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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK Jesus, help me stick with whatever I promised to give up or do during Lent. Amen!

Jesus talked about His death, saying, "Unless a piece of wheat dies, it's just a piece of wheat. But if it dies -- if it's harvested and made into food -- it helps many people. I'm worried about dying, but that's why I came into the world. When I'm lifted up to heaven, I'll pull everyone on earth closer to me."

Did you give something up for Lent, like soda? Did you promise to do something extra, like taking out the garbage without being asked?

How well have you kept your promise so far?

It can be very hard to give up something you eat or do all the time, or to add something extra. Some kids live for Sundays, when they might take a day off from their Lenten sacrifices. By now, you might be groaning, "When is Lent over?"

This week's Gospel (John 12:20-33) is about a sacrifice and why it's important. Jesus explains the reason for Him coming into the world and trying to teach people about God, knowing that He will suffer and die on the cross.

If a sacrifice is easy, it isn't really a sacrifice. If you give up soda for Lent, but you never drank it anyway, what's the point? A sacrifice is supposed to make your body or mind healthier, help the people around you and help you get closer to God.

Jesus said His sacrifice was going to help the entire world. While He was alive in the world, a lot of people didn't believe in Him, but dying on the cross would show everyone how much He was willing to give up for us: His whole life.

Change brings good things, Jesus said. We grow wheat and then harvest it to make things like bread and cereal. That means the wheat has to die so that we have food. Jesus said He had to die, too, so that we had Him as "food" -- so that we'd get closer to God.

A Lenten sacrifice is never easy. But if Jesus could give up absolutely everything for us -- even His whole life -- can you hang in there and not drink soda for a couple more weeks?[[In-content Ad]]

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