Giving 100%

Wee nearing the end of Lent and this is the final straight. Next Sunday is Palm Sunday, and on that day Jesus gave himself to the fickle crowd, knowing that it would probably end in his death.

How has your Lent been? What have you discovered so far? If you have been praying, fasting and giving to others, you will have discovered again the message of today’s gospel. Unless a grain of wheat falls upon the ground and dies it remains a single grain.  But what does that mean to you and me who are living out our ordinary lives in Broome in 2012?

Over the past few weeks I have been fascinated by the politics in America. The passion that the two main rivals for the republican candidacy are displaying is amazing. To add to this, the amount of money that are spending is dizzying.  All of this is to secure the right to be the republican contender. Their commitment is extraordinary because they obviously see the prize as extraordinary. These men think that they change the world, and that is probably the case. They certainly realise that anything less than 100% effort is not worthy of them. Both Mit Romney and Rick Santorum remind me of some of the ideals of the Gospel: giving our all.

The history of the church is full of examples of people who have given their lives for others in the service of God. Our world abounds with similar examples of selflessness, of people dying to self so that others could live. To grow we must leave some things behind, just as Jesus did.

God offers us a new covenant through Jesus; he offers us an example to follow. If we give of ourselves for the sake of others, we will fulfil the purpose of God for us. This story is not about me, it is about us, and that is why we strive to die to self so that we can live with Christ. He came to the stage of realising that unless he opened himself up to whatever was to be, including the malevolence of others, his mission would not be authentic. The same applied to us

It has taken us over half of Lent to be reintroduced to this idea because we have to travel the same road again and see the rationale behind this movement.

Unless the grain of wheat die it remains a single grain.

Homily Fifth Sunday of Lent year B 25th March 2012 OLQP