Dying to Self

“Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it reminds a grain of wheat; but if it dies it produces much fruit”  John 12:20, 5^th Sunday of Lent

In the context of the next line of clinging to one’s life or surrendering it , it is clear that we must do one to do the other.  We cannot be both, though this is the most human option – no choice.    

A human life is a precious thing.  In its most simple form it is good and much good can come from it. But, this is not guaranteed. A person is full of both the good and the not so good chacteristics.  We move forward veering right and left as drunkards, driven by desire and self-satisfaction, which certainly includes some good for some others.

But, Jesus is speaking of his own passion, the paschal mystery, his falling to the ground (by being lifted up on the cross).  He is also speaking about the Kingdom of God and what that looks like.

The totality human person (made by God in love for love) is a grain of wheat and if it does not fulfill its purpose, it is only a grain of wheat.   But, if that grain, that person, falls to the ground (in encounter  and conversion) and dies to self, dies to go beyond the unrealized potential of this life and to become, in death rising again (in Christ) to full human potential realized (this is in the image of God).

In death to self and this world we become new and so affect others.  The individual becomes (much fruit), that is; lives touched, lives saved and adding to the light of the community of believers.

Whoever loves this life will lose it and who ever hates this life will gain eternal life.  Whoever serves must follow me and where I am there will also be my servant.

This self-centered life of desire and fear cannot be loved so much that it cannot be seen through and sacrificed for the self-realized potential of divine love.  

Clinging to this transitory life is death, by a thousand blows, slow and torturous.

Dying to it, removes its hold on us and we no longer fear death or suffering for that matter, because we do cling even to God, but we allow God to cling to us through Jesus and in the Holy Spirit.

Allowing Jesus to cling to us is following him and serving him, through serving others.  Doing what he does.

In love we are servants of love and where Jesus is found so are his servants, which is another way of saying where his servants are so is the master.

Where we serve others; in kindness, generosity and patience is where Jesus is present, not only in the Spirit, but also in the servant. 

This is the fully realized human potential (in the image of God).  Not fame and fortune, not individual freedom at the expense of others, but by loving at the expense of the self, which as Jesus tells us is not sacrifice at all, but simply eternal life in the Kingdom of God.