HOMILIES

Dear Audience,
For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!

Fifth Sunday of Lent (Year B)

Mar 22, 2015

3069

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First Reading

A reading from the Book of Jeremiah (31:31-34)

The days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they broke my covenant, and I had to show myself their master, says the Lord. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord. I will place my law within them, and write it in their hearts; I will be their God and they shall be my people. No longer will they have need to teach their friends and kinsmen how to know the Lord. All, from least to greatest, shall know me, says the Lord, for I will forgive their evil doing and remember their sin no more.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms of David (51:3-4, 12-13, 14-15)

(R) Create a clean heart in me, O God.

Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt, and from my sin cleanse me. (R)

A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence. And your Holy Spirit take not from me. (R)

Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners shall return to you. (R)

Second Reading

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Hebrews (5:7-9)

In the days when Christ was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

(P) The word of the Lord.
(R) Thanks be to God.

Gospel

A reading from the Gospel according to John (12:20-33)

Some Greeks who had come to worship at the Passover Feast came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus." Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. I am troubled now, yet what should I say? Father, save me from this hour? But it was for this purpose that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it and will glorify it again."

The crowd there heard it and said it was thunder; but others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come for my sake, but for yours. Now is the time of judgment on this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And when I am lifted up from the Earth I will draw everyone to myself." He said this indicating the kind of death he would die.

(P) The Gospel of the Lord.
(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Homily

As we enter into the last and fifth week of Lent, I think it is very important to look back at our reflections so far. We started Lent four weeks ago by receiving ashes on our foreheads as a reminder of our own fragile life and inevitable death, and a sign of our willingness to repent and turn to God to be saved from sin, and a call to believe that the gospel of Jesus has the saving grace and eternal life that it offers. And also looking back on Jesus' temptations we were reminded that Jesus can understand our temptations and he can help us resist them as well. In the second week we learned from the story of Abraham's faith and obedience to God that God allows us to go through trials in order to deepen our love and devotion to Him, and only by total submission to God and listening to Jesus can we find inner peace and happiness, everlasting life and enjoy all spiritual blessings.

Further in the third week, we understood that as Christians we are required to follow both the Ten Commandments and the teachings of Christ so that we may have the right to God's love and the heavenly rewards which God promises those who are faithful. However, last week, Saint Paul made us realize that God loves us even when we break God's Law. He loves us not because we are righteous but because He is rich in mercy. Nevertheless, we must continue to involve ourselves in good works to bring glory and praise to God, believing that God who sees all we do in secret will reward us.

Today we hear that God's offer of love and mercy despite our sin was in fact foretold by the prophet Jeremiah six hundred years before the birth of Christ. He proclaimed that God would soon make a new covenant that would bring a dramatic change in His relationship with the people of Israel. If there would be a new covenant, was there an old covenant between God and people? Yes. There was. But before we delve into the old covenant, we need to define what a covenant really is.

What is a covenant? In simple terms, a covenant is an agreement or a pledge between two parties spelling out what kind of relationship they have. According to the Bible God had taken the initiative in making covenants, and dictated the terms of His covenants to assert His sovereignty and kingship, and insisted on obedience from Israel. There were said to be many covenants. For example, God is said to have made a covenant with Noah, when He promised that He would never again wipe out life with a flood. God also made an agreement with Abraham, when He promised him and his descendants the land of Canaan in exchange for his obedience. But it is believed that the phrase, "the old covenant", refers to the covenant which God made with Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai.

God had already delivered Israel from Egyptian slavery, and on the way to their homeland He gave them the Ten Commandments as directives and guidance for them which Moses wrote down on stone tablets. But they did not keep God's laws. Whenever they failed to keep the laws they tried to secure forgiveness with animal sacrifice or offerings. God Himself had required the sacrifice of animals because He wanted His people to realize the cost of sin. However, despite the offering of daily sacrifices they continued to be slaves to sin. Their unfaithfulness had aroused the Lord's anger, and He allowed them to be taken into exile or become captives of other nations.

It was during the Babylonian exile Jeremiah brought the message of hope and a future. It was not his message but the Lord's message. The message was that there would soon be a new covenant from the Lord God. The prophet foretold that because the old covenant had proved a failure, the new covenant would be much different from the old one. The people were unable to save themselves through the sacrifice of animals during the many years of the covenant so the Lord would do it differently this time. This time, He would forgive the disobedient people unconditionally and renew His relationship with them.

Yes. The prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jesus through his death on the cross became the true Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world and brings peace and restoration to a broken relationship between God and His people once and for all. The Lord in His mercy and love forgives and forgets our sins. Jesus himself introduced the new covenant at the last supper to his disciples. He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to his disciples saying, "Drink from this, all of you, for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins", Matthew (26:27-28).

We recognize and affirm this new covenant each time we partake of Communion. Moreover, as the prophet had foretold the covenant has not been written on stone tablets and scrolls but on flesh. It has been written within our hearts. Yes. Jesus' life on Earth does not only teach us how to live but also helps us to know who God is and God's unconditional love. We no longer need anyone to teach us to know God. We can know the Lord by ourselves.

God offers the incredible benefits of the new covenant to those who commit to a life of discipleship - those who truly repent for their sins, believe in His promises for peace, happiness and blessings, surrender themselves totally to His loving relationship, gladly obey His commandments, and humbly recognize His abundant mercy and love. It is up to us to receive it joyfully and gratefully or reject it completely.

(P) Amen.

God Bless You!

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