Second Sunday in Lent Year C 13th March 2022.
Lectionary Readings:
Genesis 15 v1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3 v17- 4 v1; Luke 13 v31-35.
An invitation to ponder.
In today’s reading from Luke’s gospel, Jesus is addressing the people of the city of God.
“Jerusalem, Jerusalem! Your people have killed the prophets and stoned the messengers who were sent to you. I have often wanted to gather your people, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But you wouldn’t let me. Now your temple will be deserted. You won’t see me again until the time when you say. “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” (Luke 13 v34-35).
The last line is a quote from Psalm 118 (v26). I think Jesus uses this quote as a way of inviting his listeners to think about the prophecy contained within the Psalm. Unlike most of us today, the psalms were well known by ordinary people at that time. They were the popular songs of the day.
A line quoted from a song would bring to mind the rest of the psalm.
Psalm 118 contains the famous line about ‘the most important stone’ and another about ‘marching with palm branches’ and being ‘thankful to God’.
The stone that the builders tossed aside has now become the most important stone. The Lord has done this, and it is amazing to us. (Psalm 118 v22-23).
The Lord is our God and he has given us light! Start the celebration! March with palm branches all the way to the altar. The Lord is my God! I will praise him and tell him how thankful I am.
(Psalm 118 v27-28).
Luke was writing a generation after the time of Jesus. He crafted his gospel in a way that slowly but surely reveals the true identity of Jesus as the Messiah, God’s anointed one, the one sent by God to save us from ourselves, our selfish and destructive ways and our crooked thinking.
By talking about the hen and her chicks and quoting from a famous psalm, Jesus was, I think, inviting his listeners to ponder the underlying message of God’s love for us.
Jesus and Luke want us to understand that God loves us, and wants to gather us to him, if we will let him. The challenge that Jesus issued to the people of Jerusalem is the same for us today. Are we willing to let God into our lives, do we want a closer relationship with God?
Perhaps we need to listen to the psalmist from today’s lectionary reading, “Trust the Lord! Be brave and strong and trust the Lord.” (Psalm 27 v14).
Hymn writer, Ian Worsfold writes, (from Singing the Faith No 488 v2 and refrain).
You showed compassion when we were so helpless, you brought us healing when we were in pain;
you gave us hope when we were despairing and now your love lifts us again.
You are our sun in the morning, our moon in the night,
our energy in the daytime, our rest through the night.
You’re our life-source, our Creator, the beginning and the end
for you are God almighty and on you we depend!
Bible quotations are taken from the Contemporary English Version.