FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT

THE SEED MUST DIE

We are more troublesome to ourselves than anyone else – St. Francis del Sale

First Reading – Jeremiah 31:31-34 – The prophet Jeremiah tells a shattered people that God has not forsaken them, but will soon make a new and more intimate covenant with them.

Second reading Heb 5:7-9 – Through his obedience and suffering Christ became the source of eternal life for us

Gospel John 12:20-33 – In his death Jesus will be glorified and this will bring life to those who follow him.



THE HUMAN VULNERABILITY

We sometimes put on certain stoic faces which show that life must with courage without showing any weakness whatsoever. But life is not about hardliners, survival technicians of life. Liberators are those who fight for the common good but they never live long to see the fruits of their work.

There are usually low moments, where we reach the rock bottom, our inner life is smashed, bombarded and moving on with life becomes a nightmare and we can’t go ahead and we create short-cuts in life.

We get tired of insults and injuries in our life. In this state of exhaustion and despair, and the only way forward is throwing ourselves on our knees before God, and pray. Sometimes we tell God that we have taken stands for what we believe is right, and now we feel afraid of the consequences and what will follow.

This is when we feel the presence of God; this experience enables us to continue the struggle. This shows that we are not made of stone, we need to show that we are human, weak, and sometimes we need the other side of our life.

In all our human struggles and heroic endeavours we have to show what man or woman we are made of. Jesus experienced this in the Gethsamane amidst all the sweats of expectations and fulfilment of the father’s will.

This courage of Jesus came from prayer, for courage is fear that has said its prayers. Amidst everything else courage ought to be our mover in what we do. There is no need to pretend that we are made of granite, we must not hide our weakness and fear. Like Jesus we must turn to God in heartfelt prayer. And we must also seek human comforting as Jesus did when he asked Peter, James and John to watch and pray with him.