).
“I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”
This is not a reference to any single event, but to the entire life work and teaching of Jesus, all of which have been “signs” of the glorification that is to come.
29 The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
Like the Israelites at Mount Sinai, if they were not attuned to the Word of God, they didn’t understand it.
30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
Jesus’ private agony is a public manifestation of His obedient service.
31 Now is the time of judgment on this world;
The time has come for Christ’s exaltation, it is time for that judgment of which He has continually spoken (John 3:17-19; 5:22-30).
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
This is the paradox of Christ’s exaltation. It will appear that He has been defeated by this world, but in reality the power of Satan will be broken. John doesn’t say that Satan will be destroyed, but that he will no longer be the ruler of the world except to the extent that man’s evil dispositions permit. Satan has no power except that which we give him.
32 And when I am lifted up from the earth,
The crowd understands rightly that this refers to His death, but they do not understand that it also refers to His glorification.
I will draw everyone to myself.” 33 He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
The death of Christ makes possible the exercise of His will of universal salvation.
Note: The readings given for Cycle A may be used in place of the Cycle B readings.
Note: Where a Scripture text is underlined in the body of this discussion, it is recommended that the reader look up and read that passage.
1st Reading - Jeremiah 31:31-34
For nearly 75 years after the death of Isaiah no great prophet arose in Judah. It seemed as though the work of the religious leaders of the eighth century B.C. had been in vain. During the long and wicked reign of King Manasseh (693-639 B.C.), son and successor of King Hezekiah, idolatrous worship was established more firmly than ever, and the morals of the people sank to their lowest ebb. The prophets of Yahweh who dared to raise their voices in protest and warning were either silenced or brutally murdered. It was only after a change for the better had been inaugurated under the successors of Manasseh, that the “men of God” again came to the front, and a second golden age of Hebrew prophecy began. It is the age of Jeremiah and Zephaniah, Nahum and Habakkuk, Ezekiel and Daniel. The greatest of these, and at the same time the most Christlike of all the prophets, was Jeremiah.
Jeremiah came from a priestly family whose estates lay in Anathth, a town in the tribe of Benjamin, about two miles northeast of Jerusalem. He received his call as a young man in 626 B.C. (the thirteenth year of the reign of king Josiah). He warned and admonished kings, priests, and people that they were bringing disaster on the nation because they would not live according to the covenant that they had with Yahweh. The very institutions of Judah, the Temple and sacrifices, had become corrupt because they were now being used as an excuse for breaking the covenant: for not treating each other fairly; for exploiting the stranger, the orphan and the widow; for shedding innocent blood; for following alien gods. Therefore, Yahweh would destroy the Temple as He destroyed Shiloh; He does not want their holocausts but adherence to the way of life He had marked out for them. Such preaching earned for Jeremiah the hatred of the people, priests and kings, who persecuted him. Like Christ, he preached against the established order, stood up for justice for the poor, the widow and the orphan, and was persecuted by those to whom he came to preach. In the end he was carried off to Egypt (about 680 B.C.), where according to Hebrew legend, he was stoned to death.
Our reading for today has been called “Jeremiah’s Spiritual Testament.” His entire message is condensed in these few words. This reading is also the longest Old Testament quotation in the New Testament; it comprises Hebrews 8:8-12.
31 The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant
This is the only time the term “new covenant” is used in the Old Testament.
with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
The Davidic kingdom. Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom) went their separate ways after the reign of king Solomon (930 B.C.). This is a promised of the restored Davidic kingdom which God had said would last forever.
32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant
The covenant at Mount Sinai, where the ten commandments were given
and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD.
No longer father, but master. They are now slaves without an inheritance, rather than sons.
33 But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,
“After those days” is a frequently used expression by Jeremiah – it indicates a sort of rupture in the course of Israel’s history through the wonderful intervention of Yahweh.
says the LORD. I will place my law within them, and write it upon their hearts;
The Old Covenant of Sinai was written on stone tablets (Exodus 31:8). The New Covenant, which fulfills the old one, is to be internal and loving (see Ezekiel 36:26).
