Sunday 5th (B) of Lent
«Whoever wants to serve me, let him follow me»
Fr. Vimal MSUSAI (Ranchi, Jharkhand, India)
Today’s Gospel might have been powerful words of encouragement in the faith journey of persecuted early Christian community to whom the “beloved disciple” writes. During the festivals in Jerusalem some Greeks went to worship and wished to see Jesus through the help of disciples.
To “see” Jesus is not just to look at Him, which is what those Greeks presumably wanted. To “see” Jesus is to enter totally into his way of thinking, to understand why he had to suffer and die and rise again. Like the grain of wheat, Jesus has to let go of everything, including his own life, in order to bring life to him and many others.
If we cannot see this as the core of Jesus’ life, we have not really seen Him. In the words of St. Athanasius, we can see Jesus only through death, through the cross with which Christ bears much fruits for all the centuries. To “see” Jesus means by submitting to an undeserved death that has the benefit of faith and salvation to the humanity (cf. Jn 12:25-26). Mahatma Gandhi reflects the same as «the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others».
Jesus’ words remind that his followers must follow in his steps even unto death. The grain, of course, does not actually die but is totally transformed into something completely new: roots, leaves and fruit (Easter). Similarly the caterpillar lets go of being a caterpillar to become transformed into something altogether different and often much more beautiful —a moth or butterfly.
And, if we want to see Jesus, we have to walk his Way. «If a man serves me, is my disciple, he must follow me. Where I am, my servant will be there too» (Jn 12:26). It means walking with Jesus and with Mary all the way to Calvary, wherever that happens to be for each of us. Jesus, who let go of everything for us, invites us to be with Him all the way long by letting his self-go and letting his Father’s will be done.
«Unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit»
Fr. Ferran JARABO i Carbonell (Agullana, Girona, Spain)
Today, in the last part of Lent, the Church proposes this Gospel to help us attain Palm Sunday ready to live up to these mysteries so outstanding for our Christian life. The Via crucis, or the Way of the Cross, becomes for us Christians a “via lucis”, or the Way of Light, for dying is to be born again or, even better, we must die to this world so that we can live the Truth.
In the first part of this Gospel, Jesus tells the Apostles: «Unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit» (Jn 12:24). In this respect, St. Augustine comments: «Jesus said He was “grain”, that was to be mortified, to multiply afterwards; He was to be mortified by the infidelity of the Jews and He was to multiply for the faith of all the people». The bread of the Eucharist, made out of grains of wheat, is multiplied and divided to nourish all Christians. Dying in martyrdom always bear fruit; this is why «Those who love their life», paradoxically, «destroy it». Christ died to bear, with his blood, fruit; we have to imitate Him to resurrect with Him and bear fruit with Him. Many are those who offer their lives silently for the welfare of their brothers. Through silence and self effacement we have to learn to become that grain that dies to get back to Life.
The Gospel of this Sunday ends with an exhortation to walk in the light of the Son lifted up from the earth: «And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all to myself» (Jn 12:32). Let God's light shine always through us to help us dissipating all darkness. It is God's moment now, let us not lose it! «Are you sleeping?; the time granted to you goes by fast!» (St. Ambrose of Milan). We must not stop being a light to the world. As the moon gets its light from the sun, we are to be seen reflecting God's light.