Commentary

5th Sunday of Lent – B
John 12:20-33

Jesus’ Hour, My Hour

If we read the Gospel of John continuously, by now, chapter 12, we must have become familiar with the phrase referring to “Jesus’ hour.” At the wedding at Cana, Jesus answered Mary’s request saying, “my hour has not yet come” (2:5). Then, in chapter 7, Jesus explained to his brothers that he was not going up to Jerusalem with them for the feast of Tabernacles because “[his] time has not yet fulfilled” (7:8). Then twice, some people wanted to arrest him, but they could not because “his hour had not yet come” (7:30 and 8:20).[1]

Things have changed. Now Jesus lets us know that the hour is near. In fact, he explains the purpose of his life in reference to this hour. In this hour, he will glorify the Father’s name. He will do so by “drawing everyone to himself” when he is “lifted from the earth.”

As Christians, we are all called to glorify God’s name by sharing the cross of Jesus in our own life with love. And every moment of our day is the hour for us to do that. Let us live with the conviction that when we are lifted up on our crosses, others and we are all drawn to God.

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[1] Moloney, Francis J. This is the Gospel of the Lord, Year B. Homebush, NSW, Australia: St. Paul, 1993; p. 96.