Today’s gospel from John chapter 12 recounts how, after Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem before his Passion and the raising of Lazarus from the dead, a turning point in the gospel narrative is reached when some Greeks come to the disciple Philip – who has a Greek name and comes from a predominantly non-Jewish area – wanting to see Jesus. The Lord repeats in this reading what he said in last Sunday’s gospel from chapter 3 about being ‘lifted up’. This begins our last fortnight of Lent, which used to be called Passiontide, when our focus is on the Lord ‘lifted up’. He says that he will draw all people to himself: this, and the coming of the Greeks at this point, helps us see how the crucifixion breaks down the barriers and borders in our world. This breaking down is a running theme of the Holy Father’s letter ‘Fratelli Tutti’ which we have been looking at in our parish Lent course.
Details are given on the newsletter on our website of how to book places for Masses and other services from next weekend as we reopen St Edmund’s for public worship.
God bless and take care,
Fr Ashley