Posted: 3/26/2009 7:12:25 AM EDT
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Sunday, March 29, 2009
Fifth Sunday of Lent Reading 1 Jer 31:31-34 31 The days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant, and I had to show myself their master, says the LORD. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD. I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 No longer will they have need to teach their friends and relatives how to know the LORD. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the LORD, for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more. Reading II Heb 5:7-9 7 In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; 9 and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. Gospel Jn 12:20-33 20 Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast 21 came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." 22 Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Amen, 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. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26 Whoever 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. 28 Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again." 29 The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, "An angel has spoken to him." 30 Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. 31 Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. 32 And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself." 33 He said this indicating the kind of death he would die. 
Overview of the Gospel: · The setting for this Sunday’s Gospel reading is Jerusalem at the start of the first Holy Week. Just prior to this week’s reading, Jesus has entered the city in triumph (Palm Sunday), the exuberant crowds lining the roads with palm branches and proclaiming him as Messiah. In less than a week, these same people will be calling for his death (John 19:15-16). · The “Greeks” mentioned in verse 20 were probably not Greeks in the national sense—Greek was a general term describing non-Jews, or Gentiles. These inquirers were likely non-Jewish proselytes to Judaism (Matthew 23:15) or “God fearers,” Gentiles who were attracted to Judaism but not circumcised (Isaiah 56:6-7; Acts 8:27,10:ff). · One of Jesus’ enemies had noted earlier (verse 19) that “the whole world” was going after Jesus. Now, with even non-Jews asking about him, this statement is ironically fulfilled. It then becomes the occasion for Jesus revealing the necessity of his death (verses 24-27, 31-33). · As we see from the passage following our reading (verses 34-50), many of his listeners are in a state of obstinate denial, preferring to remain in the dark rather than accept the testimony of his words and the evidence of his works. Questions: · What brings Gentiles (non-Jews) to Jerusalem during a time of a Jewish feast (verse 22; Isaiah 56:6-7)? What was so unique about their request that Philip would first run it past Andrew? · Jesus said several times that “his hour had not yet come” (John 2:4; 7:6, 30). What regarding this request caused him to say that now it has come? · In Jesus parable (verse 24) who is the grain of wheat? How is this related to the Gentiles’ request? · What is Jesus calling his disciples to do in verses 25-26? What promises do they receive? · In verses 27-32, what is about to occur “now”? How does this affect Jesus? Why did the crowd deny the reality of Jesus’ future death (verses 32-34)? · Is there some area in your life where you are in denial? Where? · Where is Jesus asking you to die so that you might live? What do you tend to hold onto, rather than follow Jesus? Do you feel like you are walking in the dark, the light, or in some shadowland right now? Why? Catechism of the Catholic Church 434 Resurrection glorifies the name of the Savior God. 599-605 Christ's death and God's saving plan. 606-609, 616-617 Christ offered himself to the Father, even on the cross. 662 The "lifting" up of Christ. |
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· Is there some area in your life where you are in denial? Where? I am a truth seeker, and if I am wrong then I will chuck it all in order to be in the right when it comes to my Faith. But I think right now I have taken an extreme media fast since the election that I don't know that if I am in denial or sparing myself some unnecesary stress by tuning out all the chaos that is going on in our country and our economy. Where I used to follow the news headlines every hour I now have not looked at the headlines once or twice in the last 3 months.
· Where is Jesus asking you to die so that you might live? What do you tend to hold onto, rather than follow Jesus? Do you feel like you are walking in the dark, the light, or in some shadowland right now? Why? This changes all the time for me, I have my highs and lows. But all in all I do not waver when following Christ, but I do see my own weaknesses in my heart and in my flesh that drives me nuts. I long for the glorified body so that the inner struggle will no longer exist. |
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What brings Gentiles (non-Jews) to Jerusalem during a time of a Jewish feast (verse 22; Isaiah 56:6-7)? What was so unique about their request that Philip would first run it past Andrew?
As stated in the overview, there were non-Jews who were interested in Judaism and this would have been a good time to come to Jerusalem to worship the one God. Philip was not sure what to do because they had not had previously had such a request from Gentiles (non-believers), and they had been told by Jesus not to go into any area of the Gentiles. He did not know that the Gentiles were part of the plans for the future, after the rejection by the Jews. In Jesus parable (verse 24) who is the grain of wheat? How is this related to the Gentiles’ request? Jesus is the grain of wheat. Only when a seed is buried in the ground and appears to be dead does it sprout and grow. What is Jesus calling his disciples to do in verses 25-26? What promises do they receive? He is calling them to serve him, and serve others, which means sacrificing their lives completely. They must put things of this world behind their love of God and be completely unselfish. They promised eternal life in exchange for their earthly lives. Where is Jesus asking you to die so that you might live? What do you tend to hold onto, rather than follow Jesus? Do you feel like you are walking in the dark, the light, or in some shadowland right now? Why? It is so easy to get wrapped up in the things of this world and so hard to find time for God. Between work, family, paying bills, and wasting time on the computer and in front of the TV, it can be a challenge to just "waste time with God". I tend to hold on the notion of self-sufficiency rather than surrendering and relying in him. I am probably in a shadowland right now - partly sunny, partly cloudy. Sometimes I feel enlightened and other times very much in the dark. |