Jeremiah 31:31-34 / Hebrews 5:7-9 / John 12:20-33
In our social interactions, we talk about a wide variety of topics.
Generally, we would talk about things at the peripheral. So, we will talk about the weather, about food, about where to go for holidays.
Some conversations will go a bit deeper, like health issues, work problems, family matters.
And of course, we also like to talk about others, and somehow we end up gossiping about them.
And we will also indulge in our favourite pastime, which is complaining. Seems like we have quite a lot to complain about - about the high cost of living, about inconveniences, about people we don't like.
But when we come before Jesus in prayer, what are we going to talk to Him about?
It might be about things that are mundane, or that we just want to complain.
But what is it that Jesus wants to talk to us about?
In the gospel, some Greeks wanted to see Jesus, but their purpose was not stated. Maybe they were curious because they had heard about Jesus and so they wanted to see Him.
As for Jesus, He had other matters in His mind. In the gospel passage, Jesus is telling us what matters to Him and what should matter to us.
He talks about a wheat grain and the harvest it can produce. He talks about eternal life. And then He says that His soul is troubled, and ask His Father to save Him.
But He also knows that He is like the grain that must die in order to produce a rich harvest. And when He is lifted up from the earth, He will draw all men to Himself.
In other words, Jesus was thinking about His suffering and death on the Cross.
Jesus also wants us to think about our life and also about our death.
For a Christian to think about death is not taboo or morbid. Because to think about death is to think about life and about eternal life.
I remembered that when my late sister was in the final stages of her terminal illness, she had her questions about her life and about her illness.
She had difficulty in coming to terms that her illness was terminal, and the pain and suffering didn't make it any easier.
I prayed for her to accept it, so that she could have peace when the day comes for her to return to the Lord.
Then my brother came back from his overseas assignment, and I went to fetch him from the airport to the hospital where my sister was.
On that particular afternoon, the three of us had a good sibling-time.
We talked about our childhood days, and how she was the big sister always keeping an eye on us to stop us from being too naughty.
We talked about things that mattered, that she doesn’t have to worry about anything, that we will be with her and look after her, and that we will pray for her.
We didn’t talk about death or funeral arrangements, but it seems that my sister sensed that it won’t be long, and she told us that she just wanted to be comfortable.
We had a good conversation as we talked about things that mattered to us.
It was only when she said that she was tired that we let her rest. And my sister seemed to be at peace and even happy.
As my brother and I went home, we realized that we never had such a sibling-time with my sister, and we were happy with this blessing from God.
We talked about what mattered to us, we talked about life, and with that, death didn’t seem such a morbid or scary thing anymore.
As for my sister, when the day came, she went back peacefully to the Lord.
Her passing on peacefully was a consolation to my family.
And she left fond memories for us too, especially for my brother and me, as we remember that afternoon when the three of us siblings shared life, love and care for each other.
May our lives be like the grain that will bear a harvest of love and care for others.
And may we pass on from this life to eternal life and to receive that eternal blessing of joy from God.