Wheat

 The Spiritual Waiting Room

Wheat

Heavenly     Earthly

Fulfilling     Dying     Glorifying

The Hour Has Come

Honor

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   John 12: 20 to 24

Some of the Greeks who had come from other areas were in Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. They had heard about Jesus so they came to Philip, who was from the town of Bethsaida in Galilee, and he asked him, "We would really like to see Jesus."

Philip mentioned this to Andrew and they decided to approach Jesus and tell Him about this request.

Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Amen, amen, I proclaim to you that a grain of wheat must first fall to the ground and die or it just remains a simple grain of wheat.

However, when that grain of wheat dies it will produce much fruit."

(scripture adapted by John J. McNamara)

Reflection

The Greeks come with a very powerful request---"We would really like to see Jesus."

Doesn't that request really echo what is in our hearts? Don't we all really want to see Jesus?

Of course Jesus has already told us where He can be seen: in the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the imprisoned, the oppressed. We do know where to find Him.

To really find Him, however, demands something from us. Jesus gives us the clue: the grain of wheat must die.

If I really want to see Jesus, there is a selfishness and a self-centeredness within me that has to die. I can't just think about my own life of comfort and ease.

I have to enter into the life of another. I have to listen to their pain and hurt.

I was reading recently about Dick Hoyt. His son, Rick, was a quadriplegic and in a wheelchair. In 1977 Rick told his Dad that he wanted to help in a benefit run for a lacrosse player who had been paralyzed.

Dick listened to his son and entered that benefit run and pushed his son in the wheelchair, finishing next to last. That was only the beginning.

They entered many other races together and even ran in 32 Boston Marathons. Dick was the Grand Marshal of the 2015 Boston Marathon in recognition of his amazing devotion to his son.

He had to die to himself and think not of his own comfort but of the needs of his son. He listened to the cry of his son's heart and responded to that cry.

Jesus listens every day to the cry from our hearts. He knows what we need. He was willing to be that grain of wheat for all of us.

When His Hour came, Jesus did not turn away. He embraced the challenge of Love---to put others before ourselves.

1. Do you have a desire to see Jesus?

2. Like Dick Hoyt, where do you try to reach out to others in your life?