10/30/2025 (Thursday) Today’s Gospel reading: Luke 13:31-35
31 Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.”
32 He replied, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and I perform healings today and tomorrow, and on the third day I accomplish my purpose.
33 Yet I must continue on my way today, tomorrow, and the following day, for it is impossible that a prophet should die outside of Jerusalem.’
34 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling!
35 Behold, your house will be abandoned. But I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”
10/30/2025 (Thursday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: Luke 13:31-35
God’s Unfailing Love Despite Our Rejection
In this Gospel passage, we see Jesus’ deep compassion for Jerusalem, a city that had repeatedly rejected the prophets and turned away from God’s call. He knew the suffering that awaited Him, yet His heart was not filled with anger but with sorrowful love. He longed to gather the people as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings, offering them protection, peace, and love. But they refused. Still, He pressed on, knowing His mission was to save even those who would reject Him.
This moment reveals something timeless about God’s love: it never gives up. Even when humanity turns away, He continues to reach out. He doesn’t stop calling us back, even when our hearts grow cold. It’s a picture of divine love that endures rejection, a love that is not dependent on our response but flows from God’s very nature.
We can see this reflected in our modern world. Consider a parent who never stops believing in a wayward child. The child might ignore calls, make hurtful choices, or even blame the parent for their pain, yet the parent continues to pray, to hope, and to love. That unwavering patience mirrors God’s heart toward us. Even when we distance ourselves, His love remains, waiting for us to return.
Or think about someone working tirelessly for the good of others, perhaps a teacher who continues to care for students who mock or disrespect her, or a pastor who keeps serving despite criticism and misunderstanding. Their perseverance is a glimpse of Jesus’ own commitment to His mission, choosing compassion over resentment, purpose over pride. Love, in its truest form, is not about being accepted or admired; it’s about giving oneself even when the world pushes back.
Many people today live like Jerusalem in this passage — busy, distracted, and unaware of God’s presence calling them home. Some pursue success so passionately that they neglect their spiritual life. Others drown in resentment, unable to forgive, closing their hearts to grace. Still, God doesn’t give up. He keeps sending “messengers” such as friends who encourage us, sermons that stir our hearts, quiet moments when our conscience speaks. Every act of kindness, every opportunity for reconciliation, every second chance is God reaching out, saying, “I still want you close.”
Yet, as in the story, we often resist. We say we’re too busy, too tired, or too hurt to respond. But each day we delay is another day we miss the peace that only comes from being near God. The tragedy of Jerusalem was not God’s anger; it was their refusal to accept His love.
But this passage doesn’t end in despair; it ends in hope. Even though the people rejected Him, Jesus did not stop loving them. He continued His journey toward the cross, where His sacrifice would open the way for their redemption. That’s the beauty of divine love; it transforms rejection into redemption, pain into purpose.
In our modern context, this means that no matter how far we’ve drifted, God still calls us home. Maybe we’ve been too focused on work, too caught up in pride, or too wounded by past mistakes. But His love remains steady, inviting us to start again. He doesn’t love us because we’re perfect. He loves us so that we can become whole.
So, if you’ve been running from God, stop for a moment. Listen to the gentle whisper in your heart reminding you that you are loved. If you’ve been carrying guilt, let His mercy lift it. If you’ve been weary, rest under His wings where there is always room for one more lost soul seeking peace.
The story of Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem is not just about the past. It’s about us today. It’s about every person who has ever turned away and yet found God waiting with open arms. His love never grows tired, and His invitation never expires.
Let us not harden our hearts as Jerusalem did. Instead, let us open them wide and let His love enter. Because even when we wander, even when we reject Him, God still calls us by name and still longs to gather us close. That is the miracle of a love that will never stop reaching for us.
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