Saint Laurence, Deacon, Martyr
Gospel – John 12:24-26
“I tell you, most solemnly, unless a wheat grain falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it yields a rich harvest”. The grain has to fall down and the grain has to die. This is the vocation of the grain. But in this falling and dying something amazing happens. In this falling, everything falls off from the grain and in the darkness of soil, in the moisture of the soil, the grain dies to give birth to a new life. The new life sprouts out of the grain throught his process This process is also necessary in us to bring out the life of Christ which we received in the baptism. When the sufferings, challenges, tensions and difficulties make us fall, this fall is painful. Again the coldness around us, which changes nothing but adds pain to us, we are stuck. We have to chose between the accept the pain to make our life and those of others difficult or to accept the pain to bring the life of Christ alive in us so that we can make our life and the life of others beautiful. The former is always murmuring and complaining. The latter is always smiling and welcoming. The former produces negative vibes. The latter produces positive vibes. The former brings our the evil in us. The latter brings out the best in us. Our difficulties and sufferings are opportunities to bring out the life of Christ in us. Let’s reflect: Am I using the challenges in my life to bring out the life of Christ in us?
Don Giorgio