I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
This is covenant language; it will no longer be a master – slave relationship, it is to be a family relationship once again with God as the Father. This is a common expression in the Old Testament as God, again and again, reminds the Israelites that the original intention was that they be children, not slaves.
34 No longer will they have need to teach their friends and kinsmen how to know the LORD.
In this new era of the New Covenant, intermediaries such as Moses, the Levitical priesthood, and the prophets will be useless; Yahweh will intervene directly and they will be able to recognize God in every action and situation. They will have a different life attitude because the very inner nature of humanity is created anew (we must remember that for the Hebrew, the “heart” refers to the center of human intelligence and willpower).
All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.
When sin is forgiven by God, it is forgotten as well. God does not bear a grudge.
2nd Reading - Hebrews 5:7-9
The identity of the author of Hebrews is unknown. With the exception of 1 John, it is the only New Testament epistle that begins without a greeting which mentions the writer’s name. Its ascription to Saint Paul goes back at least to the end of the second century in the Church of Alexandria. According to Eusebius (a 4th century historian), it was accepted as Saint Paul’s work by Saint Clement. Saint Clement believed that Saint Paul had written it in Hebrew for Hebrews and that Saint Luke had translated it into Greek.
The epistle to the Hebrews demonstrates that the Old Covenant, specifically the worship of the Old Covenant, has been superseded by the sacrifice of Jesus the Christ. It has been postulated that this letter to the Hebrews was addressed to former Jewish priests who had converted to Christianity. Today’s reading comes from the section of the letter which contrasts Jesus to the High Priest.
7 In the days when he was in the flesh,
The time of Jesus’ mortal life, when He lived in the sphere of the flesh
he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death,
A reference to Jesus’ agony in the garden of Gethsemani (Mark 14:35).
and he was heard because of his reverence.
Although Jesus suffered a physical death on the cross, He also was resurrected because physical death had no power over Him. Levitical priests were prevented from remaining in office by death and also by an upper age limit of fifty. Jesus’ priesthood is eternal, he is of the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:6 – the verse immediately preceding our reading of today).
8 Son though he was,
The sacred author considers Jesus’ sonship in two ways: He became Son when exalted; and He always was Son because he existed with the Father even before He appeared on earth.
he learned obedience from what he suffered;
The learning-through-suffering motif is common in Greek literature but here, Romans 5:19, and Philippians 2:8 are the only places in the New Testament where the obedience of Christ in His passion is explicitly mentioned.
9 and when he was made perfect,
Through Jesus’ obedience He was brought to the full moral perfection of His humanity.
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
Jesus’ obedience leads to His priestly consecration, which in turn qualifies Him to save those who are obedient to Him. The salvation that Jesus brings His followers is eternal because it is based on His eternal priesthood. It is eternal because it belongs to the heavenly sphere, which is permanent, as opposed to the transitory realities of earth.
Gospel - John 12:20-33
Saint John had a clear purpose in mind when he wrote his gospel: “That you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31). He seeks to strengthen the faith of those early Christians in the young churches (congregations) of Asia Minor, who are threatened by the latent danger of going astray and even falling into doctrinal error about who Jesus Christ is and what is the true story of His life. Saint John goes straight to the point: Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God made man.
Our reading today occurs during that first Holy Week – Jesus has come to Jerusalem for His passion, death and resurrection. The verses immediately preceding this reading describe Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem; He has ridden into town like a king with the waving of palm branches and cries of joy.
20 Now there were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the feast.
These are Gentiles, non-Jews.
