Gospel JN 12:24-26

Jesus said to his disciples:
“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,
and 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.”

Reflection

Jesus said to his disciples:
“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.”

We are both human and spiritual beings.

If we hope to be a spiritual light that draws others to Jesus, we must first die to self by fighting against our human nature to be “self” focused.

Jesus calls us to “get out of ourselves” and respond to our spiritual nature, to imitate Him by thinking and acting on behalf of others first.

The rewards of selflessness are evident.

When we take a moment to reflect, we realize that when we put someone else’s need before our own we experience a feeling of joy. Being selfish leaves us feeling isolated and unfulfilled.

“Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.”

Like the man who built more barns to hold his bountiful harvest, the selfish pursuit of human ambition and the desire for personal power once again leave us alone and separated from God’s eternal goodness.

“Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.”

Jesus beckons “follow me” and discover your spiritual self in service to Him and to others.

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” Pierre Teilhard de Chardin