5th Sunday of Lent, Mar. 25, 2012
Fr. Joseph Eddy, O. de M.
Gospel: John 12:20-33 “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone.”
(Full sermon text) The reading for this Sunday reveals to us that the Church is preparing herself for the entrance into the Paschal Mystery. Jesus sets his sights on Jerusalem. He knows that the time is short as He draws ever closer to making the ultimate sacrifice on Calvary. Our Lord is deeply troubled at the thought of it. Jesus tries to get his disciples to understand that their understanding of the coming kingdom is not correct. Earthly glory does not await Jesus. The Father will be glorified in his Son, but not in the way that the disciples expect.
The drinking water is good, and so is the river of lifeTamil Nadu, in the very southern tip of India, is a poor area. But since it’s near the River Cauvery, the drinking water is good. The three Mercedarian religious friars seem to be happy, Fr. Vincent reports, even though they are sleeping in rather poor quarters in the older of the two chapels.
Ninety Catholic families of good tradition live under the Mercedarians’ care here. The Faith has taken root. Go to the friars’ website and read the entire story, “The Order’s New Mission in India.”
Is God calling you to become a Mercedarian friar? Visit Fr. Joseph Eddy’s Facebook page.
To explain things to His disciples, Jesus uses the analogy of the “grain of wheat.” The society that Jesus lived in was very much an agrarian culture. Every person would have had an understanding of how seeds turn into crops. For many of us living in a country with mass produced food, the analogy may not be as helpful. Continue Reading…
