Prayer

Celebrating the Word of God

A Reading from the Gospel of John 12:20-30

Among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. These approached Philip, who came from Bethsaida in Galilee, and put this request to him,‘Sir, we should like to see Jesus.’ Philip went to tell Andrew, and Andrew and Philip together went to tell Jesus.

Jesus replied to them:

‘Now the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you most solemnly, unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for the eternal life. If a man serves me, he must follow me, wherever I am, my servant will be there too. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him.

Now my soul is troubled. What shall I say: Father, save me from this hour? But it was for this very reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name!’

A voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’

People standing by, who heard this, said it was a clap of thunder; others said, ‘It was an angel speaking to him.’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not for my sake that this voice came, but for yours.

‘Now sentence is being passed on this world; now the prince of this world is to be overthrown. And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all men to myself.’

By these words he indicated the kind of death he would die.

The Gospel of the Lord 

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ 

Spiritual Reflection

This secret, this pattern of loss and renewal, will be unveiled everydaythroughout Holy Week. That is why we hear this text when we do: a weekbefore Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week. It is our preparation for HolyWeek.And we know where Holy Week ends:At Easter, the empty tomb, the dawn of a new day, and the renewal of life.The single grain has become the Bread of Life.

‘Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.’

What is ‘the grain of wheat’ in your life today that needs to fall into the earth and die?

Concluding Prayer

Loving God,

As we tend the seeds of our lives, let us remember that it is with God’s help that we can feed and water them.

We make this prayer through Christ, our Lord

Amen