JESUS sets out on his journey to Jerusalem, passing through towns and villages to preach. He finds himself in the territory under the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas, and some Pharisees warn him of danger: the tetrarch, they say, wants to kill him. We do not know whether these Pharisees meant well or used a ruse to lure Jesus away from that region. In any case, the Lord’s answer is firm: “I must go on my way today, tomorrow, and the day after, for it is not possible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem” (Lk 13:33).
Undeterred by the threat of Herod—whom he calls a “fox” to emphasize that he is a cunning and insidious figure—Jesus declares that he will continue to teach the truth and free people from physical and moral evil in order to fulfill the mission entrusted to him by God the Father. The misunderstandings, difficulties, and dangers he encounters do not discourage him. Nor does he act according to human calculations, such as measuring the chances of success of his message. What drives him is his trust in the Father and his complete identification with his plans of love for humanity.
In our lives, we too can find ourselves in difficult or problematic situations where it is harder to act as God wants us to: according to truth, justice, or love. Such moments challenge us to identify more deeply and authentically with God’s will, grow in trust in the Lord, and reflect that the plan we live with God is greater than the obstacles and dangers we encounter. We can move forward in faith, knowing that the fulfillment of our mission does not depend solely on human factors but is, above all, in God’s hands. “Without the Lord, you cannot take a single safe step,” writes Saint Josemaría. “This certainty that you need his help will lead you to cling more closely to him, with a firm and persistent trust full of joy and peace, even though the path has been rough and steep.”
Jesus comes to save us…
“JERUSALEM, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing” (Lk 13:34). Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem eloquently shows his profound love and desire to protect his people. The reference to the prophets reminds us that throughout the history of salvation, God has sought his people again and again and has never tired of forgiving them when Israel has turned away. With the same paternal and maternal affection, the Lord desires us to draw closer to him, to live constantly under his protection, to be found again when we have abandoned him.
In Jesus’ words, we sense his sorrow over Jerusalem’s refusal to accept his love and protection. The Lord does not want to impose himself. He prefers to gently respect human freedom and accept rejection, even though he is pained by the consequences of living with his back to God: “Behold, your house is left to you desolate” (Lk 13:35), he warns them. Emptiness, darkness, and cold are what the absence of God causes in the human heart, even though we can sometimes go through life focusing on interests and distractions that avoid what is essential.
The Lord approaches the Holy City as the King of Peace, as the mediator who seeks to reconcile his people with the Father. He does not come to judge but to save. Saint Josemaría says, “The Lord does not come to condemn us or to throw our wretchedness and littleness in our faces; he comes to save us, to forgive us, to absolve us of guilt, and to bring us peace and joy.” If we are able to recognize this wonderful relationship of the Lord with his children, our hearts will inevitably change and we will realize that a completely new panorama opens before our eyes, full of hope, depth and light.”
Praying for peace in the Holy Land…
CHRISTIANS have a special bond with Jerusalem, the Holy City. We feel that we are spiritual pilgrims in the land where our reconciliation with God took place, which was previously the historical place of the biblical revelation of God, the place where, more than in any other place, dialogue was established between God and men, as if it were the meeting place between heaven and earth. Jerusalem witnessed many of Jesus’ miracles and sayings. There, the first Christian community was born, even though external circumstances were not always favorable. “Jerusalem stands in the eyes of faith between the infinite transcendence of God and the reality of created being, as a symbol of encounter, unity, and peace for the entire human family. The Holy City thus contains a profound invitation to peace, addressed to all humanity, and especially to the worshippers of the one great God, the merciful Father of all peoples. Unfortunately, we must recognize that Jerusalem is becoming a source of persistent rivalry, violence, and exclusive claims.
The contemplation of Jesus, who on the way to Jerusalem is troubled by the hardness of the human heart, invites us to identify with his feelings of compassion, with his desire for peace and justice for all people. As the Pope has been asking us for decades, today we can pray especially for reconciliation in the Holy Land. “I pray for you and with you,” Pope Francis wrote to the Catholics there: “Lord, you are our peace (cf. Eph 2:14-22), you who have declared that the peacemakers are blessed (cf. Mt 5:9), free human hearts from hatred, violence, and revenge. We contemplate and follow you, who are forgiving, meek, and humble of heart (cf. Mt 11:29). May no one steal from our hearts the hope that we will stand and rise with you; may we never tire of affirming the dignity of every human being, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or nationality, starting with the most fragile: women, the elderly, the little ones, and the poor. Brothers and sisters, I would like to tell you that you are not alone and we will not leave you alone, but We will remain in solidarity with you through prayer and active charity.” We can conclude our prayer with a plea to the Virgin Mary to grant the Holy Land and the whole world the gift of peace: “Holy Mary is, as the Church calls her, the Queen of Peace. Therefore, when there is unrest in your soul, in your family or work environment, in social or international life, do not stop crying out to her: Regina pacis, ora pro nobis! – Queen of Peace, pray for us!”
