Praise be to Jesus Christ
How was your week? I hope God’s blessings are with each and every one of you who have been observing Lent dutifully.
The Mystery of Faith: We proclaim your death, O Lord, and profess your resurrection until you come again.
Easter reveals the essence of our faith. Jesus’s death and resurrection is like Paschal. God invites us to Easter where we meditate on Jesus’ passion and death i.e. leads us toward the eternal life. Today’s gospel articulates the highpoint: “The hour arrives when the Son of man shall be glorified.” (John 12:23) Jesus faces the hour of passion and death. The hour is like a long dark tunnel. It is similar to our own experiences when we are faced with such challenges and painful events. Jesus was also troubled by it: “Father, save me from this hour?” (John 12:27) For Jesus is a complete human and God, he feels the human pain and suffers like us. Thus, at the same time, he understands all of our anguish. However, he does not avoid the dark hour but faces it head on: “But it is for this reason that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” (John 12:27-28) Then the passion and death leads to resurrection. The heads of the world will be judged and all people will gather around Jesus.
Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Jesus’ death, his sacrifice, leads all of us to the eternal life. Jesus also invites us to the path of salvation: “If anyone serves me, let him follow me.” (John 12:26)
During Lent, as we accept Jesus’s invitation, we live a life of moderation and sacrifice. We also participate in the Station of Cross and weekly one heart prayer as wells as transcribing the Bible. We also reduce alcohol consumption, smoking, and binge watching online while we increase alms giving and charity work. Our efforts of moderation and sacrifice will turn into a kernel of wheat that will produce many that will carry us one step closer to the everlasting life.
Today is the fifth Sunday in Lent. The season is almost over. Observe the remaining period dutifully so you may celebrate a blessed Easter.
Let us meditate for a moment.