Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Lent: April 6, 2003

Given by the Most Reverend Stephen E. Blaire at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Stockton.

I would venture to say that everyone, in some way or other, is in search of God. Many do not look to know a personal God but want to find meaning in their lives.  They want to put their lives together in some kind of order and with a purpose.  The Greeks said to Philip:  "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."  We as believers know that to look upon Jesus is to see God.  "The Father and I are one."  "Whoever sees me sees the Father."

What is intriguing in John’s Gospel is the response given by Jesus when Philip and Andrew told Jesus about the request by the visiting Greeks.  "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified."  In John’s Gospel there is virtually nothing about the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross as you would find in the Synoptics and St. Paul.  In John, Jesus speaks about His glorification.  And Jesus tells us how this glorification begins.  "Amen, amen I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit."  Jesus is speaking about himself and his glorification.  The fruit of his glorification is our salvation and the promise of our own future glorification.

Then Jesus says something that speaks about Himself as well as those who would follow him: "Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life."  You may remember  what the Synoptic gospels say:  "If anyone wishes to be my disciple he must take up his cross and follow me."

The heart of the matter is this: if you want to find God; if you want to find meaning in your life and for your life; if you want to be a disciple of Jesus, you must live a dedicated life.  It’s as simple and as hard as that.  There is a devastating popular conception that only a few people in the Church are called to dedicate their lives to God--priests, sisters, a few laity.  It needs to be stated clearly:  As a bishop I am not called to dedicate my life to God more that any of you present here. By reason of our baptism each of us is called to live for God in the circumstances of our daily lives.  If we live self-centered, greedy lives we will never find out what life is all about.  To live a life dedicated to God is to live for God.  We do this in union with Christ Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus then said: "Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be." Jesus is speaking to each of us. These last two weeks of Lent call us to walk with Christ up to Jerusalem by living dedicated lives.  We have to make a choice.  Am I going to live for God or am I going to live for myself.  If we live for God; if we dedicate our lives to God these words of Jesus will sustain us and encourage us:  "The Father will honor whoever serves me."  What greater joy than to be honored by God!

Last Update April 8, 2003