As a hen gathers her brood under her wings
Rm 8,31b-39; Ps 108; Lk 13,31-35
31 OCTOBER
The joy of the Lord is to do in Jerusalem every good, rather the utmost good. Jesus uses an image that already occurs in the prophet Isaiah. As the birds protect their chicks under their wings, so the Lord promises to protect his city. However, it is necessary that it wants to be protected. It wants if it surrenders to the law of its God.
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who depend upon horses: Who put their trust in chariots because of their number, and in horsemen because of their combined power, But look not to the Holy One of Israel nor seek the Lord! Yet he too is wise and will bring disaster; he will not turn from what he has threatened to do. He will rise up against the house of the wicked and against those who help evildoers. The Egyptians are men, not God, their horses are flesh, not spirit; When the Lord stretches forth his hand, the helper shall stumble, the one helped shall fall, and both of them shall perish together. Thus says the Lord to me: As a lion or a lion cub growling over its prey, With a band of shepherds assembled against it, Is neither frightened by their shouts nor disturbed by their noise, So shall the Lord of hosts come down to wage war upon the mountain and hill of Zion. Like hovering birds, so the Lord of hosts shall shield Jerusalem, To protect and deliver, to spare and rescue it. Return, O children of Israel, to him whom you have utterly deserted. On that day each one of you shall spurn his sinful idols of silver and gold, which he made with his hands. Assyria shall fall by a sword not wielded by man,. no mortal sword shall devour him; He shall flee before the sword, and his young men shall be impressed as labourers. He shall rush past his crag in panic, and his princes shall flee in terror from his standard, Says the Lord who has a fire in Zion and a furnace in Jerusalem (Is 31,1-9).
The Psalm sings all the care, protection, custody and vigilance of the Lord over his righteous. Was not Jesus, the Righteous of God, freed from the snare of death and the sepulchre?
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!” For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper And from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark. You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day; Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But it shall not approach you. You will only look on with your eyes And see the recompense of the wicked. For you have made the Lord, my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place. No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, That you do not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and cobra, The young lion and the serpent you will trample down. “Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name. “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honour him. “With a long life I will satisfy him And let him see My salvation” (Ps 91 (90) 1-16).
Jerusalem has refused the invitation to conversion. It came out of the custody of the wings of the Lord. It did not want to be protected. Nobody might guard it. It will be devastated.
At that time some Pharisees came to him 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.'”
The salvation of the Lord is offered. Who welcomes it, wants to welcome it, will enjoy its benefits. Those who reject it will experience the eternal bitterness of the fruits of their bad will. But today we are far beyond the refusal. The gift of truth, of light, of redemption, of salvation is lacking. The gift of Christ is missing. It is said, lying with great, enormous falsity, that we will all be saved without Christ. It is condemnation to perdition.
Mother of God, Angels and Saints arrange that no Christian deceives and lets himself be deceived.