Weekly Homilies
5TH SUNDAY OF LENT: FORMERLY PASSION SUNDAY: MARCH 17, 2024
READINGS: JEREMIAH 31:311-34, HEBREWS 5:7-9, JOHN 12:20-33
Notes from Bishop Peter
JONAS 3:1-5, 10, PSALM 25, I CORINTHIANS 7:29-31, MARK 1: 14-20
1. We have all had the experience of facing a serious challenge such as a job interview or an operation that caused us great distress.
2. Imagine, then, how Jesus felt on his way to Jerusalem where he knew he would suffer his most painful passion. He was well aware that the Romans tortured their prisoners especially those who might pose a threat to political stability.
3. This is why he says in the Gospel for today: “The hour has come for the Son of Man (Jesus) to be glorified. 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.”
a. Jesus speaks here of himself, the one who will die and through the Holy Spirit produce much fruit in the lives of his followers and of all humanity.
b. What is true for the Master, Jesus, is true for us. Our life in union with Jesus includes the constant struggle against our ego-self, our false-self which craves power, prestige and possessions, all of which can make themselves our masters instead of Jesus.
4. The reading from Jeremiah tells us of God’s promise of a New Covenant for his people, Israel.
a. This takes us back to the Last Supper when Jesus prays over the cup of wine: “Take this all of you and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the New and eternal Covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.”
b. By dying like the grain of wheat and shedding his blood, Jesus institutes the New Covenant between God and humanity. We are reminded of this and strengthened in our resolve to follow Jesus whenever we attend Holy Mass.
c. Please note that the Covenant God made with his chosen people, the Jews, remains intact.
d. A covenant is like a marriage, freely entered into by both parties but in the case of the Old and New Covenants, God takes the initiative and awaits our response. It’s like the image from the 3rd chapter, verse 20, of the Book of Revelation where Jesus says, “Here I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears me and opens the door, I shall dine with him and he with me.”
e. We enter this relationship with Jesus through our baptism. As we become more aware of who we are as Christians, hopefully we will progressively take our relationship with Jesus seriously. We do this by avoiding sin and its occasions, by availing ourselves of the sacraments, especially reconciliation (confession) and the Eucharist during which we recall what Jesus did for us and the greatness to which we are called.
f. We become what we are meant to be by cooperating with the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ Spirit, who progressively transforms us into the very likeness of Jesus himself. The greatest gift of the New Covenant is in fact the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts and moves us from within to be like Jesus. The Holy Spirit takes away sin and helps us love God above all else and our neighbor as ourselves beginning with those closest to us. As St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, “The love of God has been poured into our hearts by the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Thus we empowered to live according to God’s will.
g. For example we can forgive the harm others have caused us and ask forgiveness too. When we pray, the Holy Spirit makes us aware of Jesus’ all pervasive presence and our union with him. And there is so much more! How beautiful it is to be followers of Jesus who frees us from evil and helps us develop an increasingly positive image of ourselves and of those around us.
h. It must be said here that immigrants who are suffering verbal and physical attacks in our country are worthy of respect based on their dignity as human beings. These despicable acts must stop and the perpetrators dealt with by the civil authorities quickly and effectively.
i. We come now to the Eucharistic part of our Mass. Here, we remember how he died to give us new life and that he constantly knocks on the door of our heart, asking to be let in so he can transform us into his true disciples. Amen.