JERUSALEM REJECTS SALVATION


THURSDAY, THIRTY THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME  

1 Maccabees 2:15-29; Ps 50:1-2,5-6,14-15; Lk 19:41-44

The Lord’s Tears over Jerusalem

When it comes to the salvation of the human person, it is impossible by any human devices. Only God can save us. But God cannot save us without us. This is because of the free will God gave to us, by which we are to choose whether to be saved or not. Though we cannot save ourselves without God, God cannot save us without us. We have emphasised the abundance of grace for our salvation; however, we must still cooperate with this abundant grace in order to be saved. It is the Father’s ultimate will to save us from sin and damnation, for he did not create us to be lost, but to be his holy temple while on earth and to enjoy an eternal communion with him forever in the next world. God does not spare anything to fulfil his holy design for our salvation. He sent His Son in human nature to die for our redemption; He sent the Holy Spirit to be our lifelong companion and guide. The importance of the project of human salvation makes the Father bless anyone who acts as a means of revealing salvation to others. Most especially by a virtuous life by which the grace and presence of God are made visible to others around us.

As we stated yesterday, the religious or Christian virtues that arise from our obedience to God’s word are heavenly structures making God present within and among us. A virtuous Christian life is the most relevant way of proclaiming the Gospel, for it not only proclaims the Gospel but exemplifies what is preached at the same time. Hence, a virtuous Christian will shine out like a bright star as one among those who have taught others holiness of life. In the passage from 1 Maccabees, Mattathias was able to resist the enforcers of King Antiochus’ commands because of his virtuous life as a Jew. “Raising his voice, Mattathias retorted, ‘Even if every nation living in the king’s dominions obeys him, each forsaking its ancestral religion to conform to his decrees, I, my sons and my brothers will still follow the covenant of our ancestors.” His virtuous life was the foundation of his resistance to evil through the support of his family, friends, and all men of goodwill. His faithful observance of the Law of God transformed him and others like him into a formidable army against the forces of impiety and evil. This is what we become when we are faithful to the Gospel daily. Through listening and obeying the word of God, God raises us into a formidable army of men and women of goodwill, who present the reality of God to the world.

God desires to save the world, if possible, all souls. He needs willing cooperators who would listen and obey his word daily. The army of virtuous men and women, who live on the word of God as their rule of life, can overcome every power of evil. Such a formidable army can save any city and the world. Just as God revealed to Abraham that he would spare Sodom if there were ten righteous men within her. In the Gospel, Our Lord shed tears over Jerusalem because she was adamant and refused to receive the Gospel of salvation preached to her and her children. “As Jesus drew near Jerusalem and came in sight of the city, he shed tears over it and said, ‘If you in your turn had only understood on this day the message of peace! But, alas, it is hidden from your eyes! Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all around you, when they will encircle you and hem you in on every side.” The message of the Gospel we hear daily is the presence of God for our salvation and that of others. We bring the Gospel salvation near to people around us when we receive and live it daily. This is what is required for us to show God’s salvation to the upright. For anyone who sees our virtuous life becomes upright by imitating our Christian life. Those who fail to see us are blinded by the gods of this world. Jesus weeps over them, for the message of peace is hidden from them. The message of peace is hidden from us if we are not living a virtuous or Christian life.

Let us pray: Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God, the constant gladness of being devoted to you, for it is full and lasting happiness to serve with constancy the author of all that is good. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.        

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