Lent | John 12:20-33
During the Lenten Season, we have introduced different spiritual practices that help us find connection with the Divine. We started with Lectio Divina, Contemplative Scripture Reading, and prayer and reflection. This week, we return to Lectio Divina while we focus on the passage where Jesus speaks about His death, as found in John 12:20-33.
Lectio Divina is a type of meditative prayer practice that includes a reading, a time of meditation, a time of prayer, and a time of contemplation. You will read the passage three times, with a pause after each one and a prompt for meditation and contemplation.
The first time you read the passage, select one word or phrase that stands out to you and meditate on it for a few moments of silence. Write down the word or phrase from your meditation.
The second time you read the passage, select a word or phrase that stands out to you (it may be the same or different from the first time), and consider how it may be speaking to you in your own life. Write down a word or phrase from your meditation.
The third time you read the passage, select a word or phrase that stands out to you and consider how it may speak to us in community. Write down the word or phrase from your meditation as well.
At the end of your meditation, close out this moment with a word of prayer. If prayer is something that is difficult for you, you can close this time out by taking a deep breath in and releasing that breath out into the world. God knows what is on our hearts, even when it is hard to say out loud.
Today we are focusing on John 12:20–33:
Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honor. “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die.
Here are some additional questions for you to ponder and journal about after you finish this particular spiritual practice, either now or throughout this week:
The metaphor of the grain of wheat dying to produce many seeds is a powerful image. How do you experience this analogy in the context of Jesus' mission and message? How might this theology be applied in beneficial ways? How might it be twisted to be harmful?
Jesus talks about loving and hating life in this world. What do you think he means by this? How does this concept challenge or resonate with contemporary values and perspectives?
Jesus speaks about the judgment of the world and the ruler of this world being driven out. How do you perceive these statements in the context of Jesus' ministry and the larger biblical narrative? If you have read this passage before, has your understanding of it changed at all over time?
What feeling does this passage leave you with?
Join our Lenten Reflections Group!
Would you like to engage with some of these spiritual practices in community?
Join our Lenten Reflections Drop-In Group! This group will be led by QCF Community Members Emerson Quadri (they/them) & Jessica Quadri (she/her) Wednesdays at 8PM ET. Join us for a time of reflection and discussion as we head into the Easter season.
Visit the link below to learn more!