21 They came to Philip,
The name “Philip” means “lover of horses.” Both Philip and Andrew have Greek names and may have understood Greek. It would be natural for the Greeks to seek out someone who would understand their culture and language to act as an intermediary.
who was from Bethsaida in Galilee,
Bethsaida means “house of fishing.” Technically, it is in Gaulanitis which adjoins Galilee, but the Jews of Bethsaida were considered Galileans.
and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew;
The name “Andrew” means “manly.” It may be that they consulted with each other because there is no precedent for Jesus dealing with Gentiles.
then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them,
The “them” is Philip and Andrew. There is no indication that the Gentiles were with them but it would make these Gentiles the first fruits of the spread of the Christian faith in the Greek speaking world.
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Now that the week of His passion has started, Jesus again begins to explain what is to happen to Him.
24 Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
If it is thought to be strange that He must die in order to bring life, remember that this paradox already exists in nature. The grain of wheat left to itself produces nothing – only when it appears to have died and has been buried does it bring forth life, in far greater abundance.
25 Whoever loves his life loses it,
Selfishness, man’s false love for himself that will not permit him to sacrifice himself, ends in destroying him. Only by treating his life as worthless from a this-worldly view does man gain the only life that really counts.
and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.
In Semitic usage, “hates” means “loves less.”
26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.
Service is a sacrifice of self. The principle of sacrifice is the explanation of Christ’s life and if you wish to be His follower, you must walk in His footsteps and sacrifice self. If you serve, you minister to another (“as you did it to the least of your brethren...”). The imitation of Christ is the Christian standard of perfection.
27 “I am troubled now.
In the face of an imminent and cruel death, Jesus can and does feel anguish.
Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.
Jesus asks the question and immediately answers it by submitting to the will of His Father. The value of the sacrifice is in the readiness to offer it.
28 Father, glorify your name.”
This is Jesus’ final answer to this crisis of spirit – it is wholehearted acceptance of the Father’s will. Recall that in Semitic usage, “name” is synonymous to “person.” Faith is not simply acceptance of a proposition, but a commitment to a person.
Then a voice came from heaven,
This observation is unique to John’s gospel. It brings to mind Jesus’ baptism (Mark 1:11) and His transfiguration (Mark 9:7).
“I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”
This is not a reference to any single event, but to the entire life work and teaching of Jesus, all of which have been “signs” of the glorification that is to come.
29 The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.”
Like the Israelites at Mount Sinai, if they were not attuned to the Word of God, they didn’t understand it.
30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.
Jesus’ private agony is a public manifestation of His obedient service.
31 Now is the time of judgment on this world;
The time has come for Christ’s exaltation, it is time for that judgment of which He has continually spoken (John 3:17-19; 5:22-30).
now the ruler of this world will be driven out.
This is the paradox of Christ’s exaltation. It will appear that He has been defeated by this world, but in reality the power of Satan will be broken. John doesn’t say that Satan will be destroyed, but that he will no longer be the ruler of the world except to the extent that man’s evil dispositions permit. Satan has no power except that which we give him.
32 And when I am lifted up from the earth,
The crowd understands rightly that this refers to His death, but they do not understand that it also refers to His glorification.
I will draw everyone to myself.” 33 He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
The death of Christ makes possible the exercise of His will of universal salvation.
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church,
Picayune, MS http://www.scborromeo.org
FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT
SUNDAY, MARCH 18, JOHN 12:20-33
(Jeremiah 31:31-34, Psalm 51; Hebrews 5:7-9)
SUNDAY, MARCH 18, JOHN 12:20-33
(Jeremiah 31:31-34, Psalm 51; Hebrews 5:7-9)
KEY VERSE: "And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself" (v.32).
TO KNOW: Despite the many "signs" that Jesus performed, there were still those who refused to believe in him. The "hour" (v.23) of Jesus' dying and rising would be the final sign that pointed to the saving mission of God at work in him. He made the comparison of a seemingly lifeless grain of wheat, which, when buried in the earth, came to life and bore fruit. Anyone who wished to serve Jesus must be willing to imitate him, even to the point of giving up one's life. Jesus was stirred to the depths as he envisioned his own immolation, but he did not retreat from his goal to give glory to God, his Heavenly Father. When Jesus was "lifted up from the earth" ( v.32), all people would be drawn by God's love manifested by the sign of the cross.
