Gospel: March 17, 2024
(Sunday)
5th Sunday of Lent
Third Scrutiny of the Elect
Psalter: Week 1/(Violet)
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 51: 3-4, 12-13, 14-15 (12a)
Create a clean heart in me, O God.
1st Reading: Jeremiah 31: 31-34
2nd Reading: Hebrews 5: 7-9
Christ, in the days of his mortal life, offered his sacrifice with tears and cries. He prayed to him, who could save him from death, and he was heard, because of his humble submission. Although he was Son, he learned, through suffering, what obedience was, and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation, for those who obey him.
Gospel: John 12: 20-33
There were some Greeks who had come up to Jerusalem to worship during the feast. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went to Andrew, and the two of them told Jesus.
Then Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Those who love their life destroy it, and those who despise their life in this world save it even to everlasting life.
Whoever wants to serve me, let him follow me; and wherever I am, there shall my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Now my soul is in distress. Shall I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But, to face all this, I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”
People standing there heard something and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel was speaking to him.” Then Jesus declared, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours. Now sentence is being passed on this world; now the prince of this world is to be cast down. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all people to myself.” With these words Jesus referred to the kind of death he was to die.
Lectio Divina
Read: Some Greeks came to Jerusalem. They expressed to Philip their desire to see Jesus. Philip went to Andrew and both of them came to Jesus to tell him about the request. Jesus told them that the hour had come for the Son of Man to be glorified. He taught them that when a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it produces fruits. Jesus challenges his servants to bear fruits. Jesus prayed, expressing that the Father’s name be glorified. The Father answered Jesus’ prayer. Jesus said that the world is already sentenced. He explained that when he is lifted up from the earth, he will draw all people to himself.
Reflect: In John’s Gospel, Philip and Andrew are presented to be instruments by whom others are led to Jesus. Today’s Gospel narrates how some Greeks are introduced to Jesus through them. Jesus’ particular teaching in today’s Gospel emphasizes the importance of dying to oneself so that others might be drawn nearer to the Father. As Jesus’ followers, it is always part of our mission to reach out to others so that they will be drawn nearer to Jesus. In the end, when we reach out to others, Jesus is reaching out to them together with us.
Pray: Let us pray that, together with Jesus, we may reach out to others even if it entails dying to ourselves.
Act: Let us think of one person whom we have not talked to for a long time and reach out to this person.
