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.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
REFLECTION
"The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
Usually the servant is not in a position of being honored, especially by the patriarch of the family. We are to lay down our lives for God, so we, too, are to lay down our lives for our fellow brethren. St Lawrence, deacon, understood this too well and he did not obey the Emperor Valerian's request to deny Jesus. Instead as his punishment he was killed by fire. He was one of the seven deacons of the Church of Rome and was executed on August 10, 258.
It is hard to understand the anger behind those who demand death if you do not denounce Jesus. We have the many saints and the example of Jesus, the sacrificial lamb, on suffering and dying for God. We are called to be servants for God and His children, with the promise that the Father will honor whoever serves Him.
Let humility and obedience bring us to Jesus. We, too, are promised life if we serve the Lord.
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