HOMILY FOR THE FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT YEAR B
HOMILY THEME: WHAT TROUBLES YOU?
BY: Fr Benny Tuazon
(Jn. 12:20-33)
Fifth Sunday of Lent (Day 33 of Lent)
In the day’s Gospel, the Fifth Sunday of Lent, Jesus confesses what is troubling Him. He came to know of His impending death and prays to His Father for consolation. He knew He was nearing the fulfilment of His mission and He took the opportunity to tell His apostles and those who would like to see Him what entails being His disciple.It definitely involves deep faith for it will involve life and fate. The first reading provides a good context for Jesus’ agony. The Lord spoke through the prophet Jeremiah about the new covenant. Different from before, the new covenant will be written in everyone’s heart. All will know God’s will. Jesus is the testimony and reminder of that new covenant.
It was tough for the apostles to come to terms with Jesus. Here he is talking about the responsibilities and fate of a disciple. Certainly, they are willing to follow the Messiah. Jesus had given them the best teachings they had ever heard. They had opened themselves to Jesus and were not blinded by His background like then Pharisees and elders. But the idea of dying or even dying to self jarred them. It came to a head in the garden when they saw Jesus being arrested. Where they mistaken in following Him? Where they deceived? Was Jesus an impostor? Even if we knew the whole story, we still need faith. Not everything is black and white to us now. The challenges and mysteries of life continues to give us doubts. But those doubts maybe blessings in disguise. Doubts help us to focus and examine our journey of faith. Enlightened by the Spirit, we can arrive at faith, a deeper faith.
