Fifth Sunday of Lent (B)

 

March 21, 2021                                                                    

Readings:

First Reading: Jeremiah 31: 31-34

Psalm 51 “Create a clean heart in me, O God!”

Second Reading: Hebrews 5: 7-9 

Gospel reading according to John 12: 20-33

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Homily

On this Fifth Sunday of Lent, we find some Greeks, representing the Gentiles, pagans and non-Jews, from Bethsaida, Galilee, who came to worship during the Passover Feast just recently ended.  Like Nicodemus (cf. the Fourth Sunday of Lent) who came to Jesus in the night to be enlightened, these Greeks came to Philip, after their worship, whom they knew for he came also from Bethsaida, they were neighbors, “magkakababayan.” What was the purpose of these Greek speaking converted Jews for coming to Jesus?  Why instead of coming directly to Jesus they passed the message through Philip in seeing Jesus?  We can guess.  Maybe because they did not speak Hebrew or maybe because they were thinking they were not worthy to come directly to Jesus for they were Gentiles. “Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee and asked him, ‘Sir, we would like to see Jesus.’  Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus” (John 12: 20-22).  The Greeks came to Philip, who also spoke Greek, and then he came to Andrew, brother of Simon Peter and together they came to Jesus, with the Greek people.  Jesus was accommodating prophet.  He did not disregard people whether Greeks, or Romans or Jews, he welcomed everyone, as God the Father welcomes us despite of our sinfulness, because He loved us.

The coming and seeing of the Gentiles (Greeks) signaling the coming hour of passion, death, resurrection and glorification of Jesus.  “Jesus answered them, ‘The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified’” (John 12: 23). The time for Jesus to offer himself on the Tree of Life, the Cross, is already coming.  Nobody can stop this unfortunate or fortunate fate of Jesus.  Even he could not stop his coming death, because that is the will of God, his merciful and compassionate and loving Father.  “’Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just as 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’” (John 12: 24-26).   Jesus described himself to a seed of wheat that planted.  It dies in the ground but sooner or later a blade of leaf arrived and it grows with many grains of wheat.  He also compared himself to an unplanted seed of wheat.  He said it remains a seed that does now grow and produce more grains.  If he does not die, no growth and multiplication of believers will be produced and yield, but if he dies, the more believers will follow him.  In his death, the growth of the Church increases.  Jesus shows us the challenge of dying to one self.  As his followers, we too must die so to live an eternal life.

Now he is in trouble, not to himself or to the will of God, but to the elders and leaders, the authorities in the Temple and in the synagogues.  He becomes their enemy and are plotting to kill him.  “’I am troubled now.  Yet what should I say?  Father, saves me from this hour?  But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour.  Father, glorify your name.’  Then a voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it and will glorify again’” (John 12: 27-28).  Jesus was asking himself or talking to himself due to the trouble he is about to face.  Will he ask his Father to deliver him from this hour of his forth coming death?  Should he give in to his own whim and personal desire to avoid this pending death? Will he escape and hide from the authorities to avoid his death?  He also realized that this was the purpose of his coming here on earth, to offer once and for all his life as a ransom for many adapted sons and daughters of God.  And God the Father supported him and guaranteed him that he (Jesus) will give glory to Him in his death and resurrection.

Even the crowds who were present there and listening to the discussion of Jesus, the Greek-speaking converts to the Jewish religion and with the two disciples, Philip and Andrew, heard the voice of God.  But they interpreted it in different ways.  They had their own opinions.  “The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but other said, ‘An angel has spoken to him.’  Jesus answered and said, ‘This voice did not come for my sake but for yours.  Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out’.” (John 12: 29-31). Some said they heard a thunder, other said the angel of the Lord has spoken to him, etc.  Jesus gave himself his own interpretation to the voice of God spoken to him, the voice is for our sake.  This also indicated the time of judgment of the world, the ruler of this world will be driven out, and the Kingdom of God reigns. He continued his conversation with the Greeks, “’And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.’  He said this indicating the kind of death he would die” (John 12: 32-33).  Even his forthcoming death he already announced and proclaimed to them.