The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, April 2, 2006
Fifth Sunday of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 31:31-34
Psalm 51:3-4, 12-15
Hebrews 5:7-9
John 12:20-33

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

How often we have heard the passage about the grain of wheat: "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat..." In so many farming areas of our country, we are accustomed to winter wheat being started in late summer. When the cold of winter comes, it seems to die; but the plant is just sleeping until the warm sun of Spring revives it.

There's a line in a wonderful old French song: "Frere Jacques, Frere Jacques, dormez-vous, dormez-vous?" (Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?). That's a good question to ask ourselves on this Fifth Sunday of Lent. Jesus is the seed who died for us, in order that we might come to life and fullness! Well, it's Spring now, here in the northern hemisphere -- time for us all to come to life in the Lord, to realize and renew our commitment to really live the Christian life, to share our faith, to serve our brothers and sisters as the Lord's own hands and feet, His voice and heart.

In these approaching days of Holy Week, when we commemorate Christ's Passion, let our own suffering be offered in union with His suffering, and our heart's love be intertwined with His love. The day will come when our yearly dying and rising in the Paschal Mystery will be transformed into one glorious Resurrection. Then, there will be no more death, no more pain, no more tears. Only the joy of the seed now come to full bloom in eternity.

- Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(smartins at frontiernet dot net)

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