O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!

 

 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."  And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'  Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

 

- Luke 13:31–35 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus taught, "What is the kingdom of God like?  And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches." And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."  And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.  Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?"  And He said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'  But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.  Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.'  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.  They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.  And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."   

 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."  And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'  Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"  My study Bible comments here that today's passage shows first, Christ voluntarily going to His Passion.  Secondly, it displays His great love for Jerusalem in spite of its continual state of rebellion.  Finally, He reveals His foreknowledge of how He will be received on the first Palm Sunday.  

 

Let us note that Jesus' cry, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem" is a lament made with love and sadness, and Jesus also shows His commitment to the mission entrusted in Him, remaining in Jerusalem, "for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem."  It's quite interesting to think of this image that Jesus has given, of Himself as a would-be mother hen gathering her brood under her wings.  This is a striking maternal image of Jesus that He gives to us directly.  We might take a close look at some historical architecture of Churches to see how it reflects Christ's image here.  Looking at the beautiful and majestic dome of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom) Church, built in what was then Constantinople (532-537), and minus the minarets added later, we see a very rounded maternal image which reflects Christ's desire to embrace His children as a hen would under her wings.  (See this architectural drawing of the structure.)   This Church was the largest cathedral built in the world for nearly a thousand years, but nonetheless its shape manages to convey the sheltering in the wings of a mother hen, a rounded image with a brilliantly illumined dome that seemed to float above the people.  Interestingly the name Hagia Sophia, "Holy Wisdom," is also feminine in its Greek form, although it refers to Christ Himself.  Why is it important that Christ gives us this picture?  Because it teaches us how our faith works in so many balanced and powerful ways.  Those who would suggest that our faith is merely one of patriarchy would be entirely mistaken, because in Christ's language and practice during His ministry the feminine plays a great role as well.  His love for Jerusalem -- the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! -- is clearly stated here in maternal terms.  It is little wonder that for the Orthodox world, perhaps the greatest image of protector is that of the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, or "Mother of God."  She is, additionally, considered to be the greatest of the saints, and exalted as the one who exemplifies our faith among human beings.  She bore possible shame and humiliation in her acceptance of her role given by God, protected and sheltered our Lord, and in humility bore the pain that would come as well.  Of course, the whole of the Church and all the faithful is necessary to the faith, and no one is left out. But Christ gives us one of the greatest images we have of what it is to love and care for one's lost children in this image of the mother hen and her brood, and the great desire to protect.  In chapter 15, Luke will also give us the parable of the Prodigal Son, with its image of the father who runs to the returning prodigal.  But let us for today be grateful for Christ's portrayal of His love as that of a hen who longs to protect her lost children, and who will nonetheless stay for the sacrifice He must make at their hands, although they will leave their home desolate.

What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?

 

 Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like?  And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches." And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.  Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?"  And He said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'  But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.  Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.'  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.  They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.  And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last." 

 

- Luke 13:18–30 

 

 Yesterday we read that Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."  The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite!  Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?  And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

 

Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like?  And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.  And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."   My study Bible comments that the mustard plant grows to a height of about ten feet in Palestine.   It notes that both the mustard seed and the leaven represent the disciples who, according to Theophylact, began as just a few men, but "soon encompassed the whole earth."  These also stand, it says, for faith entering a person's soul, which causes an inward growth of virtue.  This soul can become godlike and receive even angels (the birds of the air).

 

 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.  Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?"  And He said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able."   My study Bible points out that the description of the two ways was widespread in Judaism (Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Psalm 1; Proverbs 4:17-18, 12:28, 15:23; Wisdom of Sirach 15:17) and in early Christian writings such as the Didache and the Epistle of Barnabas.  Here in Luke's version, this sense is more eschatological than in Matthew's Gospel (Matthew 7:13-14), and refers to the end of the age (as is evident from the parable that follows).  My study Bible comments that, because we wrestle against sins and human weaknesses as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), entering the Kingdom is the more difficult way. 

"When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'  But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.  Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.'  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.  They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.  And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last." My study Bible asserts here that neither verbal confessions (Lord, Lord) nor sacramental experiences (we ate and drank in Your presence and You taught in our streets) avail anything, unless we also do the works of faith (see Luke 6:46-49).  In terms of the last and the first, Theophylact sees the first who becomes last as not only faithless Jews, but also those in the Church who "from infancy have put on Christ and have been taught the Word, but who become last by transgressing against it."   Note that Christ's teaching consistently places more responsibility upon those who already know the gospel, as opposed to those who do not (Luke 12:47-48).

