The Coming of Jesus’ Hour [March 25, 2012]

The Sunday Gospel [March 25, 2012]

John 12:20-33

Now there were some Greeks* among those who had come up to worship at the feast. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” 22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24Amen, 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. 25Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. 27“I am troubled now. Yet what should I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” 29The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. 31Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world* will be driven out. 32And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” 33He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

Reflection

“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.” ~ Jesus in v. 24

Have you ever seen a seed germinate? While it is in the soil, the skin encasing it splits open. Next, the seed itself splits in two, and the stem and root unfurl. Gradually, the seed grows smaller as it nourishes the new plant. Eventually, the seed disappears altogether. If you were to look at the plant after a while, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell what the seed looked like.

What a wonderful image this is for the spiritual life! Like a patient farmer, God is always planting seeds in our hearts, waiting for them to “die” so that they can bear fruit. Each season has its own seeds that need to die – parts of us that need to break open so that new life can come forth. As children, we may be bearing the fruit of obedience and trust. As young married couples, we may be learning to pour our lives out as seasoned adults; our fruit may be that of more active involvement in our community or church.

Again, like a wise gardener, only God knows which seeds need to sprout for each season. It’s no use trying to double guess him. And there’s no need. After all, he knows what he is doing!

Try something different in your prayer today. Look back over your life, and try to identify times when a “seed” had to die so that God could bring something new into your life. Ask yourself” “Well, I survived, didn’t I? And I’m better off for having gone through it, aren’t I?”

Now, having reviewed your past, see if there’s something that God wants to do in your present. He is never finished with us! There’s always more that he wants to give us – if only we will let him bring life out of death!

Source: The Meditation is from Bro. Abel Navarro (you can visit his blog at http://myblogabelnavarroabel.blogspot.com/).