Reflection/Homily:
Fifth (5th) Sunday of Lent Year B (March 22 2015)
Theme: The
Christian Cross as a Gateway to Heaven
In life, most
times we desire good things but sometimes, we are unable to pass through
crucibles in other to get them. For example, many students dream of graduating
with first class honours but only a few are really burning extra candles. Some
of us forget that hard work is a necessary condition for a great achievement.
In the gospel reading (John 12:20-33), Jesus
reiterates this principle that nothing good comes easy. He uses the analogy of
the sown wheat to demonstrate that to redeem man, he must die and for us to
gain eternal life, we must also die just as a sown wheat must die in the ground
before it yields a rich harvest. The problem is that most of us are reluctant
to work hard. This reluctance is found in our physical and spiritual lives.
Sometimes, we want this or that from God but we can’t kneel in prayer to get them.
We want to go to heaven but we can’t do good and avoid evil. We want to be
exceptionally spiritually gifted but we can’t work hard to develop these
spiritual gifts, etc.
Today, Jesus
invites us to learn from him how to boldly accept unpleasant situations for a
pleasant result. The gospel began by narrating how some Greeks who came for
worship at Jerusalem requested to see Jesus through the Apostles Philip and
Andrew. Though John did not tell us whether they met him or not but we must
observe that these Greeks came to encounter Christ at Jerusalem but Christ
started talking about suffering and death. A pertinent question we should ask
ourselves is if we desire to encounter Christ in the Church activities we
attend? Most of us perhaps attend them to fulfill an obligation and that is why
most people attend Church without worshipping God, attend mass without
partaking in the Word and Eucharist, practice religion without faith and
advocate a spirituality without the cross. Jesus’ emphasis was to make it clear
that his mission and that of his followers involves suffering and death. For
this reason, his salvific mission cannot be accomplished without the cross. He
had to undergo a death that was the only gateway to. This death becomes a
gateway not only for Christ but also for all who desire to be saved. Thus, for
Christians, death becomes not a form of punishment, but a form of transition.
However, Jesus
did not fail to describe the nature of this death. It is not just any
biological death that saves but a death suffered in and for Christ. That is why
Jesus says in the gospel “anyone who
loves his life loses it and anyone who hates his life in this world will keep
it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me and my servant will be
with me wherever I am’. Jesus was by this not promoting reckless living or
an irresponsible life but was emphasizing a kind of life lived according to the
pattern of the cross which brings everlasting life. This everlasting life is
the product of the new covenant achieved through the sacrifice of the cross. It
was exactly what the first reading (Jeremiah 31:31-34) was
referring to. While the Old Testament was made with the Jews alone through
Moses and its ordinances were written in tablets of stones, the new covenant is
made with all creatures through Jesus and its ordinances are written in the
hearts of men in form of their consciences (though a morally formed
conscience). With the law written in men’s hearts, none will now claim ignorant
of the law. This new covenant brings about the forgiveness of sins and direct
access to God through Jesus.
The second
reading (Hebrews 5:5-10) presents Jesus
as a model for all living in the new covenant. We must like him learn to offer
up our prayer and entreaty to God who has the power to save us. In our lives,
we must learn to obey even when it involves suffering (a cross) so that through
such sufferings, we are perfected in other to gain eternal salvation. Eternal
salvation cannot come about without encountering Christ. To encounter Christ,
we must die to sin and live to righteousness and to gain eternal life, we must
pass through death. What this implies for us is that within this period of
lent, especially as we approach the Holy Week, our attention should be drawn to
the cross as a symbol and means of salvation. This cross is the source of the
new covenant which has its laws written in our hearts (1st reading).
This law should be kept with prayer and obedience even in the midst of
suffering (2nd reading). This suffering may include accepting death
after glorifying God with our lives and this death will be a gateway for God to
glorify us in heaven (gospel). Therefore beloved brethren, do you think you are
passing through crucibles and great discomfort because of your faith or good
moral life? Are you cajoled or rejected among your pals because you do not join
them in evil? Do not be afraid for you are witnessing to the true spirit of the
gospel. If at the moment you are enjoying comfort in your faith then, you still
need to anticipate your cross for the cross is the only ticket to heaven. God
loves you. -
Uwakwe Chibuike MFC
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