Today’s gospel selection seems at first glance to be a number of Golden sayings of Jesus that appear without a common team. My initial impression was that Jesus, aware of his impending passion and death was speaking randomly and it was the memory of this agony that is evoked here. At a deeper level however there appears a thread of unity binding these utterances. It focuses on that grain of wheat that he weaves into a brief parable that knits his thoughts together. What happens within that grain symbol, he shares with us.

John the evangelist presents the end of Jesus ministry within the framework of a week that begins six days before Passover. There were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the feast. They came to Phillip who spoke Greek and asked him, sir, we would like to see Jesus. These Greeks were sympathetic to Judaism but fell short of integration. They wanted to see Jesus.

The perfect model of the believer is the disciple who haven’t entered the empty tomb on Easter day, ‘saw and believed’. The request of these God-fearing Greeks is one of fate. Asking Phillip to see Jesus suggests that access to faith is gradual. To see Jesus, one must be led to him by an Apostle. Nothing is said about how Jesus received their request and what became of them. The narrative comes to an abrupt end.

The Greek’s access to Jesus is connected to the ‘hour’ of Jesus and reveals that that hour has now come. The hour that Jesus recalls so often in the gospel of John is that of the glorification of the ‘Son of man’. It is the hour of his Passover, passion, death, resurrection, and ascension, for which Jesus had come, for which he longs, though fearing it. It is the hour when Jesus will draw all humanity to himself. Then at that hour, everyone will see Jesus lifted up on the cross and looking upon him, obtain eternal Salvation.

Then comes a little parable. The grain of wheat fallen to earth designates Jesus, who by his death becomes the standard tree from which everyone can receive the fruit of life. From the death of one is gained the Salvation of a multitude. The same image can be taken to mean the tree of the cross on which the Lord was lifted up and which gives fruit in abundance to feed all people. It is from the light of the cross, planted at the center of the earth that Jesus draws all people to himself. It is at this hour that Jesus becomes King of the universe. In order to share in the glorification of Christ, disciples must follow Jesus by showing a determination similar to his, must go to the point of losing their lives, in this world, to preserve it for the eternal life.

Jesus does not hesitate; he does not want his Father to deliver him from this hour since it is for this hour that he has come. He simply says ‘Father, glorify your name’. His passion glorifies the father because of forcefully reveals the power of his love that saves the whole of humanity. Grain of wheat falling into the earth He has risen tree of life, laden with fruit, lifted up on the cross he is forever the sign and source of Salvation, for all those who look to him with faith and follow him into the glory God reserves for them. He is the head of the people of the New and eternal covenant in his blood poured out for all as atonement for the sins of all

Fr. Kevin