John 12:20-33 (NRSV)
Read John 12:20-33 on biblegateway.com
Verse 20Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. Verse 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Verse 22Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Verse 23Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Verse 24Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Verse 25Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Verse 26Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
Verse 27"Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say-'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Verse 28Father, glorify your name." Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again." Verse 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him." Verse 30Jesus answered, "This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Verse 31Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. Verse 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." Verse 33He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
Devotion
John's Jesus knows what he is up against. He chooses
not to be saved from this hour. In fact, he understands
that this, precisely, is his purpose. A voice from heaven
confirms it for the crowd. Jesus will glorify God's intent,
that the powers of this world—the ego, the avarice, the
greed, the justifying, the fear, the despair, the neglect—
will be diminished by one who was willing to walk straight
into the heart of it all and bear the cost. Jesus offers a
word to those of us who recall his undeserved death:
"When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people
to myself." Does this include those of us who see in
ourselves those same powers? Can we acknowledge that
we inflict damage that we sometimes cannot even see?
He invites us to become children of light, trusting that
what we will see will not destroy us.
Prayer
Jesus, you are our light. Illumine us so that we might see
ourselves as redeemed by your life, and all that is to come.
Amen.