The Unwilling Brood

This Sunday's reading is Luke 13:31-35 in which Jesus foretells of the place of his death,

 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed away from Jerusalem.” Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! See, your house is left to you. And I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”'

This worldly house is unwilling to give up it's hold on us lest we gather under Christ's wings as He would have us to do. 

In reflecting on this passage in the light of today's conflict between Mother Russia and what she sees as her children in Ukraine, I am afraid that the leaders in Russia had not expected to be greeted by such an unwilling brood that refused to take shelter under Russian wings, but instead, have tried very hard to clip those wings.

Lord help us.