Congregation for the Clergy: We Should Like to See Jesus

In this fifth Sunday of Lent, the Church helps us to take another significant step along our journey of spiritual combat which is now drawing to a close.The Greeks, turning to St Philip, the Apostle to whom they were closest by name and geographical origin, have a question which is disarming in its simplicity.  "We should like to see Jesus!" 

P>VATICAN CITY (Catholic Online) - "We should like to see Jesus." (Jn 12:21).  In this fifth Sunday of Lent, the Church helps us to take another significant step along our journey of spiritual combat which is now drawing to a close.

The Greeks, turning to St Philip, the Apostle to whom they were closest by name and geographical origin, have a question which is disarming in its simplicity.  "We should like to see Jesus!"  They ask for neither an abstract concept nor an idea, nor for an ethical teaching but simply a meeting.  They do not ask Philip to tell them about the Lord or his teachings, or how to do His will.  They just want to see Jesus directly.

"We should like to see Jesus."  The simplicity of this question reminds us of the touching prayer of Psalm 50 - "create in me, O God, a pure heart".  The psalmist, acknowledging his own sin and recognising his need to be renewed, asks to be transformed so that he can be 'new', alive and free in his relationship with God.

"We should like to see Jesus."   This newness, this life and freedom for which the psalmist searches cannot be obtained by humans through our own strength, nor even, by doing what is ethically right.  Indeed, even what is ethically right is ultimately empty and sterile in comparison to the renewal of life that comes, not from ourselves, but as the gift from the God who saves us.

"We should like to see Jesus."  It is not for us to decide the circumstances, the manner or the form of this gift.  Man can't 'decide' what can save him or even permit another to decide it on his behalf or else we become enslaved by the latest psychological recipe, the urgency of those dominant influences that time after time direct our attention and that of our families or of colleagues. 

Man can only 'request' this salvation, awaiting until we meet it and then respond by leaving everything in order to finally embrace it.  This is what happened to the Apostles, men profoundly open to Christ's eternal uniqueness and who, after leaving their families and their work, followed Him.  They shared Christ's company, tasted the sweetness of a life lived in communion with Him and so became the means by which others could encounter Christ.

"We should like to see Jesus."  The Greeks' cry is the same as that of all Christians and is, in fact, the same as that of  all mankind.  The Redeemers' response is mysterious - yet He had listened attentively to the question posed by Andrew and Philip and replied saying: "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." (Jn 12:24)  Above all else this seems to speak of a general rule of human existence: the one who doesn't die remains alone; but the one who dies produces much fruit.

At the same time as the meeting with Christ was announced to the Greeks it was also announced to each one of us.  He who is 'the grain of wheat which falls to the earth,' the Eternal Word made Man, assumed in Himself that natural law written in the man's heart by the Creator, which He fulfilled in this journey on our behalf:

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'Although He was Son, He learned to obey through suffering'.  Jesus is not content to be met in a superficial way, but as he dies on the cross, he wants to meet us more deeply and thus reveal God's glory.  "They will no longer teach their friends and relatives, "Know the Lord!" Everyone, from least to greatest, shall know me." (Jer 31:34)

Blessed Virgin of the Annunciation, the first to see the face of the Son of God who was born of you, accompany us as we say the same "yes", and as we lose our life so that we might find it again.  Show us, O Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary, after this, our exile, the fruit of your womb, Jesus.  Amen.

Citations of
Jr 31,31-34    http://www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9bp3kh4.htm
He 5,7-9     http://www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9ak0rne.htm
Jn 12,20-36   http://www.clerus.org/bibliaclerusonline/en/9a455fl.htm  

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