Our Venerable Father Joannicius the Great (846); Holy Martyrs Nicander, Bishop of Myra and the Priest Hermas
1 Thessalonians 5:1-8; Luke 11:47-12:1
Read Luke 11:47-12:1
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Today’s Gospel shows us a stern side of Jesus’ love. He speaks to them like a loving and concerned parent who has been patiently enduring and trying to correct their child for many years. He describes for them how their behaviours have consequences, which they may have been blind to. Their hypocrisy—fuelled by their pride, the vice that blinds the heart of spiritual vision—and self-aggrandisement were so displeasing and sickening to the Lord that he could no longer bear seeing them live away from God. Even worse is that they prevented others from entering into relationship with God. This ongoing problem with the Jewish leadership, has been as the Lord states, an issue going back generations. In Matthew and Luke Jesus even laments these people: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Lk 13:34).
It may seem that Jesus is definitively closing the door of the Kingdom to them, but St. Ephraim the Syrian sees otherwise:
“He (Jesus) pronounced the sentence of judgement in relation to the righteous who had gone before, so that they might respect the righteous who were to follow. He gave them an opportunity to do penance for having put him to death, although according to the law, there could be no opportunity for repentance for one who murders the prophets. The law says, ‘Let the one who kills die’ (Ex 21:12). He gave them an opportunity to do penance, if they had wished, for having put him to death.” (Commentary on Titian’s Diatessaron, 18.9)
Jesus’ words were intended to wake them up from their spiritual delusion and self-aggrandisement. If they continue on this path it will lead to condemnation and judgement, but if they repent and do penance they would be once more accepted by God. We know that some did repent for Luke recounts for us that as the “word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Ac 6:7). After the Resurrection of our Lord some of the leadership embraced the faith and were saved.