Thursday of the
Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
(Ephesians 6:10-20; Luke 13:31-35)
A frustrated Illinois
state official named James Shields once challenged Abraham Lincoln to a
duel. Lincoln had criticized Shields,
the Illinois state auditor, for professional and personal shortcomings. The latter felt he had to defend his
honor. Having the right to choose the
dueling weapons, Lincoln
called for cavalry swords thinking he might intimidate his diminutive opponent
before the duel began. Besides, Lincoln knew that there
was less possibility of either being killed with sabers than with pistols. The strategy worked. When Shields realized that he had little
chance of prevailing over the six foot four inch Lincoln, he accepted the
future president’s explanation that the criticism was never meant to defame the
state official’s character.
In today’s gospel Jesus is challenged to a duel of
sorts. The Pharisees tell Jesus that
Herod wants to kill him. No doubt Herod
resents Jesus because he, like John the Baptist, preaches repentance and reform
which Herod needs as much as any scoundrel in history. We can easily imagine that Jesus would like
to confront Herod. John was Jesus’
kinsman and probable mentor whom Herod has murdered with impunity. Evidently Jesus does not fear Herod since he
mentions that he will accomplish his purpose.
But, unlike Lincoln,
he does not allow himself to be embroiled in a duel. His rule is always to do his Father’s will
and not his own. Jesus knows that God is
leading him away from Herod’s territory to Jerusalem where he will give his life for the
world’s salvation.
Abraham Lincoln shows us how to use our wits to save face
and perhaps life when challenged directly.
But Jesus gives a more valuable lesson.
He exemplifies subservience to God’s will as we face all life’s
challenges. No matter how great our
desire to react, no matter how much of our ego or self-image is on line, we
must follow the Lord’s, not our own, will.
More than that, Jesus’ action in this passage points to God’s love for
us. He will lead His son into the hands
of his worse enemies so that we might inherit eternal life.
