Thoughts for another day


November 26, 2010

Today's verse: Jn. 12:24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

When Jesus spoke this Word, the people would have wondered at the implication for didn't they know that when the seed dies it bursts forth and produces much fruit; and it's clear that only in the death of the seed is fruit the next step? Would they have understood this in the sense of the sacrifice of the Son of Man? We don't know but can conjecture they didn't and like Jesus said to His disciples, you don't understand this now but you will later, so they would've understood this Word of the Lord at a later stage when all that was written in the Law about the Anointed One of God was accomplished.

This message is important in today's context. The world, including almost 99% Christians (gauged by the attendance in church of the total number present in a particular parish/community), today have lost sight of God. He is reduced to nothingness, an absolute blob. In fact even for the few who go to church, Jesus is inconvenient because revealing Him is an embarrassment for us and of course a step of inherent danger. However, for the salvation of the world, those of us who have a mission sealed on our lives have to remember that the Gospel of the Son of God, has to be preached… no matter what the cost.

If we're worried about the proclamation and its consequences, we aren't fit for the Kingdom. We need to be ready to die because we know Jesus, the beloved Son of God, died for our sake and birthed the community for God's Kingdom. Through His own death and according to His Word, He has borne much fruit and He expects each one of us to do the same. It's easy to be arm chair preachers, preaching in safe environments where there can be no dangerous consequences to the delivery of the Good News, but great are they who, trudging into treacherous territory fearing not for their lives and powered by the Holy Spirit, stand up and declare the love and saving Grace of the Redeemer and beckon them to accept it. They have understood they're the seed of Christ and to bear much fruit they need to die. Blessed be such souls who lose their lives so they can gain them in eternal life and dine at the table of the Master.