Reflection for October 31 Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 13:31-35

Gospel: Luke 13:31-35

Some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Go away, leave this area because Herod wants to kill you.” 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. 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.’ 

“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! 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.”

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Reflection:

Would you be willing to die for your faith? Perhaps you will immediately say yes with an exclamation point! But when the actual time comes that you will be killed for defending  your faith you might renounce your faith to save your life. Many of our saints died for our faith they could have renounced it to save themselves but they chose to be faithful until the very end. 

When Jesus was told by the Pharisees to go away because King Herod wants to kill Him. Jesus did not budge a bit He courageously stared the challenge in the eye and faced it notwithstanding the threat to His life. 

Do we recognize that to be a follower of Jesus is no joke? This is for the reason that like Jesus, the prophets before Him and the saints we are also called to stand up for what is right. To face anyone and courageously stare them eyeball to eyeball so that we could advance the teachings of Jesus. 

To be a follower in name only is easy but to be a committed follower until the very last gasp of our breath is never easy. For it will require us to get out of our own comfort zones or to even sacrifice our very own lives so as to preserve and advance the teachings of Jesus.    

What kind of follower are you? - Marino J. Dasmarinas