From: John 12:24-26
Jesus Foretells His Glorification (Continuation)
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
24-25. There is an apparent paradox here between Christ’s humiliation and his
glorification. Thus, “it was appropriate that the loftiness of his glorification should
be preceded by the lowliness of his passion”(St. Augustine, “In Ioann. Evang.”,
51, 8). This is the same ideas as we find in St. Paul, when he says that Christ
humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross, and
that therefore God the Father exalted him above all created things (cf. Philippians
2:8-9). This is a lesson and an encouragement to the Christian, who should see
every type of suffering and contradiction as a sharing in Christ’s cross, which re-
deems us and exalts us. To be supernaturally effective, a person has to die to
himself, forgetting his comfort and shedding his selfishness. “If the grain of wheat
does not die, it remains unfruitful. Don’t you want to be a grain of wheat, to die
through mortification, and to yield a rich harvest? May Jesus bless your wheat
field!” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 199).
26. Our Lord has spoken about his sacrifice being a condition of his entering his
glory. And what holds good for the Master applies also to his disciples (cf. Mat-
thew 10:24; Luke 6:40). Jesus wants each of us to be of service to him. It is a
mystery of God’s plan that he — who is all, who has all and who needs nothing
and nobody — should choose to need our help to ensure that his teaching and
the salvation wrought by him reaches all men.
“To follow Christ: that is the secret. We must accompany him so closely that we
come to live with him, like the first Twelve did; so closely, that we become identi-
fied with him. Soon we will be able to say, provided we have not put obstacles in
the way of grace, that we have put on, have clothed ourselves with our Lord Jesus
Christ (cf. Romans 13:14). [...]
“I have distinguished as it were four stages in our effort to identify ourselves with
Christ—seeking him, finding him, getting to know him, loving him. It may seem
clear to you that you are only at the first stage. Seek him then, hungrily; seek
him within yourselves with all your strength. If you act with determination, I am
ready to guarantee that you have already found him, and have begun to get to
know him and to love him, and to hold your conversation in heaven (cf. Phil 3:20)”
(St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 299-300).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States. We encourage readers to purchase
The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.
Please pray for this ministry and support it through this PayPal link. For other
options (check, money order, etc.) please contact the Listowner directly.
“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” — St Jerome
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Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)
For: Sunday, March 22, 2015
5th Sunday of Lent
From: John 12:24-26
Jesus Foretells His Glorification (Continuation)
*********************************************************************************************
Commentary:
24-25. There is an apparent paradox here between Christ’s humiliation and his
glorification. Thus, “it was appropriate that the loftiness of his glorification should
be preceded by the lowliness of his passion”(St. Augustine, “In Ioann. Evang.”,
51, 8). This is the same ideas as we find in St. Paul, when he says that Christ
humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross, and
that therefore God the Father exalted him above all created things (cf. Philippians
2:8-9). This is a lesson and an encouragement to the Christian, who should see
every type of suffering and contradiction as a sharing in Christ’s cross, which re-
deems us and exalts us. To be supernaturally effective, a person has to die to
himself, forgetting his comfort and shedding his selfishness. “If the grain of wheat
does not die, it remains unfruitful. Don’t you want to be a grain of wheat, to die
through mortification, and to yield a rich harvest? May Jesus bless your wheat
field!” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 199).
26. Our Lord has spoken about his sacrifice being a condition of his entering his
glory. And what holds good for the Master applies also to his disciples (cf. Mat-
thew 10:24; Luke 6:40). Jesus wants each of us to be of service to him. It is a
mystery of God’s plan that he — who is all, who has all and who needs nothing
and nobody — should choose to need our help to ensure that his teaching and
the salvation wrought by him reaches all men.
“To follow Christ: that is the secret. We must accompany him so closely that we
come to live with him, like the first Twelve did; so closely, that we become identi-
fied with him. Soon we will be able to say, provided we have not put obstacles in
the way of grace, that we have put on, have clothed ourselves with our Lord Jesus
Christ (cf. Romans 13:14). [...]
“I have distinguished as it were four stages in our effort to identify ourselves with
Christ—seeking him, finding him, getting to know him, loving him. It may seem
clear to you that you are only at the first stage. Seek him then, hungrily; seek
him within yourselves with all your strength. If you act with determination, I am
ready to guarantee that you have already found him, and have begun to get to
know him and to love him, and to hold your conversation in heaven (cf. Phil 3:20)”
(St. J. Escriva, “Friends of God”, 299-300).
*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
|
First reading |
|
Jeremiah 31:31-34 © |
See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel (and the House of Judah), but not a covenant like the one I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant of mine, so I had to show them who was master. It is the Lord who speaks. No, this is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel when those days arrive – it is the Lord who speaks. Deep within them I will plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people. There will be no further need for neighbour to try to teach neighbour, or brother to say to brother, ‘Learn to know the Lord!’ No, they will all know me, the least no less than the greatest – it is the Lord who speaks – since I will forgive their iniquity and never call their sin to mind.
|
Psalm |
|
Psalm 50:3-4,12-15 © |
A pure heart create for me, O God.
Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin.
A pure heart create for me, O God.
A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit.
A pure heart create for me, O God.
Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervour sustain me,
that I may teach transgressors your ways
and sinners may return to you.
A pure heart create for me, O God.
|
Second reading |
Hebrews 5:7-9 © |
During his life on earth, Christ offered up prayer and entreaty, aloud and in silent tears, to the one who had the power to save him out of death, and he submitted so humbly that his prayer was heard. Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering; but having been made perfect, he became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation.
|
Gospel Acclamation |
Jn12:26 |
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
Whoever serves me must follow me, says the Lord;
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!
|
Gospel |
John 12:20-33 © |
Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. These approached Philip, who came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him, ‘Sir, we should like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew, and Andrew and Philip together went to tell Jesus. Jesus replied to them:
‘Now the hour has come
for the Son of Man to be glorified.
I tell you, most solemnly,
unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies,
it remains only a single grain;
but if it dies,
it yields a rich harvest.
Anyone who loves his life loses it;
anyone who hates his life in this world
will keep it for the eternal life.
If a man serves me, he must follow me,
wherever I am, my servant will be there too.
If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.
Now my soul is troubled.
What shall I say:
Father, save me from this hour?
But it was for this very reason that I have come to this hour.
Father, glorify your name!’
A voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’ People standing by, who heard this, said it was a clap of thunder; others said, ‘It was an angel speaking to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not for my sake that this voice came, but for yours.
‘Now sentence is being passed on this world;
now the prince of this world is to be overthrown.
And when I am lifted up from the earth,
I shall draw all men to myself.’
By these words he indicated the kind of death he would die.