“Those who love their life lose it.”

On this Tuesday of Holy Week, the appointed Gospel reading for the daily prayer of the Church is taken from the Gospel according to John:

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, ‘Sir, we wish 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. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.  (Jn. 12: 20-26).

“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”  In his response to Philip's request from the Greeks, Jesus essentially tells us that people will encounter him when you and I follow Jesus, and in order to follow Jesus, you and I must die to self and become selfless people who are willing to give of themselves even when it hurts.  We will see the length to which Jesus lives out what he preaches at the end of the week on Good Friday.

That was counter-cultural then, and it is now.  Our society is so enamored with the idea of self.  We seek our fulfillment, our own happiness, we want things on our own terms.  But Jesus says we need to approach life on God’s terms.  He says, “those who love their life lose it.”  It is just as counterintuitive in today’s world as it was 2000 years ago, but Jesus is right.  When we die to self, we will find true happiness, because true happiness consists in following the will of God.

Let us pray:  Not our will be done, but yours Loving Father.  Amen.

HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE:

Wednesday: Lenten Program at Trinity at 6 p.m. with Bishop Andy Doyle.

Maundy Thursday: Eucharist with foot washing at 7 p.m. with vigil until midnight.

Good Friday: Liturgy at 12 noon.

Easter Sunday: Choral Eucharist at 9 a.m. with Easter egg hunt and potluck lunch to follow.

Your servant in Christ,

Fr. Chester J. Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550