Monday of Holy Week

A traditional reading fro the Monday of Holy Week is John 12:1-36. This includes several pericopes, but there's a really interesting one from verse 20 on. This is something we don't hear much about, so it is also striking. I will reproduce here vs 20-33:

Now there were certain Greeks among those that went up to worship at the feast:

these therefore came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.

Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: Andrew cometh, and Philip, and they tell Jesus.

And Jesus answereth them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die, it abideth by itself alone; but if it die, it beareth much fruit.

He that loveth his life loseth it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will the Father honor.

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. But for this cause came I unto this hour.

Father, glorify thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

The multitude therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it had thundered: others said, An angel hath spoken to him.

Jesus answered and said, This voice hath not come for my sake, but for your sakes.

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself.

But this he said, signifying by what manner of death he should die.

So there's material here for pages and pages, but I want to focus on two things: one, the Greeks, and two the voice from heaven.

These Greeks are not Greek-speaking Jews, but actual Gentiles. In contrast to the Jews who are encountering Jesus after the triumphal entry, these Gentiles are not the ones Jesus has spent most of His time dealing with. The crowd that just welcomed Jesus will turn on him, this we know already. They are looking for a political Messiah, and when He disappoints, they will kill Him for it. And these Gentiles, these God-fearers who aren't even allowed to worship as the Jews, say "Sir, we would see Jesus." 

And look at this response! Jesus responds with His death. He tells them, and His disciples present, that He is here to die. For the whole world! Those Gentiles, those non-Jews! Those that the people of Jerusalem want Jesus to lead them against! Jesus is already letting them down as a political figure, and pointing to His sacrifice for the whole of creation. 

And what's the response to this? God the Father speaks from heaven, telling us that it glorifies His name that salvation is for all. It's not just for the folks we like. It's not just for the people who are like us, who have the same tastes, the same skin color, the same practices, or the same culture. It's for everyone, it's for the whole of creation - for God glorifies His Name. That's the same name from the traditional reading yesterday in Philippians 2: the name of Jesus, at which every knee shall bow and every tongue confess.

Every human is made with a purpose, and that purpose is bound up in God. Every life makes this same statement, and the proclamation of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the right response to what He has done in us. We say, along with the world:

"Sir, we would see Jesus."

Jesus, lifted up on the cross, drawing all to Himself.

"Sir, we would see Jesus."

Jesus, in the proclaimed Word.

"Sir, we would see Jesus."

Jesus in the bread and wine of the Eucharist.

"Sir, we would see Jesus."

Jesus, in us, working in our lives, and through us to others.

"Sir, we would see Jesus."