Fifth Sunday of Lent (2)

“Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ”

Now as Gospel, Greek seek Jewish men w/ Greek names (Philipos and Andreas)

tug on cloaks to go to Lord

SO now time for new covenant has come

Gosp John shifts now to crucifixion/passion

as hear in representation: ‘blood of New covenant for many’

In heart, not Word

Old covenant element of heart

Noah, and Paul gentiles written on heart

but largely external purity law to seperate from gentile

not fulfilling in self, but for external reward

now following new covenant brings inner life, fulfills who we are

both: burden easy, find rest, but narrow and hard

as Christ says ‘if righteous doesn;t surpass scribes pharisees not heaven’

even moral law more about will, than external act alone

not just no adultry, but if look with lust commit adultry in heart

and in relation to this if eye or hand causes sin cut it off (figuratively of course)

not just don’t kill, but if hate brother guilty

Keeping of covenant is primarily in your heart, that is will

even rituals no use if heart not to God (hence why need go confession b4 Eucharist)

cut it all off

this is at once freeing and stricter

freeing b/c fills inner being not only an external code

stricter b/c taming inner heart means letting riches of whole world be second

Taming the inner will is a war against the devil

The Exorcism

Christ said come overthrow ruler of world (sin, death, Satan)

calls us to partake of inner battle heart,

all battles req self-sacrifice

since this is the core of our being (what we will), this means surrendering our very will

For us

where will?

in this world? then we will lose it

in God? then we will gain it

Unless give up will self, you cannot be His disciple

this doesn’t necessarily mean making a vow poverty, ignoring physical needs, living in a monastery, or beign a celibate

but it does mean He must be first and all that is contrary to God MUST be exorcized from heart as He exorcised from the cross

Chrysostom: “We should turn [our soul] away from [earthly delights contrary to God] with all our might.”

follow him

love good things of life God made,

but hate if it ever becomes between you and God

cast out the ruler of this world from your heart,

lose this world for true happiness and eternal life

Notes

New Covenant prophecy Jeremiah

to be one of precepts on heart not mind (what one loves)

“whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am there also will my servant be”

“Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life.”

Commentators

Pitre

Zechariah speaks grabbing to cloak and say “bring me to your God” (verse?)

Zech 8:22-23 “Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the LORD. 23 Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ”

“Now the ruler of this world will be driven out.”

Exorcism of the cross (robbing Satan of power over world)

Lifted up imagry refers to Temple/mt zion now Jesus using for his body crucified

Chrysostom: “We should turn [our soul] away from [earthly delights contrary to God] with all our might.”

“desire of this present life is not necessarily wrong, any more than hunger.”

Augustine

“he never ceases to tempt them. But it is one thing to reign within, another to lay siege from without.”

St. Irenaeus

grain of wheat falls and risen

Eucharist

our bodies in receiving become like his

CCC 542

‘draw all men’ meaning ‘all are called’.

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