TO LOVE: Am I willing to sacrifice my attachment to things of the world in order to serve Jesus?
TO SERVE: I adore you O Christ and I worship you, because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Sunday 18 March
2018
Week I Psalter. Fifth Sunday of
Lent. St Cyril of Jerusalem.
Jeremiah
31:31-34. Psalm 50(51):3-4, 12-15. Hebrews 5:7-9. John 12:20-33.
Create a
clean heart in me, O God—Psalm 50(51):3-4, 12-15.
Those who
love their life will lose it.
Often life is just a series of
frustrations: there are things that we should do and cannot. We don’t measure
up to the way Jesus would act in those situations. Sometimes we do things that
are harmful—we are guilty both of doing the wrong thing and also of not doing
the right thing.
Jesus, help me break away from my
old patterns of being preoccupied with myself. Open my heart to your Spirit of
freedom and love. In my frustrations and pains come to form my heart. Your
sharing of our life with us was to lead us to repentance, so help me turn to
you.
Enliven and enlarge our hearts to
encounter your presence anew. Jesus, help me to face the fear that you faced,
so that I may live as you lived.
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem
Saint of the Day for March 18
(c. 315 – March 18, 386)
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem’s Story
The crises that the Church faces today may seem minor when
compared with the threat posed by the Arian heresy, which denied the divinity
of Christ and almost overcame Christianity in the fourth century. Cyril was to
be caught up in the controversy, accused of Arianism by Saint Jerome, and
ultimately vindicated both by the men of his own time and by being declared a
Doctor of the Church in 1822.
Raised in Jerusalem and well-educated, especially in the
Scriptures, he was ordained a priest by the bishop of Jerusalem and given the
task during Lent of catechizing those preparing for Baptism and catechizing the
newly baptized during the Easter season. His Catecheses remain
valuable as examples of the ritual and theology of the Church in the mid-fourth
century.
There are conflicting reports about the circumstances of his
becoming bishop of Jerusalem. It is certain that he was validly consecrated by
bishops of the province. Since one of them was an Arian, Acacius, it may have
been expected that his “cooperation” would follow. Conflict soon rose between
Cyril and Acacius, bishop of the rival nearby see of Caesarea. Cyril was
summoned to a council, accused of insubordination and of selling Church
property to relieve the poor. Probably, however, a theological difference was
also involved. He was condemned, driven from Jerusalem, and later vindicated,
not without some association with and help from Semi-Arians. Half his
episcopate was spent in exile; his first experience was repeated twice. He
finally returned to find Jerusalem torn with heresy, schism and strife, and
wracked with crime. Even Saint Gregory of Nyssa, who was sent to help, left in
despair.
They both went to the Council of Constantinople, where the
amended form of the Nicene Creed was promulgated in 381. Cyril accepted the
word consubstantial—that is, Christ is of the same substance or
nature as the Father. Some said it was an act of repentance, but the bishops of
the Council praised him as a champion of orthodoxy against the Arians. Though
not friendly with the greatest defender of orthodoxy against the Arians, Cyril
may be counted among those whom Athanasius called “brothers, who mean what we
mean, and differ only about the word consubstantial.”
Reflection
Those who imagine that the lives of saints are simple and
placid, untouched by the vulgar breath of controversy, are rudely shocked by
history. Yet, it should be no surprise that saints, indeed all Christians, will
experience the same difficulties as their Master. The definition of truth is an
endless, complex pursuit, and good men and women have suffered the pain of both
controversy and error. Intellectual, emotional, and political roadblocks may
slow up people like Cyril for a time. But their lives taken as a whole are
monuments to honesty and courage.
