This weekend, the Sunday closest to the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, we have a second collection for “Peter’s Pence”. Every cent of this traditional collection goes straight to our Holy Father,Pope Francis, for his charitable works.
In our Gospel passage today, Luke tells us “[Jesus] resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem”. Here we see that Jesus knew that his time was coming and that the Messiah was always to be manifest in Jerusalem. There was no escaping the journey nor the fate that awaited him.
His famous remarks about letting “the dead bury the dead” and “don’t take your hand off the plough” are said against the background of Jesus accepting his inexorable journey to his passion, death and rising in Jerusalem. The “Son of David” had to go to claim his Kingdom in the capital. The apostles, of course, at this stage don’t understand this … but they will.
We also need to be focused on the journey of our faith; making sure things do not distract us and move us from the path to glory with God.
For those of you about to depart on family vacations, I hope you have a wonderful safe time together. I also hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July.
May God bless you, your families, and the week ahead,
Fr Aidan Peter