5th Sunday of Lent 2024

Most Reverend José H. Gomez
Archbishop of Los Angeles

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
March 17, 2024

My brothers and sisters in Christ,¹

Again we want to welcome Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chávez as we remember St. Oscar Romero forty-four years ago, and as we prepare for his feast day on March 24.

We especially pray Cardinal Rosa Chávez during this Mass and the Church in El Salvador and also the Church throughout the American continents.

I know St. Romero has inspired many of you. He has also been an inspiration to me in my ministry.

He served his people with a pastor’s love, with a father’s love. I admire him for his humility and courage, for his love for the poor, and for his solidarity in service to others, even to the point of laying down his life.

And it is interesting that the Gospel passage we just heard, Our Lord’s beautiful saying about the grain of wheat, and the beautiful thing was — especially as we prepare for the celebration of the feast day of St. Oscar Romero, March 24th, that that was the last Gospel passage that St. Oscar Romero heard before he died.

After hearing this Gospel, Archbishop Romero gave a short homily, and in it he said:  “Whoever out of love for Christ gives themselves to the service of others will live, like the grain of wheat that dies. ... Whoever offers their life out of love for Christ, and in service to others, will live like the seed that dies.”

So today let us ask for his intercession as we reflect on this Gospel and these readings this morning. And especially we ask for his intercession — St. Oscar Romero, pray for us.

So as we know, as I said before, we are getting closer to the celebration of Holy Week, the holiest days of the year for us as Catholics. Holy Week will begin next Sunday with the celebration of Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.

So, our readings this week are preparing us to enter deeply into these holy days and into the mysteries of our salvation as we look ahead to the glory of Easter.

The Lord tells us in the first reading today: “the days are coming” when he will make a “new covenant.”

In this reading from the prophet Jeremiah, the first reading of today’s Mass, we hear the beautiful promise of our salvation:

“I will place my law within them and write it upon their hearts; I will be their God, and they shall be my people … for I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sin no more.”

So we know that in the drama that will play out in Holy Week, Jesus will fulfill this promise. We remember his words from the Last Supper: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.²

So, looking ahead to Holy Week, Jesus tells us today in the Gospel: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”

But, as we know, it is not going to be the way that we think it should be. His glory is not going to come in power and might or in conquest. His glory will come through his humiliation, through his suffering.

Jesus tells us, in today’s passage of the Gospel: “Amen, amen, I say to you, 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 is a powerful image of our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection. It is a powerful image of how much he loves us, how much he was willing to give himself for your sake and for mine and for every person.

So today, we reflect with gratitude and in awe, on how much the Lord loves us.

Jesus makes his life like a grain of wheat for us, he makes himself like a seed that is buried in the ground.

He tells us today: “Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever … serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be.”

So my dear brothers and sisters, we need to make Jesus the “way” for our life! We need to leave behind our old ways and our old life and follow him, we need to stay close to him, as we all are trying to do.

Jesus saw his life, as “seed,” as a “grain of wheat.” And we should think about our own lives that way, too.

To be a “grain of wheat” means living for the love of Jesus and giving ourselves for the love of our brothers and sisters.

It means “dying” to ourselves, giving up our own comforts and ease, our own priorities and privileges, leaving behind our selfishness.

Being a “grain of wheat” means seeking God’s will, not our own; taking up our own cross and walking behind Jesus as he carries his. 

Jesus says today in the Gospel: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.”

So the truth is that Jesus still wants to draw all people to himself. Now, my dear brothers and sisters, he entrusts this task to his disciples, and at this time, to you and to me. So this is our mission now.

So let’s ask for that grace today, for the grace to help the people of our time to find Jesus — to see him, to follow him, to love him! Let’s look for new ways to lift him up and to draw everyone to know his love and salvation!

It is our beautiful mission. It is what we are all committed to do, and renew during this Lenten season, especially as we prepare for the celebration of Holy Week.

So today we ask especially the intercession of St. Oscar Romero, who gave us a beautiful example of how to be a faithful disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And as we continue on our path to Holy Week, we ask the guidance and prayers of Holy Mary, our Blessed Mother.

May she help us to walk more closely in the footsteps of her Son, that our lives might produce much fruit for his kingdom, for that great harvest of eternal salvation.