021 Fifth Sunday of Lent

Readings

Cycle B 5th Sunday of Lent

Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:31-34

Psalm: Psalm 51

New Testament: Hebrews 5:7-9

Gospel: John 12:20-53

Homily Theme

A Matter of Life and Death

This Sunday Cycle A readings may be read in parishes where there is RCIA

This Sunday there is a choice of Readings from Cycle B or Cycle A, so I have chosen to ponder the purpose of our life here on earth as we prepare to get deeper into the death of Jesus on the cross. Even He, the Son of God, was born to die. We too, are here because our parents were pro -life and allowed to live, but all of us must face an eventual death. Millions of babies were not born because their parents were Pro-Choice even though God had willed a life. As we get closer to the remembering the painful death of Jesus. It is appropriate that we ponder our own death.

Have you ever really thought about your final destiny? Have you ever really thought of the possibility of being lost forever without God? Whether we want it or not, we are going to live forever. In the first reading this week, God promises a new covenant for His people. He will cleanse us of our sins and give us eternal life, with Him forever and ever. But we have sinned and broken His covenant. Some have sinned seriously and often. What about us? He will remember our sins no more if we confess them and repent. Wow! It seems too good to be true. God has kept His word. The Word became flesh and died for us so that we might live a new and eternal life with Him and all the saints in joyful bliss forever. God loves us that much.

In the Psalm we cry out to the Lord to create a clean heart within us. We ask Him to wipe out our offences and thoroughly wash us from our guilt. How many times have we done this in our lives? How many confessions and how many cleansing have we already received? Have we really ever died to ourselves in order to really live for Him? Our salvation is a free gift from God. He has paid the debt of our sins. If our sins be scarlet they shall become whiter than snow. Even if we are the greatest sinners ever to live, we can be cleansed and become the greatest saints.

Paul tells us today in the epistle, that Jesus has become the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him. Just think of it, Jesus, the Son of God, the Second Person of the Trinity, loves you so much that He died for you so that you might live forever with Him. Grasp it!

Be like the grain of wheat in the Gospel and let go and die to yourself so that new life can bear fruit in you. You are going to live forever and ever whether you want to or not. How, and where, you are to spend that eternal life is up you. God wants you to live with Him in love and glory but the choice is yours. If you are sick don’t you go to the doctor? When was the last time you went to confession? After reading this homily you can never say that you did not have a choice.

Remember it is A Matter of Life and Death our eternity is forever.