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Thursday 30th Week OT
St. Luke Institute
Retreat and Conference Center at Bon Secours
October 31, 2019
THE GOSPEL +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Today Jesus is warned by some Pharisees to leave the area where he is teaching
+ The reason they give is that Herod is after him. This is Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great
+ Region of Perea was part of his territory as tetrarch
+The warning could, of course, have been just a ploy on the part of the Pharisees to get rid of Jesus by frightening him in this way
JESUS’ MODELING ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ However, Jesus is not moved. Why not?
+ He knows that his life is part of a larger plan
+ He will do his work, including the healing of people and their liberation from evil forces
+ When the time is ripe, he’ll face his passion & death
+ He will attain his ‘end’, where ‘end’ has the double meaning of (1) end of his life on earth & (2) his being brought to perfection thru his suffering & death
+ In any case, it has been decided that he will face his death in Jerusalem and nowhere else. Herod is not going to change any of that
APPLICATION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ And then Jesus goes on to pray for the city that will be the scene of his death
+ It is a city that has many times in the past mistreated and killed those sent by God to bring his message
+ What I find striking is how Jesus speaks tenderly of Jerusalem like his being a mother bird who protectively gathers her chickens under her wings
+ But they reject him, as they rejected many prophets before
CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Our lives too are in God’s hands and nothing will happen to us which is in conflict with God’s wishes and God’s plans
+ Everything is – ultimately – for our well-being
+ But let us be on the alert to recognize the Lord coming into our lives often in very unexpected ways and through very unexpected people
+ Some of those we reject may be bringing – even unknown to themselves – a message from God that we need to hear and follow
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ The reason they give is that Herod is after him. This is Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great
+ Region of Perea was part of his territory as tetrarch
+The warning could, of course, have been just a ploy on the part of the Pharisees to get rid of Jesus by frightening him in this way
JESUS’ MODELING ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ However, Jesus is not moved. Why not?
+ He knows that his life is part of a larger plan
+ He will do his work, including the healing of people and their liberation from evil forces
+ When the time is ripe, he’ll face his passion & death
+ He will attain his ‘end’, where ‘end’ has the double meaning of (1) end of his life on earth & (2) his being brought to perfection thru his suffering & death
+ In any case, it has been decided that he will face his death in Jerusalem and nowhere else. Herod is not going to change any of that
APPLICATION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ And then Jesus goes on to pray for the city that will be the scene of his death
+ It is a city that has many times in the past mistreated and killed those sent by God to bring his message
+ What I find striking is how Jesus speaks tenderly of Jerusalem like his being a mother bird who protectively gathers her chickens under her wings
+ But they reject him, as they rejected many prophets before
CONCLUSION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Our lives too are in God’s hands and nothing will happen to us which is in conflict with God’s wishes and God’s plans
+ Everything is – ultimately – for our well-being
+ But let us be on the alert to recognize the Lord coming into our lives often in very unexpected ways and through very unexpected people
+ Some of those we reject may be bringing – even unknown to themselves – a message from God that we need to hear and follow
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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