5th Sunday of Lent – B March 21, 2015
Jer 31:31-34 Ps
51 Heb 5:7-9 Jn 12:20-33
“We would like to see Jesus.”
That was the request
the Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast made to Philip, one of
the apostles. Philip passed it on to Andrew,
and then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.
This was an innocent sounding
request on face value.. So many people wanted
to see Jesus; the man who spoke such words of wisdom and provocation. So many people wanted to see the man who
healed the sick and performed many other wonders.
Many people have
echoed those words down through the ages.
“we would like to see Jesus.” How many of us right here have thought about what
it would have been like to be one of his disciples, going with him on his mission
trips around Galilee and Judah. How many
of us want to hear his voice, participate in his ministry, and be touched by
his wonderful love.
“We would like to see Jesus.”
Of course, we live two
thousand years later. Long ago, Jesus
ascended to heaven and was seated at the right hand of the Father. We believe that. It is in our creed. And yet, we still have that little inner
longing – that wondering of what it might have been like to hear his
voice. What would it have been like to
be with him in the temple that day and hear that voice of the Father from
heaven that the gospel writer said sounded like thunder or the voice of an
angel.
“We would like to see Jesus.”
Notice how Jesus
responded. He answered the Greeks with some very curious words. First he spoke about the grain of wheat
falling to the ground and dying, so that it can produce much fruit.
Then he spoke about
loving your life and losing it or hating your life in this world and preserving
it for eternity. Then He spoke about his
purpose being fulfilled in this hour, being lifted up and drawing everyone to
himself.
I imagine that his
apostles and any others standing by and listening were totally lost. After all, the Greeks just asked a simple
question. All they wanted was to see Jesus.
So we have a mystery
here. Not everything is as it
seems. This is often true in sacred
scripture. It is like a layer cake – multiple
layers going on here. Here, then, is a
first clue for us. When Jesus replied to
the request from the Greeks, he is also replying at this present moment to us
today. We want to see Jesus too. And Jesus is showing us the way to see him.
We are invited to see
the crucified Jesus. This is the one who
is the seed that falls to the ground and dies.
He is present in the crucifixion.
Every time we visit
someone who is sick, we encounter the crucified Lord. Every time we give comfort to someone who
bears a heavy burden, we encounter the crucified Lord. Every time we stand in solidarity with people
who are poor and oppressed, we encounter the crucified Lord. Every time we warmly greet the stranger in
our midst, we encounter the crucified Lord.
Often times, we go
looking for Jesus in spectacular signs and miracles. And he indeed continues to offer the world
these signs of the kingdom. But most
especially he invites us to see him in the distressing disguise of the poor –
to know him – and to love him.
Jesus said, “whoever serves me must follow me, and where
I am, there also will my servant be. The
Father will honor whoever serves me.” Jesus
said, “whatever you do to the least of
these, you do also to me.”
Do you want to see
Jesus? Then feed the hungry.
Do you want to see
Jesus? Then give drink to the thirsty.
Do you want to see
Jesus? Then clothe the naked.
Do you want to see
Jesus? Then shelter the homeless
Do you want to see
Jesus? Then visit the sick
Do you want to see
Jesus? Then visit the imprisoned.
Do you want to see
Jesus? Then bury the dead and give
comfort to the grieving
For when we do this,
we will know Jesus in his finest hour - his hour of salvation among us. We will know him in his love and mercy for us
all. We will encounter him in his
sacramental and glorified presence in his church. We will know the crucified Lord, who will draw
us to himself in mercy and love and forgiveness.
Do you want to see
Jesus? To really see Jesus? Then may all of us lay down our own lives in
love and service and come follow Him.
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