In today's Gospel reading, Jesus presents the metaphor of the grain of wheat that falls to the ground and dies, but through death bears much fruit. He later says that "Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life." I don't find either idea all that comforting. If I hate my life, keeping it for all of eternity kind of sounds like torture. I understand that Jesus is using the contrast to make His point, and that the meaning has changed through time and translation. I wonder how much of this was Jesus preparing Himself, as well as us, for His final trial.
It's with that idea that I think the first reading was chosen. The first reading lets Israel know that God was going to create a new covenant with His people. This is fulfilled through Jesus's death and resurrection. He could not "love" His life greater than us and accomplish what He did. There are some people and causes for which I would like to think that I would give up my life (if necessary) to protect. Jesus did so for all of us, no matter how valiant, no matter how depraved. He gave all of us the chance that we had denied ourselves. The death of a single grain of wheat bore great fruit.
It's with that idea that I think the first reading was chosen. The first reading lets Israel know that God was going to create a new covenant with His people. This is fulfilled through Jesus's death and resurrection. He could not "love" His life greater than us and accomplish what He did. There are some people and causes for which I would like to think that I would give up my life (if necessary) to protect. Jesus did so for all of us, no matter how valiant, no matter how depraved. He gave all of us the chance that we had denied ourselves. The death of a single grain of wheat bore great fruit.
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