26th Week in Ordinary Time (B) : Tuesday 28th September 2021

Jesus “firmly resolved to proceed towards Jerusalem.” Luke has structured Jesus’ life after leaving Galilea on a journey towards Jerusalem.

But it is not merely a journey towards a specific place: it is a journey towards achieving the purpose of his whole life. Jesus did not casually move towards Jerusalem, for a casual journey would have meant that all that would happen to him in Jerusalem would happen merely casually and, as it were, take him unawares. Hence the evangelists, like Luke with his emphatic “resolved to proceed”, note that Jesus deliberately went to Jerusalem to face the death that he knew human sinfulness and intransigence, scheming, and infidelity would impose on him.

In his human nature, Jesus did not know ahead of time the hour of his death. What he did know was more important. No matter how the world would oppose him and reject him, at that time, he would discover “his hour”, the hour in which the Father would glorify him. When the darkness of the world threatens our hope, we, too, can discover the hour of grace and glory if we are resolute in doing what is pleasing to God.

Father in Heaven, guide us in doing what is pleasing to You.