Reflection for March 29, 2009
The Fifth Sunday of Lent
Jeremiah 31:31-34 Hebrews 5:7-9 John 12:20-33
Who among us does not long for a new beginning? We pray that this long winter we have been through will melt into crocus, forsythia and daffodils. We reflect on the harsh economic times and long for new covenants of trust, understanding and balance. We seek new beginnings in our lives that will bring hope and energy.
Jeremiah could be reading our own heavy hearts when he promises that our God will make a new covenant with us, one that is written in our hearts. This promise comes with a price tag, however, requiring us to reform our crooked ways and repent of lifestyles that leave no time for reflection, that foster materialistic values. New covenants of trust, understanding and balance with our relationships, our world neighbors and our economic decisions, come with a price tag.
We pray in today’s psalm, “Create a clean heart in me, O God.” This is a first step toward a new beginning. We take the time to reflect on how our lives have come to this point of confusion. Is it the result of too much busyness and too little reflection? Is it losing touch with the deeper values of family, friendship, honest relating in favor of survival through turbulent times? Whatever we discover is the cause, today’s psalm leads us to pray:
“Have mercy on me, O God; in your goodness, in the greatness of
your compassion, wipe out my offense.” |
In the Gospel reading, Jesus, too, is struggling. It is not easy to seek the higher path or live a fruitful life. It costs. Jesus knows what is ahead of him:
“Whoever loves his life, loses it.”
“Whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it in the next.”
“Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also
my servant will be.” |
If we wish to “see Jesus”, we must follow him in pursuing a life of meaning and self-giving as Jesus did. The new covenant that Jesus preaches is found in the beatitudes with their promise of new beginnings through living “mercy”, making peace, becoming poor in spirit. Inevitably living this way brings suffering and leads to the cross. The promise Jesus makes, however, is that we do not do this alone; that he will draw everyone to himself. Together we can make this hard journey to a new beginning.
Reflection by Sister Ellen Rose O’Connell, SC
(Sr. Ellen Rose is director of Mission Integration and Pastoral Care
at the John A. Coleman School, White Plains, NY.) |
