From the Pastor - Fifth Sunday of Lent
As we are nearing the end of our Lenten journey, our readings today remind us of the goodness that our God has to offer us.
In today's Gospel, Jesus announces that the “hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” All that He came to do on this earth was soon to be fulfilled. When we reflect on what Jesus says in this passage, He tells us a great deal about how we should be living as disciples of Christ. He clearly states, “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.”
We are called to detach from our own desires and entrust our lives to all that God has in store for us. Without self-denial, we might miss occasions God has given us to produce good fruit. We have been practicing this throughout our Lenten season through fasting. One way to continue this effort after Lent is by taking advantage of the countless opportunities God presents to us to sacrifice our desires for something much greater — whether waking earlier to spend time in prayer, fasting from a favorite comfort on a weekly basis or taking the time to check in on a friend or family member instead of turning on the TV, just to name a few. It is important that we continue to make room for God and the good things He wants to produce in us all year long.
As our Lenten journey soon concludes, may we consider the ways in which we might continue the practice of self-denial by offering small, daily sacrifices to the Lord. © Catholic Stewardship Consultants, 2021.
Pastoral Pondering – Today the Church begins what has been traditionally called “Passiontide”. One of the distinctive marks of Passion Sunday (now the 5th Sunday of Lent) is that images and crosses are covered. This developed as an expression of what we read in John 8:46-59 in which the text notes that some of the leaders were preparing to stone Jesus, but “He hid himself”. Crosses in the Church remain covered until after the service of the Passion on Good Friday, and statues and images remain covered until the Gloria of the Easter Vigil.
To some these practices may seem trivial or frivolous. However, one of the important characteristics of the sacramental churches of the west and east is the use of concrete things in daily life to communicate heavenly realities or to underscore the liturgical observances in real time. On a symbolic level, Jesus hiding Himself and the covering of the statues (which represent heavenly glory) is to help us enter into the two weeks prior to Easter with a certain longing for the power of the Resurrection. It is the Church’s final encouragement for us not to allow Lent to slip away without allowing ourselves an opportunity for spiritual renewal. I pray then that each of you will allow this most sacred time of our liturgical year to bear great fruit in your hearts and souls. In closing I offer this simple yet beautiful prayer. It has been attributed to various saintly authors, but its origin remains uncertain. Nonetheless, what it expresses is a spiritual treasure.
O great Passion!
O profound Wounds!
O outpouring of blood!
O highest Sorrow!
O Death suffered in every bitterness!
Be to us healing and eternal life.