Jn. 12: 20 – 33 5th Sunday of Lent (B)
Unless the grain of wheat die 17 March 2024
Only two weeks of Lent remain: this week, traditionally called Passion Week, and next week, Holy Week. Since Lent is meant to prepare us for Easter, we should consider
finishing Lent well these last two weeks.
Today’s Gospel can teach us how to finish Lent well. The Gospel reminds us of what might be
called the "essence of Lent" in two of the best-known teachings of
Jesus:
“. . . 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.” (Jn. 12: 24)·
“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in
this world will preserve it for
eternal life.” (Jn. 12: 25)
These two verses expound a paradox at the very center
of our Faith, a paradox that comprises the essence of Lent. Our English word paradox comes from the Greek paradoxos, meaning “unbelievable.” It is a seemingly contradictory or even absurd statement that is somehow true. The well-known Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi also reminds us of common paradoxes of our Faith: in giving we receive; in pardoning we are pardoned; in dying we are born to eternal life. Our Lord’s paradox of the grain of wheat is the essence of Lent because it speaks of sacrifice and death.
In the thinking of the World, sacrifice is unpopular. Much more frequently we are told not to “give up,” but to “fulfill, enrich, develop,” “get more, enjoy more.” And "enjoy now; don't wait."
Personal sacrifice always means dying to self. We act
against our natural human desires, which have been warped by Original Sin and driven by concupiscence. We know we must strive to act "agere contra," to act against our lower, more natural
desires.
So, sacrifice is a type of death: a death to our desires and selfishness; a death to our cupidity, sensuality, and sloth; a death to what, on the surface, might seem to be our worldly fulfillment. In this death of self-sacrifice, we live the paradox: the grain dies, but produces much fruit; our life of grasping greed, seeking pleasure, and realizing self-fulfillment, is sacrificed; our eternal life in heaven is preserved.
We are entering the home stretch of Lent, and we will finish Lent well by striving to live the
paradox:
· dying to self through some sacrifice
· giving up something – perhaps some time we spend on pleasure, and use that time for prayer
· serving someone else’s need (almsgiving, acts of charity,
kindness, cheerfulness)
We live the paradox the more we imitate Christ and follow Him closely. During these last two weeks of Lent, Passion Week and Holy Week, we strive to follow the Lord in suffering. Then, we can truly celebrate Easter more joyfully, knowing that one day we will follow Him in glory.
-Fr. Don Saunders, SJ
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