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Reading 1: Jeremiah 31:31-34
Responsorial: Psalm 51:3-4, 12-15
Reading 2: Hebrews 5:7-9
Gospel: John 12:20-33
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032121-YearB.cfm https://www.deaconrudysnotes.org/
And so today we come to the fifth Sunday of Lent. Can you believe it? We’re two weeks away from Easter! I want to welcome everyone to another episode of deacon rudy’s notes! I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal, and together, we’re going to explore the readings for this weekend.
With two weeks to go, we’re practically in the home stretch of our Lenten season. Today is a great time to check-in on our Lenten journeys. Remember, our goal this Lenten season wasn’t to give up something trivial like a bit of chocolate. We wanted to dig deep and find out what’s getting in the way of our relationship with God. We wanted to identify patterns of sin and root causes of sin, like ingratitude, so that we could lay them at the foot of the cross and allow God to embrace us with His mercy and love.
And we’ve talked about a variety of things we could do to help us accomplish that goal. Maybe you used the traditional Lenten sacrifices of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Perhaps you tried the examen, preferably daily. Maybe it was an examination of conscience, if not every day, then at least weekly. That’s also helpful as we prepare for the sacrament of reconciliation.
Maybe we’ve used this Lenten season to develop some better habits, like reading Scripture more frequently. We could link this to the sacrifice of prayer, so maybe you tried Lectio Divina or Ignatian contemplation. Or perhaps you’ve tried some other forms of contemplative prayer like centering prayer or Christian meditation. Prayer can be a sacrifice because we make time to pray during Lent that we don’t usually do throughout the year.
Perhaps you’ve used your Lenten journey to reflect on the gifts and the fruits of the Holy Spirit. What gifts do you have? Do you see the fruits of the Spirit in your life?
And maybe you’ve spent some time thinking about the virtues and which one you’d like to focus on developing this year? Remember, a virtue is basically an intentional good habit. We want to be more intentional or mindful of what we are doing.
So, how is your Lenten journey going? If it’s going well, that’s wonderful! If it’s not going so well, don’t worry! You still have two weeks of Lent to try something.
Why is all of this important?
Well, in today’s Gospel, Jesus explains why it’s important to tackle the root causes of sin. Jesus says, “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for enteral life” (John 12:25). Now, Jesus is not telling us we should hate our lives and hate the world around us. Our goal isn’t to become grumpy old people! What Jesus is talking about is spiritual detachment. <1>
Remember, we’ve discussed how easy it is to fall into the empty promises of this world. For example, in an earlier episode, we discussed the many forms of sloth. Perhaps without even realizing it, we’ve been living a life mired in sin! Like the happy pig who enjoys the muck, we might find ourselves enjoying sin a little too much.
Part of this message is to remind us that we want to be aware of and avoid being caught in a web of sin. I mean, at some level, we know better! Right? Like we heard in our first reading from Jeremiah, God placed the knowledge of right from wrong in our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). We don’t want to get so attached to sin or to our material possessions that we can’t imagine life without them. Many things might bring us comfort and pleasure, but they’re not essential.
For example, I love coffee! I’m not a coffee snob per se, but I’m close. This is how I used to think about coffee. You know, back in the day when we all used to take trips on airplanes? The flight staff would say should the cabin lose pressure and an oxygen mask drop, that for your safety and the safety of those around you, place the mask over your mouth and nose first and then help those around you.
Well, I used to look at coffee the same way. For my safety and the safety of those around me, I needed to have at least one cup of coffee before anything else happened in the morning. I’m happy to report that after years of diet and exercise, both spiritual and healthy life choices, I don’t think of coffee that same way anymore. Don’t get me wrong – I still enjoy good coffee multiple times a day. But the quality of my day doesn’t hinge on a cup of coffee.
Now, there’s a risk of doing all this hard work of self-examination. If we pay too much attention to our sins sometimes, we get too focused on ourselves. That can lead to analysis paralysis or take us down a dark path. Our goal isn’t to weigh us down. Our goal is to know our sins so we can understand the depth of God’s mercy and love for us. But this process also helps us flourish. It helps us become the people God created us to be – to be the best version of ourselves.
This process helps us honor what Jesus says in the Gospel today, “Whoever serves me must follow me…” (John 12:26). Jesus’s radical detachment is a model for us. It’s Jesus’ radical self-giving love that glorifies God. So too, we are called to give of ourselves unselfishly in our relationships with one another – especially our families, to build up the Kingdom of God on earth and ease the pain and suffering of the poor.
Don’t worry! We still have some time, and that leads us to homework! Nourished by the Word of God and the Eucharist, I invite you to reflect on the following two questions. First, how have my Lenten sacrifices or devotions helped me identify the root causes of sin in my life? Second, what are some concrete things I can do over the next two weeks to better prepare myself for Easter?
Do you got it? Do you get it? Good! Now go make disciples! May almighty God bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! +Amen!
You’re listening to deacon rudy’s notes. Thank you for joining me today. Silent Partner composed our theme music. You can find all sorts of helpful information on the website at www.deaconrudysnotes.org. I’m Deacon Rudy Villarreal. Join me again next weekend as we break open the Word. Peace!
Image Credit: Lent. Artist Unknown. JPG.
Notes: <1> Martin & Wright, The Gospel of John, 223.
Bibliography/Suggested Readings:
1. Healy, Mary. Hebrews. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2016. Kindle.
2. Martin, Francis and William M. Wright IV. The Gospel of John. Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2015. Kindle.
Catechism References http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm:
1. The history of the covenants: 56-64, 220, 715, 762, 1965
2. Why the Word became flesh: 459
3. Christ gathers us into God’s kingdom: 541-42
4. Christ offers his life to the Father: 606-7
5. Jesus’ suffering in love: 609, 616-17
6. Agony in Gethsemane: 612
7. Our participation in Christ’s sacrifice: 618
8. Christ ascended in glory as our victory: 662, 2853
9. The Spirit glorifies the Son, the Son glorifies the Father: 690, 729
10. Jesus’ obedience: 1009, 2825
11. Order of Melchizedek: 1544
12. Jesus’ prayer for us: 2606, 2741
13. Deliver us from evil: 2850-54
Fifth Sunday of Lent https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/032121-YearB.cfm
Year B
Lectionary: 35
Reading 1
Jeremiah 31:31-34
The days are coming, says the LORD,
when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and the house of Judah.
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.
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.
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.
Responsorial
Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15
R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness;
in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense.
Thoroughly wash me from my guilt
and of my sin cleanse me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Cast me not out from your presence,
and your Holy Spirit take not from me.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Give me back the joy of your salvation,
and a willing spirit sustain in me.
I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners shall return to you.
R. Create a clean heart in me, O God.
Reading 2
Hebrews 5:7-9
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.
Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
and when he was made perfect,
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
Verse Before the Gospel
John 12:26
Whoever serves me must follow me, says the Lord;
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
Gospel
John 12:20-33
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.
Jesus answered them,
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
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.
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.
“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.
Father, glorify your name.”
Then a voice came from heaven,
“I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”
The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder;
but others 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.
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.