Let us study the language of Christ's parables of the Kingdom, and the great beauty He inspires from so few amazingly well-chosen words.  Jesus teaches, "What is the kingdom of God like?  And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."  This extraordinarily simple parable fills us with images that explode with a vivid illustration of growth.   The tininess of the mustard seed already speaks to us of something extremely small and compact, from which one will observe growth that surprises.  My study Bible speaks of the growth produced from the mustard seed in the region from which Christ came, that they are not just the bushes we might be familiar with, but trees which can grow to ten feet.  But Christ's parable takes us on an added journey, by remarking upon the birds of the air that nested in its branches.  These birds of the air resemble for us angels, which can accompany those who grow in the holiness of the Kingdom and expand the energies of God which work through their lives, the activity of the Holy Spirit in our world.  One can simply think of the kind of growth Christ describes here, and think of the possibilities it arouses in our imagination from the parable.  Through such growth in our world has been produced countless hospitals and charities, over the time of history, universities, and beautiful art and architecture from so many periods, in so many styles, across the world.  One can simply reflect on the aspect of creativity that accompanies such type of growth, and understand that the work of the Kingdom is one that is attributed to the unlimited creative potential in God the Holy Spirit, the Creator of life (Nicene Creed).  The kind of growth described in this image of the mustard seed become a tree which can nurture and house life gives us a sense of broad expansion, and support that offers shelter for those who can nest in it, including the messengers of the air (the angels).  In the parable that follows, we receive a highly significant image of a different kind of growth, one that is equally mysterious (how does the great tree come from the tiny seed?), and also internal, but one of which we take cognizance when we recognize the transformation it produces.  This is the mysterious process of a natural yeast leavening a lump of dough, working its natural enzymes to the point where all of the dough is changed, transformed.  This is also the power of the Holy Spirit, working to transfigure us, from the inside out.  Indeed, if we study the word for leaven in the Greek, ζύμη/zyme, we'll get a closer picture of this kind of action.  Zyme/ζύμη (pronounced "ZEEmee" in modern Greek) is the root of our modern English word enzyme.  Its action speaks to us of a powerful but compact dynamic activity, working in a way through the interior of the smallest components of life, speeding up chemical reactions within the cells that comprise organisms.  In fact, according to one definition, enzymes are catalysts that do so without being consumed or altered by the reaction.  They are a kind of activation energy.  This is the evolution from the root understanding of Christ's words here, the use of language and its evolution from the Master, our Teacher, who is the Word Himself.  While we ponder how the activities of the Kingdom and the action of the Holy Spirit take place both among us and within us, let us marvel at the great gift of language and teaching we're given in the Gospels, from the word of Christ, thankfully with us always. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?

 

 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."  The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite!  Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?  And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

 

- Luke 13:10-17 

 

Yesterday we read that were present at that season some who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."  He also spoke this parable:  "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none.  Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?'  But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.  And if it bears fruit, well.  But if not, after that you can cut it down.'"

 

Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."   As we have previously read in the Gospel (Luke 6:7) the scribes and the Pharisees had built up certain traditions around the Law.  According to such tradition, healing was considered work, and so it was not permissible on the Sabbath.  Because of this the ruler of the synagogue responds with indignation.  My study Bible comments that those who enforced such tradition felt they served God by zealously keeping these peripheral traditions, but such legalism made them insensitive to God's mercy.

The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite!  Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?  And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.  Jesus responds with a command, "think of it."  My study Bible cites patristic commentary, suggesting that this command directs us to a spiritual meaning for the eighteen years that this woman has suffered.  In the Greek expression, this number is literally translated "ten and eight years," and both St. Ambrose and Theophylact see ten as representing the Ten Commandments and eight as representing grace -- for the day of Resurrection is frequently called the "eighth day."  So, therefore, humanity is lifted up by faith in Christ, which fulfills both law and grace. 

Let us notice that the text tells us that this woman had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  This "spirit of infirmity" is not a figurative expression for illness but an indication that her illness was caused by an unclean spirit.  We can think of her "bent over" state as a signal of oppression in some sense, by an entity hostile to humanity placing upon her a kind of unjust burden and affliction.  Jesus' words in delivering her healing confirm this understanding, for He tells her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  She has become unbound, in her healing, from the thing that literally held her down, "bent over and could in no way raise herself up."   This is language that tells us she was held in some sense captive by something that only Christ could free her from.  Jesus tells us directly that Satan has bound this woman, a daughter of Abraham, for eighteen years.  It gives us a picture of unseen warfare, a spiritual battle, with Christ as the One who is powerful enough to liberate this woman from the force that held her captive and harmed her.  If we think of illness in this sense, it gives us a different sort of picture to ponder than the usual concepts we have of medicine and healing, in which simply finding the right solution -- such as a procedure or a pharmaceutical -- is the key to healing.  We do not think of affliction or illness as a manifestation of spiritual force of some kind.  But perhaps we need to shift our focus, generally speaking, and consider what it means that affliction is seen also in these spiritual terms.  Perhaps it broadens our modern perspective into something better than what we know, despite the advances in science that have helped so many.  Perhaps it gives  us a picture not only of how the demonic might work, but even more importantly for our purposes, it gives us a sense that healing the body or even the mind should not be thought of as separate from spiritual healing -- or rather, the state of true health must include all of the above.  A young man suffers from a very rare cancer in a family of my acquaintance, and there is no one who could tell him or his beleaguered parents that the struggle to find him a cure is not also a tremendous spiritual battle, that takes its toll on every level, and needs every kind of help that can be given.  Another friend has just lost her husband to a different type of cancer, and her need is all-encompassing; supported by a strong faith she already had, no one would deny her their added prayers for every step of that difficult journey with her husband's illness, as well as her grief and that of her family.  Who can deny such impacts, or characterize such illness as something merely purely physical?  While we might not want to categorize every illness or affliction as coming from the same type of source, our real healing should never leave out or be blind to this very real spiritual battle we find in the Gospels.  For Christ has called Himself the "stronger man" who is the One effective against the strong man that binds this world (Luke 11:14-23).   Let us not neglect our spiritual reality midst every problem or affliction we have, because we are more than the body and we need all His help, all the time.  

 

But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just

 

 Then He also said to those who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."

Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"  Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'  But they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.  I ask you to have me excused.'  And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.'  Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'  So that servant came and reported these things to his master.  Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'  And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'  Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'" 

 

- Luke 14:12-24 

 

On Saturday, we read that, as Jesus went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, they watched Him closely.  And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy.  And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?"  But they kept silent.  And He took him and healed him, and let him go.  Then He answered them, saying, "Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?"  And they could not answer Him regarding these things.  So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them:  "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; and he who invited you and him come and say to you, 'Give place to this man,' and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place.  But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.'  Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.  For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."  

 

 Then He also said to those who invited Him, "When you give a dinner or a supper, do not ask your friends, your brothers, your relatives, nor rich neighbors, lest they also invite you back, and you be repaid.  But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind.  And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  My study Bible comments that this instruction given by Christ is based on the manner in which God treats us, although not one of us could possibly repay God (see Luke 6:30-36).  You shall be repaid:  see the words of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:34-35.  The teachings here couple with the verses just preceding, from Saturday's reading (see above); in the words of my study Bible, Christ teaches, in imitation of Himself, perfect humility to guests, and boundless charity to hosts.

Now when one of those who sat at the table with Him heard these things, he said to Him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"   My study Bible comments that this man unwittingly declares the ultimate beatitude.  The truth behind his words can come only through understanding the bread to be eternal communion with God.

Then He said to him, "A certain man gave a great supper and invited many and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, 'Come, for all things are now ready.'"  My study Bible explains that the parable Christ teaches here operates on two levels, which illustrate both the first and second coming of Christ.  He is the servant sent to gather many.  Supper indicates evening, the end of the age, which has been a common theme over the course of recent readings.  The people invited are first the Jews, and then all humankind.  

"But they all with one accord began to make excuses.  The first said to him, 'I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it.  I ask you to have me excused.'  And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them.  I ask you to have me excused.'  Still another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'"  According to patristic commentary, these three excuses have both a literal meaning and spiritual meanings.  In the literal sense, that many are too attached to worldly cares to accept the Kingdom of God (see verse 26, Luke 18:29).  St. Ambrose sees the three excuses of I cannot come as representing the Gentile, the Jew, and the heretic.  The Gentile's devotion to earthly wealth is represented by the piece of ground, the Jew's enslavement to the five books of the Law by the five yoke of oxen, and the heretic's espousal of error by the man refusing on account of his wife.  Theophylact more generally associates the excuses with people who are devoted to earthly matters, to things which pertain to the five senses, and to all the pleasures of the flesh.  Taken all together, the excuses remind us of the things which do not nurture the seed of the Sower, do not constitute the good ground in the parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-15).  

"So that servant came and reported these things to his master.  Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.'  And the servant said, 'Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.'  Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.  For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.'"  My study Bible comments that those in the streets and lanes indicate first the Gentiles who accepted Christ after He was rejected by the Jews who did not have faith in Him; and second, those outside the Church who replaced those within who have rejected their own baptism.

 At first glance the different subjects in today's reading, although ostensibly related in that they concern a supper given for many guests, seem to contradict one another.  On the one hand, Jesus speaks of giving a dinner or a supper, and the gracious way one must treat guests.   His emphasis is on charity, in the sense that He advises the people with Him not to invite those friends, relatives, and rich neighbors who can "pay one back" in kind, but rather those who, for whatever reason, cannot afford to pay back.  In this way, through this kind of almsgiving or compassion, we rather store "treasure in heaven" (Luke 12:33, 18:22), "for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  But the image in the second story of a great supper gives us a less comforting picture about the refusal of hospitality, of graciousness rebuffed.  Clearly it's meant to be a response to the remark, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!"  But as we have had occasion to remark so frequently in recent readings as Jesus has begun to shift His sight to the Cross, this time the image is one that teaches us what it is to rebuff the graciousness of God, the offer of a place in God's kingdom.  The focus is on all the ways we put off thinking about "the resurrection of the just," and the process of moving toward the fullness of God's kingdom.  The emphasis again seems to be upon us to consider the time, that we do not have an infinite amount of time in our lives to put off the work of our faith, of doing the things God would like us to do.  That is, to consider what it is to practice compassion, to give alms in any way we can through such kindnesses or charitable behaviors we can.   This amounts to a way of thinking in which we take on a mindset that is less focused so much on what we think we need to do or to be in a worldly or earthly sense, and more focused on what it is that pleases God, on heeding that place within us that calls us toward this identity in the Kingdom.  Who are we when we stand before God? Do we seek a communion with Christ in our hearts?  Is there an adjustment we need to make in terms of how much time we think we have for God and God's call in our lives, how much energy we have for projects that call to the heart, how much extra space we can make for giving on even a small level?  This orientation toward gracious behavior can be as simple as a kindness shared with another person in a chance encounter, or something as costly as a smile at the right time, even the smallest supportive gesture to someone who needs it.  The common denominator, if we look for it in each of Jesus' teachings here in today's reading, seems to be humility.  It takes a kind of humility to realize that even those with the least among us are rich in blessings that they can share with others.  There's an old saying I can recall a friend's mother quoting:  "Good manners don't cost anything."  A little extra time or consideration, a charitable action (especially when it is unknown to the public), a hug at the right time or friendly greeting -- even a great, grand gesture of a large contribution to a worthwhile cause -- each of these things done with humility becomes a treasure in God's sight, an image that adds to our luster with God's love, for we are doing what is pleasing to our Lord, we are reflecting the person we're created to be,  God's image.  But it is humility that is the key, because the blessing from God comes from the humility of pleasing God.   There is a prayer written into the St. John Chrysostom liturgy in which we find a plea inspired by God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3.   In the closing prayer, we begin pray to God, "You bless those who bless you."  We should consider that we bless the Lord by being humble to the Lord, welcoming God's gracious will into our lives, sharing the supper to which we're invited, and doing so through charitable acts and kindnesses of our own.  It takes humility to recognize such blessings as we have to share, and how truly rich we are in the things we can share with others through the grace of God.  Let us take Christ's words to heart, remembering that this is, even in humility, part of the glory of God and God's kingdom with which we are blessed and in which we can share and share with others.

