Thursday of 30th week, even numbered year “Just then some Pharisees came up to Jesu and said to him ’Leave here because Herod is planning to kill you.”
No doubt the Pharisees wish for Jesus to go far away, for he is casting shadows in Jerusalem, so they warn him about Herod Antipas’ murderous intentions. But Jesus wants nothing to do with men’s’ plots, his life is in God’s hands. Speaking about the three days is a significant point, for his¨Passion is drawing near.
Jesus knows that God’s plan will come about when He wants it to, using his enemies’ murderous plans.
We can admire the firmness Jesus has about accomplishing the Father’s Mission for Him. Nothing will get in his way! With such an attitude, Jesus lays down the tone of behaviour the messengers of the Gospel will have to follow throughout the centuries : not to bend under powers whatever they may be. Seeing the conflicts in the Middle East we are deeply saddened by the conflicts there. We are all called to Peace in the world when Jesus’ Words resound in our hearts.This desire for Peace ought to have an even more intense resonance.
Jesus’ combat is the combat of love against hatred. The Spirit of Love is victorious over all hatred, the Words of Love of the Gospel are given to us for this combat of Love.
“Jesus answered them’ Go and tell that fox : see how he is driving out devils and healing today and the following day, and on the third day I will reach the end.”
"But for today and tomorrow I must go on my way, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside of Jerusalem.’
We notice this refusal of Jesus without being able to give any explication to it.
Still today Christ is often turned away on a subconscious level, we cannot recognise it.
Jesus seems to have exhausted all possible means without managing to over come men’s refusal.
Jesus is in a huge combat of the victory of Love. ’I need to continue today and tomorrow’.
Jesus wants everything to be gathered in Love, in Him, in the surprising realisation of his mystical Body that is at the image of the Blessed Trinity : ’May they be a Father like you and me are One.’
It is when there is a complete surrender and total confidence that each person will be totally himself in Love.
The ardour in announcing the Gospel is that of Jesus’ Love and of the one who follows him and becomes Love.
It is faith which will stop the enemies’ arrows, faith as we follow Jesus will be the shield as we enter into combat. Faith is this absolute confidence that God loves us more than anything. In this way we enter into God’s mercy which is the only possible attitude, for God is always merciful!
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children together, as hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! Look, your house will be left to you. Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me until the time comes when you are saying :’Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Jesus goes up to Jerusalem fully aware of what to expect. Far from feeling sorry for himself, he weeps over the Holy City, as a mother would do over her children who are heading for their ruin by refusing the hand stretched out to them.
Jerusalem hadn’t wanted to recognise the One sent from God. But the death of Jesus will not have the last word. Jesus will rise again and on that day the yes of the blind will open up to welcome the Victorious Lord, the Only Person who can bring meaning to our lives. The image of a hen gathering her chickens speaks strongly to us, so many chicks under the hen’s wings, we can’t see any more, only that the hen has swollen! Jesus reveals that there is a ’unity of Love’ that is absolutely astonishing in God’s Heart, and He wants to bring about this unity of Love with us too.