At that very hour some Pharisees came, and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, `Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.' O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, `Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"
- St. Luke 13:31-35
It was inevitable that the road from Nazareth would find its way to Jerusalem. The announcement of the Incarnation was the beginning of the journey which would culminate in the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
There is something deeply moving in the words of our Lord as He looks toward Jerusalem. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you…” The city that should have welcomed the prophets and received the Messiah has repeatedly resisted those whom God has sent to it. With this history of repeated rejection, Jesus speaks with sorrow and compassion. How much He wants to gather His people to Himself, even when they refuse His love!
When the Pharisees warn Jesus that Herod is looking to kill Him, our Lord answers without wavering. He will continue His work of healing, casting out demons, and proclaiming the Kingdom of God. Neither threats nor political power will turn Him aside from the mission entrusted to Him.
He knows that His journey leads toward Jerusalem and ultimately to the Cross. So He continues onward, obedient to the Father's will and determined to accomplish our salvation.
And so that tender lament: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you…” The repetition of the city's name reveals the anguish of a Heart filled with love. Jesus sees the sins of Jerusalem, but He also sees its desperate need for mercy.
His image of a hen gathering her brood beneath her wings is one of such simple tenderness. Beneath her wings, her vulnerable young find shelter and protection from danger, and so Christ desires to gather us into the safety of His presence, where we find forgiveness, grace, and peace.
But the Lord laments, “And ye would not,” revealing the solemn reality that we can resist the grace God offers us. He calls us through holy Scripture, through the unbroken teaching of His Church, and through the persistent voice of conscience, yet pride, distraction, and attachment to sin so easily prevent us from hearing His invitation.
How often do we repeat Jerusalem's mistake? We look for comfort and security in our own strength while neglecting the One who alone can give us eternal life. We hear His commandments but we hesitate to obey. We receive His mercy but then, too often, refuse to forgive others.
But Christ continues to call us. His desire for our salvation is constant, and His mercy is always greater than our sins. It’s up to us to abandon our pride, repent of our sins, and trust ourselves entirely to His loving care.
O Lord Jesus Christ, whose heart yearns for our salvation, grant that we may never resist Thy gracious call. Gather us beneath the wings of Thy mercy, defend us from sin, and lead us faithfully to everlasting life. Amen.