 

 

 

 

How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!

 

 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."  And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'  Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

 

- Luke 13:31-35

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus taught, "What is the kingdom of God like?  And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."  And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."  And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.  Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?"  And He said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I will say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'  But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.  Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.'  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.   They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.  And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."

 

  On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."  And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'  Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.  "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"  My study Bible says of today's passage that it shows, first, that Christ voluntarily is going to His Passion; secondly, His great love for Jerusalem despite its continual state of rebellion; and finally, His foreknowledge of how He will be received on the first Palm Sunday (Luke 19:28-44).  

As it draws nearer to the time of the Cross, we find that both the state and religious establishments are bound to be against Christ.  First of all, some Pharisees are warning Him about Herod's intent to kill Him.  Herod is Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee, commonly called King.  He rules for Rome, and is the son of Herod the Great who was responsible for the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16-18).  Herod Antipas has already had John the Baptist beheaded (Luke 9:7-9), and we have read that he fears that Jesus is John risen from the dead because of the many signs Christ does.  But Jesus turns His attention away from Galilee and toward Jerusalem, for that is where His Passion will happen.  He gives a dismissive and assertive reply back for Herod ("Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected'").  But His real focus, as we note, is on Jerusalem, "for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem." We note Jesus' lament, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'" As my study Bible notes, Jesus' lament is filled with love.  Indeed, this is a stunning reference in that He portrays Himself with a feminine reference in the image of a mother hen who gathers her chicks under her wings for protection, but these children in Jerusalem were not willing.  The religious leadership is unwilling to heed His warnings and prophecies (Luke 11:37-54).  Also noteworthy in today's passage is Christ's reference to Himself as a prophet.  But, like the prophets before Himself, Christ's prophetic role means rejection by the religious establishment in Jerusalem.  Let us note that He remains the Christ, the Messiah, although prophecy is clearly one of the roles He has also fulfilled as Messiah.  So, as the state begins to menace Him, the stage is set, and once again, as we have observed in the readings over the past week or so, we become aware that for Christ it is the light of the Cross that now leads the way toward Jerusalem.  We note the poignant way that passion is combined with love, Christ's wistful regret over the choices of His children as a brood of chicks a mother hen seeks to protect, and also His reference to Jerusalem as "the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!"  And again, as we have observed so often throughout the past week of readings or so, the drawing near of the Cross and His human death also tells us that Judgment is near, that inescapable time that will come to all of us, about which He has continually warned His disciples and those who follow Him regarding the time of our lives in this world and how precious it is.  Now is the time, in today's reading, as He will head toward Jerusalem, He clearly indicates that His rejection at Jerusalem means for the religious leaders, "your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"  That time to which Jesus refers is the coming of the Kingdom at the final judgment.  His ministry is drawing to a close, and the time for repentance, due to hardness of heart, is past.  There is no time limit on God's mercy, but there is a natural progression that happens in the  heart through rejection of God, the passing of a point of the possibility for our own "change of mind."  In the eyes of the Church, we may become so hardened to God's truth that we render ourselves incapable of repentance.  Today's passage tells us about God's personal love, expressed by Jesus as that of a mother hen who wants only to care for and protect her chicks.  Let us remember this image, for it is the image of God's love always extended to us, if we are willing.

 

 

 

 

What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches

 

 Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like?  And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."  And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.  Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?"  And He said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I will say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'  But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.  Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.'  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.   They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.  And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."

 

- Luke 13:18-30 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."  The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite!  Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"  And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

 

 Then He said, "What is the kingdom of God like?  And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches.  And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."  My study Bible comments that in Palestine, the mustard plant grows to a height of about ten feet.   It notes that the mustard seed and the leaven represent the disciples.  According to Theophylact, they began as just a few men, but "soon encompassed the whole earth."  These also stand for faith which enters a person's soul, which causes an inward growth of virtue.  This soul may become godlike and can receive even angels (the birds of the air).

 

 And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.  Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?"  And He said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I will say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able."   In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus contrasts the narrow gate of salvation with the wide gate and broad way that leads to destruction.  This description of the two ways was widespread in Jerusalem, my study Bible comments (Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 1: Proverbs 4:18-19, 12:28, 15:21; Sirach 15:17), and also figures prominently in early Christian writings (Didache, Barnabas).  Luke's version, in today's reading, is the more eschatological, and refers to the end of the age.  Because we wrestle against sins and human weakness, as well as spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12), entering the Kingdom is the more difficult way.  

When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.'  But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.  Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.'"  My study Bible comments here that neither verbal confessions ("Lord, Lord"), nor sacramental experiences ("We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets") avail anything unless we also do the works of faith (see Luke 6:46-49).  

