esus Again Foretells His Death!

 

25th week Saturday in Ordinary Time

Year One

Zech 2:1-5, 10-11a

 I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then I asked, “Where are you going?” He answered me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him, and said to him, “Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and animals in it.  For I will be a wall of fire all around it, says the Lord, and I will be the glory within it.”

 Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the Lord. Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you.

Meditation

Jerusalem is a city of God. The people of Israel longed to visit the city of Jerusalem. The city was a place where God dwelt. The city of God may lose its importance and glory, but the presence of God will not go away.  It will become the place where all people will come to live. The presence of God will be there among them. God loved humanity; he gathered all the nations to himself. He will be God to nations, and the nations will accept him as their God. The fall and rise of Jerusalem, every nation, civilization and culture tells us that we go to God in our need and necessity, and God will receive us to his House to give us blessing and mercy.

Do we consider the city of Jerusalem a place of God and his interventions?

Year Two

Eccl 11:9-12:8

Remember your Creator!

You who are young, be happy while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment (Eccl 11:9). Let the young people take a chance to enjoy the good things of life. There will be judgment, but you will not know life unless you live life.  Learning through the experience of life is better.

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them” (Eccl 12:1). It is good to remember the God who made us in our youth. The thought of God will keep us going through life properly. It is true that experience is the best teacher. Learning through hard way leads to pain and sorrow. In youth, let the thought of God be in us.

Do we take the chance to risk and enjoy youth?

Lk 9:43b-45

Jesus Again Foretells His Death!

While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.”  But they did not understand this saying; its meaning remained concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying. (Lk 9:43-45).

Jesus was speaking about his death because he was aware of what was going to happen to Him. He was also in a way preparing his disciples, who placed trust in him. The disciples knew Jesus, who was performing miracles and wonderful things; it was all glorious, but Jesus tried to communicate to them that He would be betrayed. The betrayal is painful; it shatters people who do it and those who come to know about it. Betrayal is called betrayal when it is done by known, trusted and loved people. The disciples were afraid to ask about betrayal, suffering and death, because no one likes to ask for details about the death of a person.

Do I have the habit of betraying people?

Fr Putti Anthaiah sdb