The first reading today from St. Paul's letter to the Romans is one of the most powerful passages in all of scripture. It is a triumphan...
The first reading today from St. Paul's letter to the Romans is one of the most powerful passages in all of scripture. It is a triumphant declaration of how secure we are in God’s love. Paul asks, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" and then lists everything that might try to separate us from Christ: tribulation, distress, persecution, even death. His conclusion? Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This reading is meant to make us steadfast, to anchor our faith in the unshakeable reality of God's unwavering commitment to us. In a world full of anxiety and peril, this is our eternal assurance. The love of Christ is stronger than any human struggle or earthly threat. We are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Yet, the Gospel presents a striking contrast to this ultimate security. When Jesus is warned that Herod wants to kill him, He acknowledges his destiny—his passion and death in Jerusalem. He then cries out in sorrow over Jerusalem: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem... how often have I longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were unwilling!"
This sorrow reveals the tragic paradox of human freedom: God's love is secure and His purpose is steadfast, but we have the power to refuse it. We can reject the very protection He longs to give.
Brothers and sisters, the message is an invitation. We are eternally secure in God’s love. He calls us to be steadfast in our response. Let the image of Christ's sorrow over the unwilling be a reminder to us: do not reject the Lord’s protective embrace. Trust in His love today, and let that trust make you a conqueror. Amen.
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