"There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.   They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.  And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."   We see the clear eschatological reference to Judgment.  My study Bible cites Theophylact, who sees the first who becomes last as not only faithless Jews, but those in the Church who "from infancy have put on Christ and have been taught the Word, but who become last by transgressing against it."

In the middle of eschatological warnings about the time we have in our lives before we all face Judgment, Jesus gives us two famous parables about the Kingdom.  One of them is similar to the agricultural parables He gives, about the growth of a tremendous shrub, with all kinds of potentials (including providing a home for birds of the air, akin to angels), that grows from the tiniest of mustard seeds.  In the middle of warnings about what can go wrong when we're on the wrong path, Jesus gives us a couple of examples about how the path of the Kingdom works.  It's like the tiniest mustard seed -- the tiniest bit of faith or trust in God -- that has the capability for tremendous growth.  In today's reading, there is the very important theme about the "two ways."  One way is narrow and difficult, and this is the way of the Kingdom.  The other way (as described in the similar passage from Matthew) is broad and wide.  But if we take this "gardening" metaphor a little ways, in the theme of the mustard seed, we can see for ourselves how we need to tend our own garden of this narrow and difficult way.  To make a garden fruitful, to grow sturdy bushes with beautiful flowers and branches, takes vigilance.  We have to find ways that shoo off the pests without harming the good growth and potential of the mustard plant.  We need to trim it when it needs trimming, and remove the dead growth that takes up the energy of the plant.  We need to make sure it's nurtured with water and good soil, assisting that soil and its nutrients at regular intervals -- and we also need to weed out the plants that might harm the good growth we want.  This is similar to the narrow and harder way than the broad way of easy access where anything goes.  Then there is the parable of the leaven, which also teaches us about the "little bit" of faith we need -- and to allow that to permeate the rest.  If we extend this leaven metaphor to the garden, we know what beautiful things can come from effort that is continual, work that tends and nurtures, and does not give up nor allow things to go to seed.  This is the work that needs doing continually, the fruitful way we use the time of our lives as good servants and stewards of what we're given.  We stick with what we need to do, and let go of what is not our concern, not part of this narrow path.  Jesus gives stark warnings once again (as He has in the past several readings) about how we use the limited time of our lives, and the extreme consequences of neglect.  Let us use our time as we would in tending a good garden, being vigilant, and remembering what we are to be about.  This is what it is to be a good steward, to remember what it is the Master asks of us, and to be His good servants. 

 

So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?

 

 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."  The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite!  Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"  And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.

 

- Luke 13:10-17 

 

Yesterday we read that there were present at that season some who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."  He also spoke this parable:  "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none.  Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?'  But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.  And if it bears fruit, well.  But if not, after that you can cut it down.'"

 

 Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.  And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up.  But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, "Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity."  And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.  But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, "There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath day."  We recall that at this stage, the scribes and Pharisees had already decided to search for something with which they could accuse Christ (Luke 11:53-54).  Once again, my study Bible explains that according to certain traditions the scribes and Pharisees had built up around the Law, healing was considered work, and therefore wasn't permissible on the Sabbath.  It notes that they believed they served God by zealously keeping these peripheral traditions, but, as we read here, this kind of legalism renders the ruler of the synagogue insensitive to God's mercy.

 

The Lord then answered him and said, "Hypocrite!  Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it?  So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound -- think of it -- for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"  And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.  Jesus emphasizes this woman's eighteen years of suffering by commanding them (and, through the Scriptures, us) to think of it.  According to my study Bible, patristic sources see this command as directing us to a spiritual meaning for these "eighteen years."  The Greek expression is literally translated as "ten and eight years."  Both St. Ambrose and Theophylact see ten as representing the Ten Commandments, and eight as representing grace, for the day of Resurrection is often called the "eighth day."  Therefore, we see in this healing humanity lifted up by faith in Christ, who fulfills both law and grace.

 

