The Thursday after Reminiscere Sunday
Posted on March 20, 2025 by under
Scripture: St. John 12:20-26 (NKJV)
12:20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”
Devotion
The Lord Jesus Christ is that grain of wheat which, “if it dies, it produces much grain.” When He died on the cross, He purchased for Himself a Church—a community of believers, justified by His blood. And this is how the Church in heaven praises Him: “You are worthy… for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood…” (Rev. 5:9).
It follows from this that every Christian desiring to follow the Christ must die, as He says, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me.” But what kind of death does He demand? Not bodily death, for all men suffer that. But the death He demands is to die to sin. This death He accomplishes in us through the Sacrament of Baptism, as St. Paul explains: “As many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death” (Rom. 6:3). The Christian, having died with Christ in Baptism, also produces much grain by confessing the Word of God in his daily life.
He who has been baptized no longer belongs to himself, but to Christ. In this way, the faithful martyrs sacrificed their earthly lives for Christ, their lives already belonging to Him through Baptism. It was through Baptism, not martyrdom, that they were confident of their salvation. May we also thus trust in the promise of Baptism.
Collect: O God, Who seest that of ourselves we have no strength: Keep us both outwardly and inwardly; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
