Thursday Of Week 30 In Ordinary Time  

Ephesians 6:10-20 ·
Luke 13:31-35

Some Pharisees who knew Jesus and had seen his works and deeds, came to warn him about the cruel intention of Herod in trying to kill him. Jesus did not fear anyone and was never afraid of Herod. Jesus knew that he had a lot of works in his hands yet to be done. Preaching is yet to be done. The institution of the Eucharist and priesthood yet to be done. The passion and the resurrection yet to be done. Jesus cannot be swayed from his role as he enters into the last stages of his journey here on earth. He knew he was surrounded by pain and suffering, and his mission was to heal, to share his beautiful mission with those in his path.

Jesus loved Jerusalem, and he wanted to protect those who lived there. The Jerusalem of today is not far different from then – there is still a need for his loving protection in that place where so much of our faith history was experienced firsthand.Jesus so easily could have run away, fled from the hands that would take his life. But he knew there was a plan. He knew these would be the last days on earth for him, and nothing and no one could force or reason with him to escape from the inevitable. That is faith, trust, and love. 

Paul ‘s letter to the Ephesians is the perfect intercession to follow up what Jesus declared. From the Ascension of Christ we all have been given the responsibility to put things right with the armour of God. To work together;

Praying all the time, asking for what you need, praying in the Spirit on every possible occasion.

Pope Francis, in his encyclical letter “Fratelli tutti” warns that the world has moved from spirit of brotherly love and friendship into isolation and anyone who is not part of our environment is considered to be an enemy. We need a multitude of believers to come together for the salvation of all mankind and make peace in the world. It takes the strength of all of us to come together to fight the good fight against the works of darkness and the power of the evil ones. Let us put on the armor of faith against the tactics of the evil ones.

Fr Osho