LECTIO DIVINA: 5TH SUNDAY OF
LENT (B)
Lectio Divina:
Sunday, March 18, 2018
We wish to see Jesus
John 12:20-33
1. OPENING PRAYER
Father, hear our prayer: we implore You
to send Your Spirit abundantly upon us, so that we may learn to listen to Your
voice that proclaimed the glory of Your Son who gives himself for our
salvation. May this attentive and concerned listening germinate in us a new
hope so that we may follow wholeheartedly our Master and Redeemer, even in
difficult and dark moments. Who lives and reigns forever and ever.
2. READING
a) The context:
We have come to the end of the
"book of signs", which is the interpretative key that John uses in
his Gospel and is already foreshadowing the deadly conflict between the ruling
class and Jesus. This passage is like a hinge between what John has told us up
to now and ends with this appearance of the "peoples" (marked by the
term "Greeks"), and that which is about to take place. John
subdivides the next events into two sections. The first section is the dialogue
with the disciples alone, in the context of the paschal supper (cc. 13-17); the
second will be the public scene of the passion and the apparitions as the risen
one (cc. 18-21).
This passage may not be entirely real. It wishes to point out that the opening to the people began with Jesus himself. It is not a question of going to others to convince them of something, but above all of welcoming their seeking and bringing it to maturity. This kind of maturity does not happen by itself but requires the collaboration of others and dialogue with Jesus. John does not tell us whether Jesus spoke to the Greeks. The text seems to abbreviate the story when it points to the "kind of Jesus" those who seek Him must go towards. It is the Jesus who gives His life, who bears fruit through His death. Not, therefore, a "philosopher" or "wise" Jesus, but above all one who is not attached to His own life and who gave His life and placed himself at the service of everyone else’s life.
Verses 27-33, which show the anguished and troubled soul of Jesus when faced with His imminent death, are also called "the Gethsemane of the fourth Gospel", in parallel with the Synoptic Gospels concerning the painful vigil of Jesus in Gethsemane. That which happens to a grain of wheat, that is, only when it breaks and dies can it free all its vitality, is also true of Jesus who in dying will show all His love by giving His life. The story of the grain of wheat is the story of Jesus and of every disciple who wishes to serve Him and have life in Him.
This passage may not be entirely real. It wishes to point out that the opening to the people began with Jesus himself. It is not a question of going to others to convince them of something, but above all of welcoming their seeking and bringing it to maturity. This kind of maturity does not happen by itself but requires the collaboration of others and dialogue with Jesus. John does not tell us whether Jesus spoke to the Greeks. The text seems to abbreviate the story when it points to the "kind of Jesus" those who seek Him must go towards. It is the Jesus who gives His life, who bears fruit through His death. Not, therefore, a "philosopher" or "wise" Jesus, but above all one who is not attached to His own life and who gave His life and placed himself at the service of everyone else’s life.
Verses 27-33, which show the anguished and troubled soul of Jesus when faced with His imminent death, are also called "the Gethsemane of the fourth Gospel", in parallel with the Synoptic Gospels concerning the painful vigil of Jesus in Gethsemane. That which happens to a grain of wheat, that is, only when it breaks and dies can it free all its vitality, is also true of Jesus who in dying will show all His love by giving His life. The story of the grain of wheat is the story of Jesus and of every disciple who wishes to serve Him and have life in Him.
b) The text:
Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus. "Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. "I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. "Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again. "The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, "An angel has spoken to him."Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus. "Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. "I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name. "Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again. "The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, "An angel has spoken to him."Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself." He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.
3. A MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER
to re-read the text with our heart and
to recognize in the words and structure, the presence of the mystery of the
living God.
