WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE JESUS

V SUNDAY OF LENT - John 12:20-33

Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover feast, with attracted people from everywhere, even from distant lands. Even though the big majority were Jews, an increasing number of non-Jews were proselytes or sympathisers were participating in the feast. This Sunday’s gospel speaks about a group of Greeks who had come to Jerusalem “to worship at the festival”. By then, Jesus was the talk of the day. Certainly, they heard what was being said about him; maybe, they even had a glimpse of him as he entered Jerusalem, acclaimed as the Messiah. And they became interested in him. So they went to Philip and expressed their desire to see Jesus.

Through this episode, the evangelist wants us to become aware of two important things: 

1. It was not enough to go to the Temple, offer sacrifices and worship there. Jesus is the new Temple and true worship can’t be offered but through him, who is at the same time the priest and the sacrifice. If the gentiles (the Greek, in this case) want to have a share in God’s plan of salvation, they need to encounter Jesus and accept Him as the Messiah. Converting to Judaism is not the way to find salvation, since only Jesus brings salvation. 
2. It took time for the Church to open her doors to the Gentiles. The first Christian communities were Jewish and though that the Gentiles should only be accepted if they accepted the Jewishness of the Christian faith by accepting Jewish customs and traditions. at was a great opportunity to see Jesus. These Greeks went to Jesus through the Church, approaching the apostle Philip. Being a serious issue, Philip consulted Andrew and together they went to Jesus. The gentiles were led to Jesus through the Apostles, who are the foundation upon which the Church is built.

In the second part of this Sunday’s gospel, Jesus makes it clear that to be his disciples, we must accept his way: “If a man serves me, he must follow me”. As Jesus, his disciples must be ready to lose his life, so that he may find it again in Jesus. And Jesus speaks of his “hour”, the hour to be glorified, and that will happen as he glorifies God by being faithful up to the end. Jesus’ crucifixion is the moment of his glorification because by offering his life in sacrifice, he overthrows “the prince of this world” and ushers in the Kingdom of God. “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all men to myself.”