Homily for Fifth Sunday of Lent

Father Richard Gagnon gave a wonderful homily on the readings for today on John: Jn 12:20-33. Here is a short version:

The gospel reading begins with the line:

"Now there were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the feast.
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we would like to see Jesus."

The Greeks were unlike any civilization in our history. Of particular importance was their inquiring mind. In addition to giving us philosophy as we know it and producing most of the major philosophers, they gave birth to modern science and thought. Recently, archeologists discovered ancient Greek writing on statues far down the Nile in Egypt. The Greeks were so inquiring, they strove to understand the world around them and traveled the world as they knew it looking for answers. Much of this travel was simply to expand their knowlege of the world around them; they had a thirst to know more. In the photo above, you can see a Greek inscription on an Egyptian statue. This statue is far from the Mediterranean, deep down the Nile and leagues away from Greece.

As humans, we all strive to find meaning in life much like the Greeks. This search finds its ultimate termination in a search to know God. In life, there are three paths we can take to know God:

1. We can come to know God through the universe around us. You only have to look at the world around you to see the magnificence and wisdom of God. His fingerprints are all over creation.

2. You can come to know God through Church teaching and the Word - by reading, studying and meditating on the scriptures. God reveals himself to us through Christ, the living Word and the Scriptures.

3. Most importantly, you can come to know God through simply listening and letting God reveal himself to you. Just as the best way to learn about the people in your life if for them to tell you about themselves, God loves us and wants us to be in union with him. If we open our hearts, he will speak.