Knowest thou the things that belong to thy peace?

Today’s reading says that  “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, ‘If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.” (St. Luke 19:41). 

Our Lord uses strong language to warn the people of Jerusalem of the consequences of their selective ignorance and indifference regarding the time of divine visitation.  They not only ignored God’s presence amongst them, but purposely and unwisely lived their lives without care.  In the Old Testament such attitude of ignorance and indifference resulted in three big losses: the loss of the land, the loss of the nation and, of course, the loss of the temple. 

Jesus warns the city of Jerusalem: “Thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee…lay thee even with ground…and shall not leave in thee one stone upon another….”   In other words, you will suffer great losses as consequence of your ignorance and indifference.  The bottom line here is that your lifestyle will have consequences.

Here is the question: “Knowest thou the things that belong to thy peace?”  If you, even you, had only “known on this day” that the life you have now is worth that the life you wish you had, you would not waste your time complaining to God about what you do not have.  If you, even you, had only known on this day that God visits you every day and in small ways, you would cherish each moment, each day of your life as a blessing from heaven. Today is the day the Lord has made, let us not be ignorant and indifferent, let us be wise and open to God’s visitation.