16 March 2021

'Christ alone was their true treasure.' Sunday Reflections, 5th Sunday of Lent, Year B

 

Sheaves of Wheat
Vincent van Gogh [Web Gallery of Art

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit (John 12:24)..

Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland)

Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)

Gospel John 12:20-33 (English Standard Version Anglicised: India)

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him.

“Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgement of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.


The readings for Year A may be used instead of those above.


Léachtaí i nGaeilge


Christ in Agony on the Cross

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself (John 12:32).

Sir, we wish to see Jesus. This was the request of some Greek pilgrims to Jerusalem who spoke to Philip. Jesus when told of this said to Philip and Andrew, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever

loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also.

Presumably, these words were conveyed to the Greeks by the two apostles or perhaps repeated to them by Jesus himself.

St Philip the Apostle

The Lord was making it very clear that there are consequences to following him. Philip himself was to end his life as a martyr.

On 12 March 2015 Pope Francis addressed the bishops of Korea during their ad limina visit. He recalled his visit to Korea the previous year when he beatified a group of martyrs. The Bishop of Rome said [emphasis added]: For me, one of the most beautiful moments of my visit to Korea was the beatification of the martyrs Paul Yun Ji-chung and companions.  In enrolling them among the Blessed, we praised God for the countless graces which he showered upon the Church in Korea during her infancy, and equally gave thanks for the faithful response given to these gifts of God.  Even before their faith found full expression in the sacramental life of the Church, these first Korean Christians not only fostered their personal relationship with Jesus, but brought him to others, regardless of class or social standing, and dwelt in a community of faith and charity like the first disciples of the Lord (cf. Acts 4:32).  “They were willing to make great sacrifices and let themselves be stripped of whatever kept them from Christ . . .  Christ alone was their true treasure” (Homily in Seoul, 16 August 2014). Their love of God and neighbor was fulfilled in the ultimate act of freely laying down their lives, thereby watering with their own blood the seedbed of the Church.

The previous Sunday, 9 March 2015, there were attacks on a Catholic church and a Protestant church in an area of Lahore where many Christians live as my Columban confrere Fr Liam O'Callaghan, who is based in Pakistan, reports. Pope Francis expressed his grief during his Angelus talk later in the day and noted: Our brothers' and sisters' blood is shed only because they are Christians.

After celebrating Mass in Erbil, Iraq, on 7 March this year Pope Francis met the head of the Assyrian Church of the East, which is not in communion with Rome, and said, I greet with affection His Holiness Mar Gewargis III, Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, who resides in this city and honours us with his presence. Thank you, dear Brother! Together with him, I embrace the Christians of the various denominations: so many of them have shed their blood in this land! Yet our martyrs shine together like stars in the same sky! From there they call us to walk together, without hesitation, towards the fullness of unity.

When we say, We wish to see Jesus we have no idea what this might entail. But we do have the assurance of Jesus himself today where our following him will lead us: If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him.

Let us pray for the Christians of Pakistan, the Christians of the Middle East, the Christians in those parts of Africa who are being persecuted simply for being followers of Jesus. May the promise of Jesus, If anyone serves me, the Father will honour him give them courage and honour.

 

St Patrick's Breastplate

Extraordinary Form of the Mass

Traditional Latin Mass (TLM) 

Passion Sunday

The complete Mass in Latin and English is here. (Adjust the date at the top of that page to 3-21-2021 if necessary).

Epistle: Hebrews 9:11-15.  Gospel: John 8:46-59.


Authentic Beauty

Authentic beauty, however, unlocks the yearning of the human heart, the profound desire to know, to love, to go towards the Other, to reach for the Beyond.

Pope Benedict XVI meeting with artists in the Sistine Chapel, 21 November 2009.

The Minstrel Boy from Irish Suite
arranged by Leroy Anderson

BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Leonard Slatkin

I'm posting this before the feast day of the patron saint of Nigeria and of Ireland, St Patrick. Leroy Anderson was commissioned to arrange some Irish tunes for symphony orchestra. The first four were performed by the Boston Pops Orchestra in 1947. Anderson added two more in 1949. These for me are by far the best such arrangements of Irish melodies that I know of. 

Since my childhood I've loved this arrangement of The Minstrel Boy. The video above includes many photos from the Great War (1914-18) in which many Irish soldiers in Irish regiments of the British Army died, including my great-uncle Lawrence Dowd whose grave in Belgium I located 84 years after his death, the first relative to visit it.

The full Irish Suite played by the Boston Pops under the direction of Arthur Fiedler is below. Along with the Irish music you can also enjoy some beautiful Irish scenery.


Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!

Happy St Patrick’s Day!


1 comment:

Unknown said...

The sadness conveyed in the melody conveys the feeling of sadness in the world today.
Where God is there is joy. Where He is taken out there is grief.
Doanld McDonnell Collon Co Louth