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Gospel: Luke 9: 51-56
When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?”
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Jesus is entering his final days.
He’s now headed to Jerusalem, where he will be handed over by Judas and killed.
It’s a critical moment in his life and ministry. So, Saint Luke adds a descriptive detail to help paint the picture: facing Jerusalem, Jesus becomes “resolutely determined.”
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We can imagine him staring off into the distance.
Knowing what’s in store for him, he stiffens his face, draws a deep breath in, and courageously puts one foot in front of the other.
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Long before he suffers physically, Jesus feels the weight of his cross, the weight of the isolation and rejection held in store for him.
Incredibly, this doesn’t sour his spirit; nor does it prevent him from doing good to others.
For example, in today’s Gospel, he’s rejected by the Samaritans – the sworn enemies of the Jews – but Jesus doesn’t send fire upon them as the disciples request; he leaves them alone, and I’d imagine, wishes them well.
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What is Jesus teaching us?
That we can be kind and do good at every moment in life, even when we feel the weight of the world on our shoulders.
Regardless of our circumstances today, we can still live and love like Jesus.
What might that look like for me?
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Image credits: (1) Saint Clairsville Church of Christ (2) Jesus Prays Alone, IHOP network (3) Helphomelesswomen, Twitter