Jesus tells the parable of a grain of wheat.  When it is dropped into the earth, the seed “dies”.  But in the warmth and moisture of the earth, new life breaks out.  If we wish to follow Jesus, we must empty ourselves of self-centeredness, of the instinct for self-preservation at the expense of our sisters and brothers.  From seeds buried in the warm love and service of others, and watered by fidelity to our baptismal commitment, the Christian community grows into the mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus.