Dying to live required Sacrificial Obedience

Jer. 31:31-34, Heb. 5:7-9, Jn 12:20-33. On this Fifth Sunday of Lent Year B, the Church challenges us to remain steadfast and not give up at this critical time, persevere to the end and our victory is assured. Today’s first reading highlights the covenant relationship of God with the chosen people based not on laws written on stone, but on a covenant written on the hearts of those who desire to remain steadfastly connected to God. The sufferings of the chosen people during the destruction of Jerusalem and the exile should allow them to die to their old sinful ways and find a new way of relating to God.

Today’s Gospel teaches us that new life and eternal life are possible only by the death of the self through suffering and service. Our covenant with God can never be complete if we are not ready to toe His path of suffering and dying for others. By His Cross, He showed us an example we should follow. The first step towards dying to self is to imitate and learn from Jesus, who gave up everything for our gain and who died for us to live. It is important that we understand the economy of God. The Lord’s economy operates according to His Divine precepts; gain often comes through loss, life through death, comfort through discomfort, the way up is in humility, we get more by giving and we remain in exalted position by being deflated. The process of dying to live or losing to gain, is one that requires sacrificial obedience. Every sacrificial undertaking is usually graced with unabated obedience to the will of God. The second reading equally describes sacrificial obedience as Jesus’ ultimate secret towards accomplishing the will of God. Today, we are enjoined to embrace the culture of sacrifice and obedience to the will of God.

 May the Lord help us to discover what it takes to be His children and increase His grace within us, so that we may be ready to give up what matters most to us in sacrifice and service to others! Amen!! Good morning and happy Sunday!!!