Lent #12: Destiny

 Jesus set his face

   to go to Jerusalem. (Luke 9:51)

Near Passover, while ministering in his native territory of Galilee, “Jesus set his face to go to Jerusalem.” There was no stopping him. It was his appointed destiny. He takes the direct route that leads through Samaria—about a four day journey. He had been that way before when he met the woman at the well who asked him about Mount Gerizim and how “you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” The question of which mountain, among other things, caused centuries of a deep division between Jews and Samaritans. Jesus assured her that “a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem” (Jn 4). That time has come.

Right off, Jesus and his followers get hassled in a Samaritan village “because Jesus was heading towards Jerusalem.” They resented Jews traveling through their land towards Festival in Jerusalem. James and John told Jesus to “call fire down from heaven to destroy them.” But, of course, “Jesus rebuked them, and headed toward the next village” (Lk 9:51-56). Along the way Jesus told the story of the “Good Samaritan.” A little further along, at another village, Jesus healed ten leprous Samaritans.

Jesus’ destiny has to do with those whom James and John thought worthy of destruction. Jesus’ journey towards Holy Week has to do with God’s love for all people: “Red and yellow black and white, they are precious in His sight,” as the song goes.