What is interesting in today's reading is not simply the fact of Christ's stupendous healing of this woman who has suffered so long, but that we see the people (all the multitude) rejoicing  for all the glorious things that were done by Him.  This is important, because it tells us that the people were not on board with the decision of the scribes and Pharisees to bar healing on the Sabbath.  As far as the people are concerned, they alike suffer with this woman for such hard traditions that seek to regulate when a person can be healed.  It's quite true that exceptions were made for healing animals in danger on the Sabbath (and, after all, we're talking about animals who are doing work as well for human beings), such as the example Jesus points out.  (Lest we find this exceptional, in New York City in the late 19th century, the first case for child abuse was brought under laws for the prevention of cruelty to animals, as there were none for children at that time.  See this article.)   But what we need to see in the people's response to Christ is more than simply a victory for the woman in this case.  While her affliction is serious and her suffering is severe, we need to read this text as one that tells us not simply about affliction, but about oppression.  It says that she had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years.  This is not meant as mere metaphor, although many might suggest we read it that way.  This case is about an affliction caused by the malice of an "unclean spirit," a kind of spiritual entity that is opposed to Christ.  If we read the text this way, we see that her affliction is caused by a malevolent force, one that opposes God (and Christ).  We come to understand the people's rejoicing not simply as one of happiness for the woman's healing, but a multitude cheering because a Liberator has come into their midst, one who may "deliver us from the evil one" (Luke 11:4).  Also in this light we may see the zealous legalism of the scribes and Pharisees, depriving people of healing on a Sabbath, as one in opposition to God, and aligned with spiritual forces not true to the angelic mission of ministry to human beings.  In short, Christ comes as Liberator and Deliverer, the "stronger man" who can bind the strong man who has bound this woman for eighteen years.  Christ's healing of this woman becomes therefore a victory for the people, a question of rejoicing for the victory on their behalf, because the "strong man," Satan,  is defeated by Christ, and this woman is set free from the captor who has kept her bound for all these years.  Note that Christ's adversaries, it says in the text, were put to shame by His words and action.  It is clear that the enemy, the oppressor who has bound this woman and afflicted humanity, is understood as oppressor of all, the enemy of the people of God.  Lest we minimize this message, it's important to note that not every illness or ailment in the Gospels is treated as having been caused directly by demonic activity; it's not meant simply as general metaphor or explanation for all illness.  Regardless of what we may believe, the metaphor explanation is not the viewpoint of the Gospels, and we must pay attention to the details.  This text points to more than a healing, and more than the hypocrisy of the religious rulers.  It teaches us about the "leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy," which, in effect, aids the spiritual opposition to God.  It teaches us about the times when we ourselves may slip into the habit of hypocrisy, and who and what we align with -- and who and what we oppose -- when we do so as well.  For we miss the mission and teaching of Christ if we also do not take His warnings to heart to beware of this kind of leaven in our own midst, or its influence within ourselves.  Let us consider Christ's rule of mercy and grace, and take it in the context of the powerful authority that is conveyed in the details of this story.  For we are offered a choice here regarding which forces we choose to serve and with whom we align.  To beware of hypocrisy as a sort of leaven among ourselves is thus a command for what we understand as spiritual battle in the context of the Church; it is a way of practicing the vigilance Christ commands for His servants (Luke 12:42-48).  Let us take this message to heart and remember Him whom we serve, and the "manner of spirit we are of" (Luke 9:55).  In the viewpoint of the Gospels, we're making a choice for much more than we might think.

 

Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down

 

 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."

He also spoke this parable:  "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none.  Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?'  But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.  And if it bears fruit, well.  But if not, after that you can cut it down.'"

 

- Luke 13:1-9 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught: "I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!  But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!  Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth?  I tell you, not at all, but rather division.  For from now on five in one house will be divided:  three against two, and two against three.  Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."  Then He also said to the multitudes, "Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming'; and so it is.  And when you see the south wind blow, you say, 'There will be hot weather'; and there is.  Hypocrites!  You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?  Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?  When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge deliver you to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.  I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite."

 

 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish."  My study Bible comments that these two historical incidents are only reported in Luke.  The slain Galileans, it says, were probably zealots, Jewish nationalists, who triggered some disturbance against the Romans.  The collapse of the tower in Siloam, either by accident or sabotage, was believed to be divine justice on sinners.  Christ denies that this suffering was God's judgment.  Instead, as He continues the theme from His discourse in yesterday's reading (above), using these events as illustrations for those who perish becuase they will not repent.  

 

He also spoke this parable:  "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none.  Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?'  But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.  And if it bears fruit, well.  But if not, after that you can cut it down.'"  My study Bible reports that the fruitless fig tree is universally interpreted in the Church to be fallen humanity.  The three years, it says, represent God's covenants with His people through Abraham, Moses, and Christ, all of which are rejected, as well as the three-year earthly ministry of Christ.  The keeper of the vineyard is Christ Himself, who intercedes on our behalf that He should suffer His Passion and send the Holy Spirit to us before the final judgment takes place.

 

