Homily for Tuesday of the 26th week in the O.T.
1 October 2024
Job 3, 1-3.11-17.20-23; Luke 9, 51-56.
Dear brothers and sisters,
When Jesus made his last long ascent from Galilee to Jerusalem, he had to pass through Samaria. Tensions between the Jews of Jerusalem and the Samaritans were high, and in the first Samaritan village where Jesus wanted to stop with His disciples, they refused to receive Him, precisely because He was going up towards Jerusalem. The two disciples, James and John, would like to bring down fire from heaven on these Samaritans, to destroy them. A bit like Saint Paul, who persecuted Christians as enemies of God until he met Jesus on the road to Damascus.
What does Jesus do about the untimely ardour of James and John? He turns round and reprimands them; then he simply leaves for another village.
Don't we sometimes want to bring down - at least symbolically - fire from heaven on those who, in our opinion, are not behaving in the right way?
Let's ask Jesus to let us follow him on his way to Jerusalem, learning mercy and compassion from him. This compassion that He Himself constantly shows to us and that He invites us to show to others; but without ceasing to make our way towards the heavenly Jerusalem where He awaits us.
Today we remember Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus.
Armand Veilleux