A Grain of Wheat

A  fitting Gospel for the Feast of St. Lawrence, and the First Vows of young Marist Brother, Luis Ramos, today. "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit." (Jn  12: 24),  A grain of wheat is very small, almost to be overlooked, but when it dies and matures he produces a stock with a head full of such grains that can be ground into flour or planted to produce more wheat, but it must first enter the soil, be watered and lose its identity as a seed as roots emerge and a green sprout reaches toward the sun. In a word, it dies.  So too with a life of service, the life to which all of us are called.  We die to our selfishness, self-centeredness, and become a better self, the self that was meant to be. There will be pain, challenge, hardship, disappointment, but all with the purpose of making the seed grow.  St. Lawrence kept his sense of humor and abiding joy through all of his sufferings and so many others succeeded in doing this as well; we pray that Brother Luis might follow their example and live a life of joyful fruitfulness.
Bro. Rene