11/20/2025 (Thursday) Today’s Gospel reading: Luke 19:41-44

41 As Jesus drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it,
42 saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes.
43 For the days are coming upon you when your enemies will raise a palisade against you; they will encircle you and hem you in on all sides.
44 They will smash you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another within you because you did not recognize the time of your visitation.”

11/20/2025 (Thursday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: Luke 19:41-44

When Jesus looked over the city and wept, it was not a cry of anger, but a cry of love. He saw people who were so close to the truth yet unable to recognize the peace being offered to them. His tears were the tears of a God who longed for His children to open their hearts before it was too late. This moment reveals something tender and profound: God’s deepest desire is not to condemn but to save, not to punish but to transform.

Today, we live in a world filled with noise including endless schedules, constant notifications, pressures from work, expectations from society. In this noise, many fail to notice the gentle invitations of Jesus. He knocks softly through moments of restlessness, through unexpected kindness from others, through quiet realizations that life must be more than achievements or failures. Yet like the people of Jerusalem, many remain unaware of His offer of peace.

The message of this passage invites us to pause and reflect: Are we recognizing Jesus when He draws near? Or are we so consumed by our own plans that we miss the chance for deeper conversion?

In modern life, conversion often begins in simple, everyday experiences. Consider a young professional who climbs the corporate ladder, thinking success will fill the emptiness inside. Despite promotions and recognition, he remains restless. One evening, he attends a small prayer group because a friend insisted. There, he hears testimonies of God’s love and forgiveness. Slowly, something softens within him. He begins to pray again, attends worship services more often, and eventually experiences the peace he could never buy.

His conversion did not come from a dramatic miracle but from recognizing Jesus in an ordinary invitation.
Or think of a mother overwhelmed by life’s burdens—raising children, working long hours, carrying silent wounds. She feels unseen and unheard. But one day, during a moment of exhaustion, she whispers a simple prayer, “Lord, help me.” That whisper becomes the beginning of renewed faith. She starts reading Scripture, reconnecting with community, and allowing Jesus to heal her inner battles. Her conversion is a journey of discovering that she is deeply loved by God.

Just like the city Jesus wept over, we too can miss our moments of grace. Sometimes, God brings people, opportunities, and even challenges to draw us closer to Him. But if our hearts remain closed—hardened by pride, bitterness, or fear—we walk past the very peace we long for.

The tears of Jesus over Jerusalem remind us that He sees the consequences of rejecting Him—not as punishment from a cruel judge but as the natural result of shutting out the source of life. When we refuse His guidance, we face confusion. When we ignore His voice, we fall into repeated mistakes. When we turn away from His love, we end up searching for meaning in broken places.

Yet even in our stubbornness, Jesus does not give up. He continues to call us, whispering through Scripture, through the Church, through people who care for us, and through the quiet movements of the heart. His desire is not simply that we attend church or perform rituals, but that we experience a sincere conversion—a turning toward Him with humility and trust.

Today, Jesus looks at each of us with the same longing He had when He looked at the city. He sees our fears, our wounds, our struggles, and He offers peace—peace that the world cannot give. He invites us to recognize Him now, while our hearts are open and our lives can still be shaped by His love.

May this message encourage you to respond to Jesus’ invitation. Let His tears be your reminder of how precious you are to Him. And may your life become a living testimony of the peace that can only be found in turning fully to Jesus.

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