Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 13:31-35
Call to be prophets

The Gospel presents Jesus lamenting over Jerusalem. Can we visualise a God crying for his people? So to say, even God remains helpless when man rejects God’s saving grace! Warnings about the impending torture and crucifixion do not prevent Jesus from continuing his ministry of healing the wounded humanity and driving out the demons. Jerusalem stands for God’s beloved people and likens Himself to a mother hen longing to gather her chicks under her wings, but He mourns their refusal.

The evangelist shows us a side of God that doesn’t abandon his people in peril and also demonstrates His profound empathy for those who turn away from Him. Jesus embodies the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament, confronting the powers of the world while remaining focused on His divine purpose. His lament over Jerusalem highlights the city’s historical resistance to prophets and the ultimate rejection of the Messiah.

Pope Francis’s homilies consistently focus on invoking prophetic courage in the face of adversity. He calls the Church to go to the peripheries, where people are suffering and need healing. This attitude aligns with Jesus’ in the Gospel—He goes forward, not shying away from conflict or hardship but embracing it with love and mercy.

In today’s world, we witness similar resistance to the Gospel message in various forms, from societal injustices to global crises like war, poverty, and environmental destruction. The Pope calls us to be courageous in responding to these challenges, always asking ourselves what Jesus would do if he were in our situation. He did not avoid suffering but confronted it with compassion and truth.

© Claretian Publications, Hong Kong, China
Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2024