Defeat of Death

Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator

We should not be surprised that so many of the Gospel passages which the Church uses in these last days of Lent concern death. Just one week from today we will enter the most sacred time of the liturgical year, the Triduum, the three days of the passion, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Once again in today's passage from the Gospel of St. John, Jesus reminds us that his death will vanquish death, his dying will restore our lives. His disciples, his followers, will share in his rising if we share in his dying.

According to John Shea, popular spiritual author and storyteller, the Gospel teaching about death can be summarized like this: Die now before you die so that when you die, you won't die. Jesus used the agricultural image that gives birth to this saying last Sunday when the Gospel proclaimed that a grain of wheat must die to produce fruit. Nature provides us with the images that validate the need to let go of this life in order to preserve life.

An anonymous poem that I often turn to ends with the words: "If you want to live well, look at the crucifix. If you want to die well, look at the crucifix." If ever there were a graphic example of what it means to live for others rather than for self, the crucifix gives testimony to the fact that life is not about me.

Today Jesus reminds us that those who believe in him will never die. It is as simple as placing all of our eggs in this basket. The sting of death is no more for those who believe in the Lord Jesus and follow in his footsteps.