Painting by James Tissot, c. 1886-1894.
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells His disciples: “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.”
This might seem a bit strange, because how can a dying crop bring forth fruit? We usually associate life with growth and death with endings, and it is also natural for food to expire—whether that be ketchup, a slice of cheese, or cereal—so what is Christ saying? It doesn’t make much sense, does it?
But Jesus isn’t talking about food. At least, not really.
He is talking about Himself.
You see, He is the grain of wheat! He embraced the Cross and freely accepted His Crucifixion, all so that we might receive eternal life! What once looked like defeat turned out to be the greatest victory this world has ever known. And thanks to His immeasurable sacrifice, countless souls have come home.
Jesus is also inviting us to follow in His footsteps, for “whoever serves me must follow me.” We must be willing to harvest our wheat, too. In other words, to follow Christ is to put Him first and love Him above all others. As He reminds us throughout Scripture, the Father will always honor those who serve Him.
Perhaps the greatest challenge of this Gospel is that we sometimes want the reward Christ promises without properly “dying” first. But Jesus reminds us that just as the grain of wheat must be buried before new life can spring forth, holiness requires letting go of what keeps us from Him. That is to say, when we surrender everything to Christ, we bear fruit not only in our own lives but also in the lives of those around us!
Ultimately, we must ask ourselves… are we willing to “lose” and “die” to achieve what is good and true? What Jesus asks of us is not easy, but it is always worth it, in the end.
Let us ask God for peace, strength, and most importantly, love, for it is His divine love that sustains us in this valley of tears. And just like St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, may we hold faithfully until the very end, trusting in the promise proclaimed in today’s Alleluia: “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” For through Christ, death is not the end, but the very beginning.