4. SOME QUESTIONS
to see the important points in the text
and begin to assimilate them.
a) Why is it that precisely Philip and
Andrew were the ones approached?
b) What were the "Greeks" really seeking?
c) Have we sometimes been asked similar questions concerning faith, the Church, or Christian life?
d) Jesus does not seem to have met the "Greeks" but He made reference to His coming "hour". Why?
e) Did Jesus expect them to answer in set forms? Or through their witness?
b) What were the "Greeks" really seeking?
c) Have we sometimes been asked similar questions concerning faith, the Church, or Christian life?
d) Jesus does not seem to have met the "Greeks" but He made reference to His coming "hour". Why?
e) Did Jesus expect them to answer in set forms? Or through their witness?
5. A DEEPENING OF THE READING
"Sir we wish to see Jesus"
This is the request some
"Greeks" put to Philip. It is told that they "went up to worship
at the feast". They were probably those "who feared God" of whom
the New Testament frequently speaks, people who were sympathizers of the Jewish
religion, even though they were not Jews. They may have been of
"Syro-Phoenician origin as Mark tells us (7:26), when he speaks of the
woman who sought the healing of her daughter. By their request, we may think
that these "Greeks" were just curious to meet a famous and much
talked of person.
But the context within which John places this request shows that they really sought Jesus with all their heart. Especially since they come immediately after it is written: "The whole world followed Him" (Jn 12:19). Then Jesus comments on the statement with "the coming of the hour of the Son of man". The fact that they went to Philip, and Philip then went to Andrew, is due to the fact that both of them came from Bethsaida, a city where people came from mixed background and one needed to understand several languages. These two represent two sensibilities: Philip is more traditional (as we can see from his words when he meets Jesus (Jn 1:45); while Andrew had already participated in John’s movement and was more open to new things (cf. Jn 1:41). This is to show that the community that opens itself to pagans, that welcomes the request of those who seek with a curious heart, is welcomed by a community that lives in a variety of sensibilities.
But the context within which John places this request shows that they really sought Jesus with all their heart. Especially since they come immediately after it is written: "The whole world followed Him" (Jn 12:19). Then Jesus comments on the statement with "the coming of the hour of the Son of man". The fact that they went to Philip, and Philip then went to Andrew, is due to the fact that both of them came from Bethsaida, a city where people came from mixed background and one needed to understand several languages. These two represent two sensibilities: Philip is more traditional (as we can see from his words when he meets Jesus (Jn 1:45); while Andrew had already participated in John’s movement and was more open to new things (cf. Jn 1:41). This is to show that the community that opens itself to pagans, that welcomes the request of those who seek with a curious heart, is welcomed by a community that lives in a variety of sensibilities.
"Unless a grain of wheat falls into
the earth…"
Jesus’ reply seems to be less interested
in the Greeks who wish to see Him, and more directed to all, the disciples as
well as the Greeks. He sees frontiers opening, hears the tumultuous following
of the peoples, but He wishes to point out that this fame, which has attracted
them, this "glory" that they would like to know more closely, is
quite different from their expectations. His is a life that is about to be
destroyed, a "word" that is about to be silenced, trampled to death,
buried in the bowels of hatred and the earth to make it disappear. Thus instead
of seeing glory in human form, they stand before a "glory" that
reveals itself through suffering and death.
This is true for them, but it is also true for every Christian community that wishes to open itself to "Greeks". Such a community must "consult" with the Lord, that is, it must keep in contact with this facet, this death for life, must give its own contemplation of the mystery and not just provide ideas. It must live in full detachment from security and human gratification, so that it may serve the Lord and, it too, receive honor from the Father. Attachment to one’s life and to worldly wisdom – and in the Greek world these were important values – is the great obstacle to a true "knowledge of Jesus". To serve the name of the Lord, welcome the request of those who "seek Him", bring these seekers to Jesus, without living according to the Lord, without above all giving witness to sharing one’s choice of life, one’s gift of life, is useless.
