Restores My Soul

Historical Context

Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus, the man he had raised from the dead, lived. The next day, a large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, calling him the King of Israel.

The chief priests had already decided to kill Lazarus as well, because so many people were believing in Jesus because of him. The Pharisees told each other that they were getting nowhere and that everyone was now following him.

Among those who had come up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. They found Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him whether they could see Jesus. Philip told Andrew, and the two of them brought the request to Jesus. Jesus replied that the hour had come for him to be glorified.

Reflection

A seed that is never buried remains exactly what it started as, a single kernel, alone. Only a seed that falls into the ground and dies bears much fruit. Jesus says his own death will follow the same pattern. It will look like a loss, but it will produce a harvest of life for many others.

Right after he says this, Jesus tells anyone who wants to follow him that the same pattern applies to their life as well. Hold on too tightly to your life now, and you lose what matters most. Let it go, as the seed does, and you keep it for good. That invitation asks what you are refusing to release and whether holding on so hard is costing you the very thing you want to protect.