First reading Romans 8:31-39 With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us ? he rose from the dead, and there at God?s right hand he stands and pleads for us. Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. As scripture promised: For your sake we are being massacred daily, and reckoned as sheep for the slaughter. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us. For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord. Psalm Psalm 108:21-22,26-27,30-31 Save me, O Lord, because of your love. For your name?s sake act in my defence; in the goodness of your love be my rescuer. For I am poor and needy and my heart is pierced within me. Save me, O Lord, because of your love. Help me, Lord my God; save me because of your love. Let them know that is your work, That this is your doing, O Lord. Save me, O Lord, because of your love. Loud thanks to the Lord are on my lips. I will praise him in the midst of the throng, for he stands at the poor man?s side to save him from those who condemn him. Save me, O Lord, because of your love. Gospel Acclamation Ps147:12,15 Alleluia, alleluia! O praise the Lord, Jerusalem! He sends out his word to the earth. Alleluia!Or cf.Lk19:38,2:14 Alleluia, alleluia! Blessings on the King who comes, in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens! Alleluia! Gospel Luke 13:31-35 Some Pharisees came up. ?Go away? they said. ?Leave this place, because Herod means to kill you.? He replied, ?You may go and give that fox this message: Learn that today and tomorrow I cast out devils and on the third day attain my end. But for today and tomorrow and the next day I must go on, since it would not be right for a prophet to die outside Jerusalem. ?Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! So be it! Your house will be left to you. Yes, I promise you, you shall not see me till the time comes when you say: ?Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord!? Meditation: Jerusalem, Jerusalem! (Luke 13:34) Neither Herod in his desire to kill Jesus nor the Pharisees in their attempt to protect him could dissuade Jesus from fulfilling the Father?s plan of salvation. That plan was formed long ago, and Jesus had dedicated his life to carrying it out. He knew that he must meet Jerusalem and the cross, and he said as much to the Pharisees: “I must continue on my way ? for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem” (Luke 13:33). As he journeyed toward this final hour, Jesus mourned, for he knew well that his sacrifice would not be able to save those who had rejected him. Jerusalem had been the scene of the brutal murders of many of God?s prophets; Jesus would be no exception. But he still wanted the people of Jerusalem to come to him. Just as a mother and father cannot force a wayward child back to them, Jesus could not demand that his people respond to his offer of mercy and redemption. They had to choose on their own. Jesus? words revealed the heart of one who grieves for us, not for himself. He would go willingly to the cross to win our forgiveness. Without a trace of bitterness or resentment, he freely gave himself for us, knowing that not everyone would accept him. And just as he foretold, he arrived in Jerusalem amidst cries of praise: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38). Days later, however, the same people who had rejoiced at his coming would release a notorious prisoner rather than save Jesus from the cross (23:18-19). By their own choosing, those who rejected him would experience their house being forsaken. How this knowledge must have saddened Jesus! Our own “house” need not be forsaken. Even though we are sinners, Jesus awaits us, longing to gather us to him. Nothing that we have ever done, no matter how sinful, can keep him from loving us. He never forces us to return to him. As he did with the people of Jerusalem, he leaves the decision to us. So what will you do today? Gather with him? Or let yourself be scattered? “Jesus, thank you for loving me even when I turned away from you. Bring everyone?even those who seem far away from you?into your embrace.”
Posted on: Fri, 01 Nov 2013 05:27:13 +0000
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