This is true for them, but it is also true for every Christian community that wishes to open itself to "Greeks". Such a community must "consult" with the Lord, that is, it must keep in contact with this facet, this death for life, must give its own contemplation of the mystery and not just provide ideas. It must live in full detachment from security and human gratification, so that it may serve the Lord and, it too, receive honor from the Father. Attachment to one’s life and to worldly wisdom – and in the Greek world these were important values – is the great obstacle to a true "knowledge of Jesus". To serve the name of the Lord, welcome the request of those who "seek Him", bring these seekers to Jesus, without living according to the Lord, without above all giving witness to sharing one’s choice of life, one’s gift of life, is useless.
"How is my soul troubled"
This "disquiet" of Jesus is
another very interesting element. It is not easy to suffer. The flesh rebels,
the natural tendency is to flee from suffering. Jesus too felt this same
repugnance and had the same horror before a death that promised to be painful
and humiliating. His question, "And what shall I say?", reveals this
trembling, this fear, this temptation to avoid such a death. John places this
difficult moment before the last supper. The Synoptics, however, place it at
the prayer in Gethsemane (Mk 14:32-42; Mt 26:36-46; Lk 22:39-46). However, they
are all agreed about this trembling and trouble, which makes Him like us,
fragile and afraid.
But Jesus deals with this anguish by "entrusting himself" to the Father, reminding himself that this is His plan, that the whole of His life is directed precisely to this hour, that it is here that He reveals himself and makes sense. We know well that the theme of the hour is very important for John: see the first mention at the wedding feast of Cana (Jn 2:4) and then frequently (Jn 4:21; 7:6.8.30; 8:20; 11:9; 13:1; 17:1). It is not so much a matter of a precise time as of a decisive circumstance towards which everything is pointing.
But Jesus deals with this anguish by "entrusting himself" to the Father, reminding himself that this is His plan, that the whole of His life is directed precisely to this hour, that it is here that He reveals himself and makes sense. We know well that the theme of the hour is very important for John: see the first mention at the wedding feast of Cana (Jn 2:4) and then frequently (Jn 4:21; 7:6.8.30; 8:20; 11:9; 13:1; 17:1). It is not so much a matter of a precise time as of a decisive circumstance towards which everything is pointing.
"I will draw all people to
myself"
Seen apart from the homicidal violence
of one who felt threatened, the hanging on the cross becomes a real elevation,
that is, the exhibiting of one who is salvation and blessing for all. From the
violence that wanted to marginalize and eliminate, we move to the force
exercised by that icon of the elevated. This is an
"attraction" generated by curiosity, but which through love will
become the source of discipleship, of allegiance in all those who can go beyond
the physical event and see in Him total free gift of self.
It will no longer be seen as the ignominious death that creates distance, but the source of a mysterious attraction, a way that gives new meanings to life. A life given that generates life; a life killed that generates hope and new solidarity, new communion, new freedom.
It will no longer be seen as the ignominious death that creates distance, but the source of a mysterious attraction, a way that gives new meanings to life. A life given that generates life; a life killed that generates hope and new solidarity, new communion, new freedom.
6. PSALM 125
When the Lord restored the fortunes of
Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
"The Lord has done great things for them."
The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then they said among the nations,
"The Lord has done great things for them."
The Lord has done great things for us;
we are glad.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negev!
May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy!
like the watercourses in the Negev!
May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy!
Whoever goes forth weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
bringing his sheaves with him.
7. CLOSING PRAYER
Lord our God, keep Your Son’s disciples
from the easy ways of popularity, of cheap glory, and lead them to the ways of
the poor and scourged of the earth, so that they may recognize in their faces
the face of the Master and Redeemer. Give them eyes to see possible ways of
peace and solidarity; ears to hear the requests of sense and salvation of so
many people who seek as by feeling; enrich their hearts with generous fidelity
and a sensitivity and understanding so that they may walk along the way and be
true and sincere witnesses to the glory that shines in the crucified
resurrected and victorious one. Who lives and reigns gloriously with You,
Father, forever and ever. Amen.
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét