Those who love their life will lose it. Homily for the 5th Sunday of Lent, Year B.

The theme of the seed that is buried in the ground and then bearing fruit is found in the synoptic gospels as well as in John. But John gives this image a special twist: the seed is Jesus himself, who by dying will give life to humanity. Just as a seed must die to its life as a single seed before it can yield an abundant harvest, Jesus will bring life in abundance through his death on the cross.