Third Scrutiny of the Elect 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Jeremiah 31:31-34

 The time is coming – it is Yah­­­­weh

Who speaks – when I will forge a new covenant with the people of Israel and the people of Judah. It will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. For they broke my covenant although I was their Lord.

 This is the covenant I shall make with Israel after that time: I will put my Law within them and write it on their hearts; I will be their God and they will be my people.

 And they will not have to teach each other, neighbor or brother, saying: ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the greatest to the lowliest, for I will forgive their wrongdoing and no longer remember their sin.”

 

Ps 51:3-4, 12a-13, 14-15

Create a clean heart in me, O God.

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Hebrews 5:7-9

 Christ, in the days of his mortal life, offered his sacrifice with tears and cries. He prayed to him who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his humble submission. Although he was Son, he learned through suffering what obedience was, and once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for those who obey him.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 12:20-33

 There were some Greeks who had come up to Jerusalem to worship during the feast. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”  Philip went to Andrew and the two of them told Jesus.

 Then Jesus said, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.

 Those who love their life destroy it, and those who despise their life in this world keep it for everlasting life.  Whoever wants to serve me, let him follow me and wherever I am, there shall my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

 Now my soul is in distress. Shall I say: ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But, I have come to this hour to face all this. Father, glorify your Name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.”

 People standing there heard something and said it was thunder; but others said, “An angel was speaking to him.” Then Jesus declared, “This voice did not come for my sake but for yours; now sen­tence is being pass­ed on this world; now the prince of this world is to be cast down. 

And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all to myself.” With these words Jesus referred to the kind of death he was to die.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

The reputation of Jesus is now spreading even abroad. Greek-speaking followers of the Israelite faith are curious of who Jesus really is. They went to see Him.

But instead of a charismatic leader poised to take over the government of Israel, they found a Teacher predicting His own death and suffering in the hands of His fellow men and women. Instead of a triumphant revolutionary political leader, they heard a suffering Son of Man whose death will bring life to all.

Reflect:

The role of the go between is as important as it was during the time of Jesus. We seek the help of an intermediary to connect us with someone whom we are not so familiar with.

That is why the Greeks who come to worship in the Temple sought the help of Philip to have an audience with Jesus. Philip in turn enlisted Andrew to help him facilitate the meeting between the Greeks and Jesus.

And what did the Greeks expect to see? A fiery revolutionary calling on the downfall of foreign invaders? Or a religious leader advocating reform and the overthrow of the ruling religious and political elites?

No, they heard rather a Teacher speaking about His own imminent death and how His followers will follow His footsteps. His death will not be in vain because that will draw people to Himself.

Although the reality of undergoing pain distresses Him, He will not walk away from what must happen. After His discourse, what crossed the minds of the Greeks, we will never know. But the first to respond to the Good News after the Resurrection of Christ are the Greek-speaking Jews and Gentiles.

Respond:

Who are the go betweens we employ when we approach God? Who is our  favorite mediator to God? Today is a good day to give special thanks to these company of blessed men and women who makes our approach to God easy because of their intercessions.