Jesus led by example by becoming the grain of wheat that fell onto the ground and died . . .
This weekend we enter into the 5th week of Lent, drawing closer and closer to the passion of Christ. The Gospel reading for this weekend sets the stage for what will happen. The drama is beginning to build. Jesus knows that the time is fast approaching when he will die. In the Gospel reading on Friday last, the Jews wanted to kill Jesus because he said that he was one with the father. They were unable to lay a hand on him because his hour had not yet come.
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus is well aware that his hour is nigh. He is well aware that the time is drawing near when he will give up his life. Jesus is well aware that the hour is fast approaching when the Son of man must be crucified – when he will freely lay down his life so that he can pick it back up again. He knows that the primary reason for his existence here on earth is about to be realized – the ultimate act of dying to self; when he would become the perfect, ultimate sacrifice. Jesus was also quite aware that even though his state was divine, his journey would not be an easy ride. He knew that this act of dying to self will cause him to experience pain beyond compare.
Just like Jesus, all of us have a particular function that we are to do while here on earth. Every single Christian has a mission. Every single Christian has a specific purpose just as Jesus had a specific purpose. In every case, the role of a Christian is to die – not necessarily a physical death, but to die to self so that Christ can live in us. St Paul understood this quite clearly when he said “In fact, through the Law I am dead to the Law so that I can be alive to God. I have been crucified with Christ and yet I am alive; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me.” (Romans 2: 19-20) He – St. Paul, also wrote:-
For by dying, he is dead to sin once and for all, and now the life that he lives is life with God. In the same way, you must see yourselves as being dead to sin but alive for God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 6: 10 – 11)
If you have really died with Christ to the principles of this world, why do you still let rules dictate to you, as though you were still living in the world? (Colossians 2:20)
In the same way you, my brothers, through the body of Christ have become dead to the Law and so you are able to belong to someone else, that is, to him who was raised from the dead to make us live fruitfully for God. (Romans 7:4)
So it is a basic requirement of Christianity to die to self. The Bible makes that quite clear. In relation to how or what our approach ought to be to life, Jesus was quite clear. In the Gospel reading for this week he says, “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.” He continues, “whoever loves his life will lose 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.“
Too many Christians are trying to live comfortable lives with just “me and my Jesus.” The attend Mass more out of obligation than anything else. They fail to understand the call of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Christianity is not about comfort and wealth in this world as many would have us believe; but rather about taking up our crosses daily and following Christ; about dying to self in this world so that by the grace and mercy of God, we can have life everlasting in the Next. Unfortunately too many Christians are caught up in self-fulfillment resulting in completely watered down and distorted life styles, and instead of being part of the army of God building up his Kingdom, they are not . , , – and I will pause on ‘not‘ for now. (If we are not building up the Kingdom of God, then we must ask whose kingdom is being built!?)
Too many Catholic Christians have lost sight of the basic “Who made you? Why did God make you?” questions; the answers to which used to be inscribed in the heart and soul of the Catholic Christian person. If they remember the ‘who made you’, and may even remember part of the ‘why’; but here is the catch:- these two questions/answers form the very heart of Christianity and therefore we cannot truly enter into relationship with Christ unless the answers to these are inscribed in our hearts, minds and souls. We must know that we know who made us and why we were made. We weren’t made just to exist. Every human person has inscribed within our hearts and souls, a deep desire for God. Unfortunately, many try to replace or cover up that “tattoo” for God with other things that will always fall very short leaving them more lost and empty than before. On the other hand, every one who recognizes their purpose in God (the why God made me?) will also recognize the need to be like Jesus and to follow in his ways.
You see, God made me; he made each and every one of us for a reason – to know, to love and to serve him; and it is when we truly do these, then by the grace and mercy of God, we can enter into eternal life with Him.
The Catechism very wisely and deliberately placed these three actions in a specific order – know, love and serve. We cannot love that which we do not know. Neither can we serve that which we do not love. Jesus tells us that we cannot serve two masters; we will love one and hate the other. (Matthew 6:24) God’s desire is that all will come to know him. He is not a ‘secret lover’. That being said, God is constantly revealing himself to us so that we may come to know who he is. He reveals himself through nature and many of the things that surround us. He also reveals himself through his Holy Word – the Bible. When we come to see who God is; when we come to know who he is, our only response will be to love him. When we enter into love relationship with God, we will desire what his heart desires – to build the Kingdom of God; to be his Kingdom people. Then we will enter into selfless service to God knowing that ‘we are not our own; we were bought with the precious blood of Christ Jesus his son‘ (1 Corinthians 6:20) . We therefore belong to Christ who bids us to follow him.
It is not easy to follow someone you do not trust. However God has proven again and again that he is trustworthy beyond measure! He has shown that he loves us in spite of our wretchedness and unworthiness. The Word of God tells us that what proves that God loves us was that he died for us while we were still sinners! (Romans 5:8) After such love, we are sure that God has our best interest at heart. We can absolutely and completely trust him.
Back to today’s Gospel, when he was told that some Greeks were looking for him, Jesus knowing that his appointed time was near said,
“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.” (John 12: 23-26)
Jesus issues the call to all of us to die to self and follow him. By itself, Jesus’ call to ‘follow me’ is a call to be like him and to walk in his ways. It is a call to love like him, to walk like him, to talk like him; to be his ambassadors. When we look at the person of Jesus, we see that he always put others first. St. Paul describes him as “being in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped. But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are; and being in every way like a human being, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross.” (Philippians 2: 6-8) All of us are called to be “alius Christus” – other Christ knowing that the one we are called to follow and to serve, led by example. Not only does he ask us to die to self; he became the ultimate price. He became the grain of wheat that fell onto the ground and died; and the abundant fruit that he bore was salvation for all who believes in him.
I have heard it said before that Christians are meant to be like candles, burning themselves to give other’s light. Let us die to ourselves so that others may get light.
Prayer:- Heavenly Father, like Jesus your Son who was troubled by what was to come, we too are sometimes troubled by your call to die to ourselves. It is not always easy to do. Grant us the grace through the power of your Holy Spirit, to be resolute like Jesus to do not our will but yours. We ask this through Christ Jesus our Lord.
AMEN!!
