Homily 486 | 5th Sunday of Lent | Year B
“At least it can’t get any worse…” Ya, best not ever to say that. No matter how bad things seem, it normally can get worse and often does. We like catchy little platitudes to try to “cheer us up.” But in the next two weeks, the Church gives us a serious check with reality. Things are going to get worse, way worse.
The last two weeks of Lent are traditionally called Passiontide and we begin to focus on the sufferings and ultimate death of Jesus. Our readings today remind us the many times in history that things got really bad, but then God promised that they would get better. His people broke all his covenants, but he promised a “new covenant” that would last forever. God always has a plan, even if things get worse.
Perhaps the worst thing we can think of is death. Jesus gives us the example of a seed dying so that it can rise to produce fruit. He also says that if we lose our life in this world we will gain it for eternity. By submitting to death on the cross, Jesus shows us that God is more powerful than even the worse thing we can imagine.
So, if things seem bad right now, well, they may get worse. Sorry. But… just as was true for Jesus, there is something more that awaits us even after the worst thing we can imagine. There is even life after death.