Matthew, Mark, and Luke are gospels that share many traits. Scholars tell us that Matthew and Luke used Mark’s gospel when writing theirs. That is, they told Mark’s stories and added new material of their own. However, John’s gospel is different from these three accounts. John gives us long quotes—as if he had tape-recorded Jesus. Moreover, the Jesus of John’s gospel speaks as a theologian and philosopher, and not as a good old boy carpenter from Nazareth.
This weekend’s reading begins with what sounds like a simple enough statement. Namely, some Greeks wanted “to see” Jesus. This uncomplicated phrasing illustrates how rich scripture can be and how it can make our brain cells fire in different directions. For example, any one of us might be described just as the Greeks were. That is, you and I want “to see” Jesus come alive in our hearts. “To see” isn’t referring literally to getting Jesus in your line of vision. Use of the verb “to see” is akin to the well-known line from the motion picture Avatar.
In that science fiction film, when someone says “I SEE you,” the person is formally greeting someone, or saying “I love you” in a profound way, or something like the jargon used today when someone says “I feel you.” Now, Greek Gentiles come to “see” Jesus–a word in John’s gospel that has the meaning “to believe in.” In short, the Greeks want to encounter or tap the wisdom Jesus offers. They want to see, feel, understand, and draw life from this new teacher.
But the passage as a whole goes beyond our simple desire to see or know or draw life from this Teacher, Note the flow of this account: Greeks ask Philip if they can see Jesus; Philip goes to Andrew to tell him about the men’s request (Why didn’t he just go to Jesus and tell him about the Greeks?). Then the two of them speak to Jesus. And what does Jesus do? Launches into a long speech that has nothing to do, it seems, with their request. And when he’s done speaking, we’re never told if the men got to speak to him or not.
This is the sort of account that should make you stop and realize that something really important is being said. You’re not just reading about some guys wanting to speak to Jesus. Rather, what’s at play is an example of John the Evangelist crafting a theological statement.
Keep in mind that this gospel was written perhaps 70 years after Jesus died. It represents what the faith community understood to be the teaching of the Master—a teaching that became clearer to them over many years of “breaking bread” at the Eucharistic gathering (“table fellowship” or sacrament of the Mass). John’s Jesus is stating what the community’s prayerful reflection understood to be His revelation. John offers a context for Jesus to utter this revelation.
As stated, scripture can convey a number of messages. That’s why you can read a passage 100 times and on the 101st reading you say: “I never thought of this previously”—as a new insight strikes you. And so it is with this gospel scene. Again, instead of telling Philip and Andrew that he did or did not want to meet the Gentiles, he says: “Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.”
Hmm. What does THAT mean? Answer: LOTS.
On one level, it refers to his death being the source of life for many, actually for all (Israelites and non-Israelites). Moreover, those who follow Jesus will gain entry to eternal life through death. But also, it alludes to the grain (the Old Law) becoming the source of the New Law—the New Testament eclipsing the Old as an abundance of “fruit” whose see was planted in the Hebrew scriptures.
Within this latter meaning is the origin of the word “Catholic”—in the sense of meaning “universal” (and not referring to a group within Christianity different from Presbyterians or Methodists or others). Recall that the Israelites were a tribal people—just as each of us came from some tribal group in the past. Like our tribal ancestors, the Israelites were what we’d today call “ethnocentric” or “clannish” or “parochial.” All humans were like the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s always at war with one another and feeling superior to those outside their group. Vestiges of this tendency are seen in “friendly” rivalries between sports teams from different towns or cities. Us against them!!! Our group against THAT group!!
The dark side of this Adam/Eve tendency we have toward “sin” and bad decisions—is our own prejudices and bigotry. In the 4 gospels, Jesus interacts with only a handful of Gentiles—being the good tribal Jewish boy that he was. But his teaching about our kinship with one another is the point of today’s passage about new fruit (Gentiles within a pan-tribal, universal community) spawned by the grain that dies (the Old Law). Today’s first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah forecasts this.
Along comes Jesus, and He reveals that we are all brothers and sisters on one God who is our “Father” or “Mother” or “Parent” (however you want to describe our Creator). The “grain of wheat” has become the seed that gave way to the wheat field of God’s people. The reading from Jeremiah attests to this revelation. It is the only reference to a “new covenant” or new law that will come to the people—and as Jeremiah says, it will be written not on stone, but on their hearts.
The thought here can be remembered by recalling this one line: YOU, ME, TOGETHER, WE.
St. Patrick’s Prayer followed by a Navaho Indian Prayer (the word “beauty” is used to translate a concept in Navajo that is more than just something aesthetically pleasing; it refers to balance, symmetry, fulfillment, all that is good, and notions of that sort which, in fact, reflect what Jesus embodies).Christ with me, Christ before me,Christ behind me, Christ within me,Christ beneath me, Christ above me,Christ at my right, Christ at my left
With beauty before me, I walk.With beauty behind me, I walkWith beauty below me, I walk.With beauty above me, I walk.With beauty all around me, I walk.