Tuesday of Holy Week
Scripture: John 12:20-26, CEB
Some Greeks were among those who had come up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and made a request: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” Philip told Andrew, and Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
Jesus replied, “The time has come for the Human One to be glorified. I assure you that unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it can only be a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their lives will lose them, and those who hate their lives in this world will keep them forever. Whoever serves me must follow me. Wherever I am, there my servant will also be. My Father will honor whoever serves me.
Devotional
It is very interesting that, in Jerusalem, a group of Greeks wanted to speak with Jesus. If we remember, the Greeks were thinkers and philosophers, captivated by the search for wisdom, they were interested in the person of Jesus. In my understanding he goes ahead to answer an existential question that possibly the Greeks who were looking for Him wanted to ask Him. Jesus defines the purpose of life by comparing it to the purpose of a grain of wheat. The grain of wheat has to fall into the ground and die in order to bear abundant fruit.
The life of Jesus is a clear way of exemplifying the purpose of life. His life, death and resurrection is compared to the grain of wheat that falls into the ground to bear much fruit. Imagine what would have happened if the Son of God had not died on the cross. Without Christ's death and resurrection there would be no salvation or eternal life.
Life was created in order to bear fruit; however, in order to bear good fruit we must understand that we must die. During this Lenten season, many of us take time to meditate on our purpose in life. That is why some of us set out to die to certain desires such as not eating certain types of food or not spending so much time on social networks, among others.
Undoubtedly dying to these desires will bear fruit in due time.
For Reflection
In what area of your life do you want to bear fruit? (spiritual, family, professional, personal, etc.)
Do you believe that only during Lent should we die to certain desires?
What would your life be like if we permanently commit with God to die to those desires that do not bear fruit for eternal life?
Prayer
God, my Creator, I ask you today to help me to die to desires that will not bear fruit for eternal life. In the name of Him who died for me, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
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This devotion was originally published for Holy Week 2022.
