This 5th Sunday of Lent draws us close to the core and the summit of our Christian faith, the death and the resurrection of our savior and redeemer. This in fact is reflected in today’s readings. ‘’I am troubled now. Yet what shall I say?’’ (Jn 12, 27). Christ, the New Covenant is ready to offer himself for our salvation through suffering and obedience to the Father. ‘’ I will make a new covenant and never call their sin to mind…then, I will be their God and they will be my people.’’ (Jr 31, 32.33). The first reading of this Sunday ensures us about God’s plan of salvation, the establishment of a New Covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. God has made a covenant with humankind through Adam, Noah, Moses and Abraham. In Today’s first reading, Jeremiah predicted a New Covenant. ‘’ Why a new covenant? Covenant from Hebrew word ‘’ Berith’’, a biding, a treaty or an agreement between two parties. A new covenant was to be made because of the infidelity of the people. The second book of Chronicles which read last Sunday testifies that: ‘’ All the heads of the priesthood, and the people too, added infidelity to infidelity, copying all the shameful practices of the nations…..2Chronicles 36: 14. As Christians, religious people, priests…, are we really faithful to our commitments? You and I are breaking the new covenant through our infidelities, divisions and duplicity in our daily life. Lenten Season is a moment of grace which calls us to come close to God and to rend our hearts through prayer, penance, and almsgiving. 2 esus is the fulfillment of the new covenant. The second reading emphases that it is through obedience and suffering that He became the source of eternal salvation (He 5, 9). We are called to listen to Christ, the source of our salvation and obey to God’s commandments by loving one another sincerely and concretely. The salvation brought by Jesus is for all people, and today’s gospel mentioned the presence of Greeks who came to see Jesus. ‘’ Sir, we wish to see Jesus ….(Jn 12,21). Jesus seems not to be interested in the Greeks who wish to see Him. However, the Geeks listened to Him and they were welcomed in the community of the disciples. Our communities must be opened to those people who do not confess our Christian faith. We have also to honor the Father by speaking about Jesus to those people. And before speaking about Jesus, we have to deepen our own relationship with Jesus. This is about personal and community prayer. It can be very easy to speak about Jesus than to speak with Jesus. Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life (Jn 12, 24-25).’’ Jesus is not speaking about a physical or a clinical death, rather it means that we must die to our selfishness, to our envies, to the spirit of division and all things that are completely in contradiction with the Gospel of Love. To be a Christian or a missionary is to follow and to serve Jesus wholeheartedly. It is all about self-denial. We have to get rid of our selfishness and to be detached from earthly desires, our golden ropes. ‘’ Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? ((Jn12, 27)’’ Suffering in its physical or moral dimension remains a big challenge to humankind. It is not easy to suffer. The tendency is to flee from suffering and Jesus too felt this repugnance to suffering. However, Jesus entrusted Himself to the Father who glorifies Him through suffering, death and resurrection. May the Lord help us to remain faithful to Jesus, the new covenant and to keep his word in our hearts. And with our eyes fixed on Jesus, let us continue our Lenten season by being true witnesses of God’s glory which shines upon the Crucified and the Risen Jesus. AMEN.