Die to Live

The gospel today teaches us that we should die of ourselves in order for Christ to live in us.

Amen, amen, I say to you,
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.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.

How strong Jesus’ words are. We will only produce fruit if we die of ourselves. Scientifically, it’s true. The seed has to die to give life to a tree. When the seed dies in the soil, something bigger than it comes to life. This shows that dying is not enough. It has to die in a good soil for it to become a tree and bear fruits.

We need to die of ourselves and allow God to dwell and live in us. Jesus says that whoever hates his life in the world will preserve it. If we live our lives not for our own comfort and personal worldly concerns, but rather die of our natural worldly desires and allow God to live in us by following and serving Him, then we will have life for eternity, after we live on this world. That is real life. That is real living. We need to realize that this world is fleeting and we are merely passers-by in this world. We need to prepare for eternity.

Not living OF the world is not easy. There will be a lot of challenges, oppositions and persecutions from the enemy, the ruler of this world. However, we should be inspired by the second reading.

Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
and when he was made perfect,
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Christ, God’s only son, out of his great love for God and us, obeyed God and suffered in this world. However, when he was perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation. Like Christ, we need to obey and trust God’s plan and expect him to use us mightily as we obey him, as we die of ourselves.

We are all living ON this world, but am I also living OF the world? What things do I need to die of in order that Christ may live in me? Do I realize that this world is temporary and that I need to prepare for eternity? Am I willing to die of myself and of my worldly concerns to be able to live for eternity with God?