Homilies & Reflections
5th Sunday of Lent, Year B by Rev. Fr. Lucas Binnah Junior
1st Reading: Jeremiah 31:31-34 / Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 51:3-4.12-13.14-15 (R. 12a) 2nd Reading: Hebrews 5:7-9 / Gospel Acclamation: John 12:26 / Gospel: John 12:20-33
Theme: Great Is One Who Loves Sacrificially
The first time I received a love-letter, it was like a bolt from the blue, albeit, I felt very good that somebody expressed love for me. I was all smiles. Unfortunately, the letter was intercepted by my Science teacher and when he read it, he started smiling too! He was captivated, and believe you me, many of my classmates wished they were me! Many a time, when someone tells us, “You are the sugar in my tea; the butter/margarine/chocolate/akara/kosé in my bread; the honey/sweetener in my tea; the spice in my soup; the icing on my cake; the sunshine in my life; the oasis in my dry life and the air I breathe,” we feel a sense of love. We are heartily happy. We feel very good. Some cannot simply sleep because some human person(s) had expressed love for them in mere words not in action. Even when those words are laden with infatuation and deceit, we still feel a momentary form of love. However, when relationship turns sour, we read messages such as “You are the cockroach in my wardrobe; the buzzing mosquito in my net; the enemy of progress and the devil’s incarnate.” Furthermore, anytime we embark on a journey, we seem to believe religiously that the pilot, captain or the driver would bring us to our destinations safely. Yet, when God promises to do something for us, we tend to pull the breaks, do double-checking and even doubt. Even though there is a flicker of hope, we still entertain some qualms and fears.
In today’s first reading, God expresses his love for us in beautiful, heart-warming and sincere words: “I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah… I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people… for I shall forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (cf. Jer. 31:31-34). This is like a love letter, and the Bible is replete with many of them (cf. Ex. 3:7-10; Is. 35:4-10, 43:1-5, 49:15-16, 40:26-31; Jn. 3:16; I Jn. 3:1-2, 4:7-12). More than mere words, God displays his love in action in such a way that, he who is Love Subsistent, embraces suffering and sacrifices himself on the Cross for our sake. The lover who is hurt, heals the beloved who hurt him. This is awesome; no wonder Jesus says: “There is no greater love than this that one gives one’s life for one’s friends (Jn. 15:13)! Therefore, the second reading tells us: “Although he was a Son, he learnt obedience through what he suffered. And when he suffered, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to God because of his love for us (cf. Heb. 5:7-9). In the end, he died painfully for us, the sinless for the sinful! This is a difficult journey, yet, he invites us to follow him even with all the uncertainties, fears and pains.
Love, therefore, involves some form of death and that is why today’s Gospel uses an agricultural metaphor, of a grain of wheat which falls to the ground and dies so as to bear much fruit. First, there is degeneration, death, seeming loss; and then comes, regeneration, life and increase. This is the process of love which must characterise all genuine and lasting relationships. To this end, Jesus says: “He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (Jn. 12:25). In our world today, many are just existing not living, and mere existence marked by self-love and self-security however long it may be, leads to unfulfilled life! The lack of sacrificial love leads to divorce and breakdown of family life. The foundation of all lasting relationships is agape or unconditional love, and Jesus always urged this in his ministry (cf. Mt. 16:25, 10:39; Mk. 8:35; Lk. 9:24, 17:33). Thus, according to William Barclay, “it is by death comes life; that only by spending life do we retain it; that only by service comes greatness.”
It is rather unfortunate that many of us are unable to discern the virtue in just suffering. For Jesus, he saw his suffering on the cross as his glory. His crucifixion was a moment of glory whereby he says: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself” (Jn. 12:32). By his deep love for us leading to his death, Christ has conquered our hearts, and not only that, he has been given a name above all names, such that, at the mention of Jesus, every knee shall bow in heaven, on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord to the glory of God the Father (cf. Phil. 2:6-11). We too will be considered great in heaven if we sincerely live in love of God and neighbour. Thus, love makes us great and takes us to heaven!
Beloved in Christ, as we prepare for Easter, let us embrace the cross so as to gain its crown. God loves us deeply and he wants us to imitate him by living in true love, the love that loves the other for the sake of the other. This is not easy, we must admit, but that is the only solution to our problems and the passport to heaven. Naturally, when one helps others, one is remembered and kept in the living memory of people. We remember Mother Teresa (St. Teresa of Calcutta) for her deep love for people of all races and religions. Again, since love is reciprocal, those who benefit from the love of others are inwardly moved to love others too. If this is so, then, the love we show others will come back to us someday, sometime, somewhere. Like a ball thrown to the wall, our love will bounce back to us. Heaven and earth will remember us for spending ourselves for others. Based on the love God has for us exemplified by Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross, let us also extend our love to our spouses, family relations, friends, business partners, colleagues, the people we rule and serve, those entrusted to our care, as well as the hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick, imprisoned, aged, bereaved, vulnerable and the marginalised we find all around us. This is what Philip and Andrew did in today’s Gospel. Through love, they introduced the Greeks to Jesus (cf. Jn. 12: 20-22). We too can do the same by evangelising those around us. Be that as it may, we need to start from our immediate environment – our homes – for charity begins at home
Finally, let us remember that thankful students never relent in making references to teachers who contributed immensely to their lives and made them who they are. Grateful children do not forget their parents for the sacrifices they make on their behalf. On his 81st birthday, former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo told the whole world how he missed his parents. Posthumously, he was full of praise for them and wished they lived to see him old too! When we live and suffer because of love, our trials will turn into triumphs, our tests into testimonies and our burdens into blessings. Brethren, as we anticipate Easter, to celebrate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, let charity guide all our words and deeds, for it is love which will judge us ultimately. Let us pray to God to create a pure heart within us so we can love like him. Happy Sunday and may God richly bless us!
Remember: #Great-Is-One-Who-Loves-Sacrificially
By Rev. Fr. Lucas Binnah Junior, C.S.Sp