In today's reading, as we have observed over the course of the past several readings, the shadow of the Cross is playing a part in Jesus' teachings.  Or, at any rate, even if it is not entirely explicit, themes from the Cross are making themselves felt.  In yesterday's reading and today's Jesus has been speaking specifically about death -- that is, our human death that will come for all of us, and He has been teaching about the importance of the time we have in our lives before we die.  The essential message here is the preciousness of that limited time, and the importance of repentance and spiritual growth.  This message is particularly acute as we will recall that Jesus began this discourse after criticizing the Pharisees for their hypocrisy (in Thursday's reading).  Taken in that vein, we can understand Jesus preaching repentance to them and to others as He is on His way to the Cross, and before the Passion.  We can understand His vehement assertion that there is little time in our lives, maybe less than we think, to do so.  Repentance is very much linked to our own acts of compassion and mercy, our capacity for opposing our own selfishness.  In Friday's reading, He taught the parable of the man who stored for the future, only to find that his life was ending.  Our anxieties should not be so much for the material things we want to acquire, but our eyes should be on the kingdom of God first, and God knows what we need.  In Saturday's reading, Christ's emphasis was on our focus on the Kingdom and our place in it.  How do we serve God's kingdom while in this world?  We're to remember that we're stewards of what we have, and we make choices regarding what we do in life, how we care for others, what acts of grace we ourselves practice with whatever resources we have.  Those who are given this Kingdom must remember that it's God's will they seek to fulfill, that they are servants, and so much depends upon how we treat our fellow servants according to the Master's wishes.  Finally, Jesus began yesterday's reading (see above) with a clear reference to the Cross (although possibly none of His listeners understood it to be so at the time):  "I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!  But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!"  That baptism to which He refers is His death on the Cross, and by this time He is distressed and anxious to accomplish it.  This passionate statement lets us now just how aware He is of the Cross.  Note that His Passion will send the fire of the Holy Spirit, which will also result in division.  Division is important, because it speaks to us of the kind of peace Christ brings, as discussed in yesterday's reading and commentary.  This is not a shallow peace where disagreements are never settled but simply smothered; neither is it the peace of a great empire that can turn whole countries to devastation.  But the kind of peace Christ seeks to bring is one where we are reconciled to God.  We will be, of necessity, in conflict with those who oppose this, and this is the kind of division He speaks of.   As He goes to the Cross, He will be the first of the new covenant to die for it (the Faithful and True Witness" of Revelation 3:14).   In today's reading, finally, He once more returns to the theme of death, and the focus on the Kingdom.  The scandalous events of multiple deaths to which He refers mustn't be understood as something far away, or in a special or different category of death than one of more expected causes.  Rather, He says, they must focus on their lives and know that they, too, will die as any other, even as these notorious examples.  The essential thing upon which all must focus is a life lived in communion with the Kingdom, in reconciliation to God.  It is the things we choose, and especially what (and Whom) we choose to serve in our lifetimes that really matters.  What is our energy and life for?  To what do we dedicate ourselves?  For what purposes?  What do we work for, and strive for?  Nothing is worth sacrificing our lives or our time for so much as is God's life for us, God's will for us, the Kingdom He preaches, the gospel message He gives us.  As Jesus goes to His own human death on the Cross, the light of that Cross throws into stark relief these aspects of our own lives.  What gives our life meaning?  How do we handle the fact that we are all going to die?  How do we face this and cope with it, and what is the one way to give it the meaning it must have for us?  The Cross sends us a message that, just like Jesus, our lives are valuable but only in the potential we have for what we choose to serve.  Like the Cross which is made holy because it is touched by Christ, so our lives take on meaning and value because we seek to serve His purpose, be a part of His kingdom, and touched by His grace.  This is how we make our lives substantial, meaningful, full of worth -- and how we make meaning of our mortality and the time of our lives.  The last martyr of the old covenant is John the Baptist, who preached that people should "bear fruits worthy of repentance" (Luke 3:8).  Christ calls us to produce this spiritual fruit with the time of our lives, for we are all called to the Cross, and we will all meet Him there to be seen in its light.

 

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these

 

Lilies of the field, ©Author's collection

 Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?  And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you."

 

- Luke 12:22-31 

 

Yesterday we read that, as Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say:  Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come.  Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us day by day our daily bread.  And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.  And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."  And He said to them, "Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you'?  I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.  So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.  If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

 

Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on.  Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.  Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than the birds?  And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?  If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?  Consider the lilies, how they grow:  they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O you of little faith?"  My study bible says that Jesus is warning against anxiety here, and not against thoughtful planning.  It notes that our physical well-being is directly dependent upon God, and only indirectly on food and clothing.  Anxiety over earthly things may express a lack of faith in God's care.  

 

"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind.  For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things.  But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you."  My study bible says that because the Gentiles -- the nations of the world -- served pagan idols, they remained consumed by dependence on earthly things.  But those who follow God, putting as priority faith and seeking the kingdom of God, can be freed from this dependence.

I love the imagery in this text.  Jesus shows us the ravens, who are highly intelligent birds, but do not sow nor reap, and have neither storehouse nor barn.  But Jesus tells us that God feeds them.  The next example Jesus uses is our own height.  Through worry and anxiety, can we grow taller?  A cubit was approximately a foot and a half -- and no, we haven't really figured out how to achieve that (which Jesus calls "the least").  So anxiety for the rest will achieve us nothing.  Then Jesus chooses the example of the lilies of the field.  The permanent photograph at the top of my blog is meant to represent these, taken of a type of lily species which spreads itself all over certain areas.  They don't toil or spin -- allusions to the making of cloth.  But still, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these beautiful, stunningly colored lilies.  Jesus compares the value of human beings to this "grass" of the field -- which lasts for so short a time, and asks us to consider how much more God will clothe us.  I have written recently in a commentary on another passage (see Monday's reading) on Jesus' own apparent conduct of His ministry, and His singular focus on the particular things that were essential to Him.  In that reading, Jesus asked the disciples who the crowds thought He was.  Of course, there were all kinds of answers, and we note that in the Gospels, the crowds are almost always wrong.  But Jesus does not spend His time worrying about what the crowds think; He is, instead, seeking out those of true faith, who are capable of understanding and becoming disciples.  Just consider what was at stake, and yet, He does not spend His time on the details of what everybody is going to think.  In today's reading, Jesus gives explicit advice to His disciples to also share His own focus on the things that God calls us to, and to leave the rest in the hands of God and to expand their faith.  By pointing out the birds and the beauty of the natural world, He does not mean that we are to do absolutely nothing in our lives, as my study bible points out.  But He is telling us about priorities and our focus in life.  He is telling us about the great importance of faith as antidote to anxiety.  He is especially telling us to focus our efforts on what will be truly rewarding for us.  If we expend all our anxiety and worry (and time and energy) on things that really aren't of much consequence, then what have we done with the potentials that God gives us as human beings -- potentials especially valuable and powerful in comparison with the birds and the wildflowers?  If we are really going to be His disciples, and follow His tremendous example, we should focus on how we live our lives as we are called by Christ, and on doing the will of the Father in this world (see yesterday's reading, above, and the Lord's Prayer).  While Christ had a tremendous mission upon which a universe relies, we each have our own crosses to bear -- and our focus needs to be on what is essential in our lives.  In a world that seems to be developing increasingly precarious problems for us to worry about, it seems that growing problems of anxiety are in deep need of correction beyond prescription drugs and other therapies -- and this is where Christ's faith and focus comes in.  We need to get our priorities in line, and put things in proper focus.  So much emphasis on social media contributes to the skewing of priorities and directly impacts the anxieties which Jesus mentions.  All the focus on appearance and wealth are evident on social media.  Used for political leveraging and encouraging people to keep up with the latest slogans and concerns also takes us outside of a faith focus, and one aligned with those crowds who always simply follow the crowd!   It is perhaps more necessary than ever to cultivate our own discipline in focusing on what is truly important and essential in life, and also taking time out for prayer and alignment with Our Father in heaven and how we seek to bear God's kingdom into the world.  Too much focus on every detail we cannot control isn't healthy, and is not what Jesus prescribed.  Nor is it what He did in His ministry.  When asked a question that alluded to nationalist politics, He taught, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Luke 20:25).  Let us remember which takes top priority, and follow Christ in His discipline that He taught us, for our health, wholeness, and sanity.  Cultivating our faith in today's world is perhaps a higher priority and greater necessity than ever.

