March 17
Fifth Sunday of Lent
“Create a clean heart in me, O God.”
Readings
Reflection
This weekend, we can feel the events of Jesus’ great sacrifice on the cross beginning to pick up speed. When Jesus is asked to speak to some visiting Greeks, he responds with what seems like a very depressing statement: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” He begins talking about how he will glorify God with his death. The apostles, along with us, find this discussion to be sad and somehow difficult to hear. The other readings for this weekend seem to echo the same sense of upcoming doom and sadness. As we approach the events of Holy Week, we recognize that this sense will continue to grow.
The first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah is a little more hopeful; we see God telling his people that he will make a new and everlasting covenant with them which will be unlike any of the previous covenants. With this covenant, he will wipe away their sins and not call them to mind. In the second reading, St Paul reverts to the sadness once again, telling us that Christ obeyed the Father and suffered for us, and in that suffering he became the source of eternal salvation for all people.
As people of faith, we know that the everlasting covenant spoken of by Jeremiah is fulfilled in Jesus. His death and resurrection will have a powerful effect on our faith, helping us to truly believe that he is the embodiment of the new covenant. He tells us that sacrifice is necessary for the Kingdom of God to come to fruition. Our faith will enable us to sacrifice the selfish ways of life that we have practiced. We can learn to live for him so that we may yield the rich harvest which Jesus speaks of in the gospel.
Jesus’ death was necessary so that sin would be conquered and Satan, “the ruler of this world” would be driven out. Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday is the embodiment of that victory over sin and Satan, but his willingness to obediently endure the pains of death was the key to God’s plan. It is in his suffering that we triumph but only through our willingness to put aside the things of this world and take up our cross daily.
Keep the faith,
Deacon Dare
Would you like to receive these reflections in your inbox? Subscribe to The Sunday Read newsletter.