Anyone Who Loves His Life...Loses it...

"Anyone who loves his life...loses it. Anyone who loves the REAL life, keeps it forever."

March 25 - Fifth Sunday of Lent

The word "covenant" in the First Reading deserves a few special words. It is defined as " a formal, solemn and binding agreement," between two equal parties. But in Scripture - beginning with Abraham and, in a sense, even with our First Parents, the two parties are NOT equal because one of them is God Who freely binds Himself to a set of conditions strictly in our favor. Covenants were made and remade between God and special men - representing the Chosen People - down the centuries. All of them had to be made again and again because the men in question died. But the covenant .with the man, Jesus of Nazareth, lasts forever because he is alive and well. That is why at the Consecration of the Mass we find the words "new and eternal covenant" - new because made with a new man, Jesus, and eternal because he lives forever. Moreover this new covenant is not something written down but rather something written in our hearts as we respond joyfully to the totally free offer God makes us.

The concept of "covenant" is essentially a reassuring one but before God we can never justify ourselves and so we ask for His mercy in this beautiful Responsorial Psalm which we might well add to our daily prayers.

The Second Reading is from Hebrews which was formerly attributed to Paul but perhaps not correctly. In its style and theme it is certainly worthy of him but in its calm and collected language, it bears little sign of the Apostle's tendency to deviate from his main subject every now and then while he adds a stray thought that occurred to him as he walked up and down dictating to his secretary. The Reading, whoever may be its author, underlines the immense sacrifice of the Master in accepting suffering especially in his Passion and Death and, as a result, he is now our "source of eternal salvation."

The theme of the "seed" which dies but fructifies   is found in other Evangelists besides John but in the Gospel he gives  it a special twist: Jesus himself is the precious divine seed which by dying will give life to mankind.   The lesson here for us is not merely that we should be humble and mortify ourselves so as to
become holy. John has more than that in mind. The Greeks approach Philip and ask to see Jesus  -  they want to  meet the popular figure who draws crowds and enjoys a certain success. Jesus receives them cordially but banishes any idea of getting his autograph and tells them bluntly that he will soon die but also
rise and be glorified and that they - if they are sensible people - must follow the same road. "Anyone who loves his life, loses it and anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." It was a startling and totally unexpected statement and  the Greeks must have been even more shocked to hear  a
voice from heaven - if, that is, they understood it - telling exactly who this popular figure was.   Jesus, however, is in no doubt. He is going to tackle the Prince of this world - Satan - and conquer him. He would pay a terrible price but his victory was assured.

~ March 2012 Concord