Gospel: John 12:24-26
Truly, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Those who love their life destroy it, and those who despise their life in this world save it even to everlasting life.
Whoever wants to serve me, let him follow me; and wherever I am, there shall my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Reflections
“Those who despise their life in this world save it.”
Andrew Lincoln has beauti­fully commented on the “loving”­ and ­“hating”­ one’s­ life aspect of the gospel passage. He wrote: “to save, find or gain one’s life is to at­tempt to live one’s life as though one owned it and it is an enter­prise doomed to failure because life is a gift from God, who can also take it away. On the other hand, to lose one’s life is to renounce the attempt to secure life for oneself and, instead, to spend it in the ser­vice of God and others.”
God would always lead us to the purpose he has for each of us, and this purpose presents itself in the form of service to God and his beautiful creation. Our purpose in life is intrinsically connected to this triadic element of God, crea­tion, and service. Just like the rain that falls to the ground, which must perform a specific role, we too, brought to life on Earth, must accomplish that for which we are created. This is spending our life in service, instead of se­ curing it for own.
That is why it is important to identify those things that lead us to direct our energy, time, and skill just for ourselves; and that take us away from serving God and his creation.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2019