How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!

 

 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."  And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'  Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

 

- Luke 13:31-35 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus said, "What is the kingdom of God like?  And to what shall I compare it?  It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and put in his garden; and it grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."  And again He said, "To what shall I liken the kingdom of God?  It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."  And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.  Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?"  And He said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.  When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open for us,' and He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know you, where you are from,' then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and You taught in our streets.'  But He will say, 'I tell you I do not know you, where you are from.  Depart Me, all you workers of iniquity.'  There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out.  They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God.  And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last."   

 On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, "Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You."  And He said to them, "Go, tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.'"   As Herod Antipas is the ruler (tetrarch) of Galilee, this tells us that Jesus, although He has begun to journey toward Jerusalem, is still in Galilee.  It is also quite interesting that there are Pharisees who seek to protect Jesus from the one who rules for Rome.  Jesus' reply is bold; although He speaks in what is no doubt a riddle both to these Pharisees and to Herod when He refers to the third day.   He nevertheless asserts His power against the adversary, the evil one, and that He will complete His mission perfected.

"Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!  See!  Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"  My study bible comments that this passage shows first that Christ is voluntarily going to His Passion, and second it shows His great love for Jerusalem despite its continual state of rebellion.  Finally, on display here is also Christ's foreknowledge that He will be received on the first Palm Sunday with the words "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!" (see 19:37-38).

Jesus speaks of His love for Jerusalem.  In today's reading we're given this extremely interesting, feminine image of Christ as a mother hen, who "gathers her brood under her wings."  This speaks of a tremendous love, a maternal protective love.  It is interesting to understand this image in these words as given to us by Jesus, and also to consider that throughout Christian history the image of the Virgin Mary as protector of the faithful, especially in times of war, has remained strong in both East and West.  For Byzantium, Mary, in a famous hymn, is called "Champion General."  This hymn was composed fter a famous incident in the tenth century, in which enemy armies, encamped and prepared to attack outside the gates of Constantinople, mysteriously changed their minds and simply left.   The city was unprotected at the time, as its army was fighting far away, so the people and religious leaders made supplications for intercession by Mary -- in the midst of which occurred a vision of her at fervent prayer for the Christian city.  In the Battle of Lepanto (which took place in what is now called Nafpaktos/Ναύπακτος in modern Greece) an alliance of Catholic states defended the West successfully against  Ottoman Armies, turning back the tide of Ottoman aggression.  This victory was credited to the Virgin Mary, to whom the Pope had ordered the people to pray for intercession through the use of the Rosary.  There are many other such instances in which the protection of a people has been ascribed to the protection of Mary as intercessor, as one who prays for the people to her Son Jesus.  Noteworthy indeed are the feminine images of protection for defensive victory in battle against a hostile aggressor, that perhaps begin here with Christ's image of Himself as mother hen who would so often have protected the brood of Jerusalem as her baby chicks, but they were not willing.  With hearts far away from Him, Jesus says, "Your house is left to you desolate," an image of emptiness and abandonment.  It suggests to me that, as full or empty as our hearts are with love of God, this is the fullness (or desolation) of our house.  At this stage, Christ has come in a long line of succession of prophets, to call the people back to God.  As Jesus says, Jerusalem is the city where the prophets were killed, and that stones the ones sent to her.  But He is the Son, and another will not be sent after Him.   The desolation to which He refers will manifest in the Siege of Jerusalem, which will take place in 70 AD, about a generation after Christ's crucifixion.  In the modern world, we do not often run across feminine images for protection against an enemy army.  But the whole history of Christianity has given us a different perspective in terms of God's protective and loving nature, starting with the image of the mother hen that Christ gives us here, and continuing until today as Churches East and West still call upon Mary for supplication during times of extreme peril, especially military in nature.  Let us be assured that our strength is in our faith, and the way of desolation is when we abandon that faith, and our hearts are no longer full of love for Christ and the grace and mercy that is His way.  Let us consider in times of trouble where our hearts must be full, so that our home is full and healthy with the promise of life and renewal.