Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/102411.cfm

The Labyrinth
at the Grotto in Portland, Oregon

R. (21a) Our God is the God of salvation.
God arises; his enemies are scattered,
and those who hate him flee before him.
But the just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.



Watching Jesus in his dangerous ministry, we have to cheer as he sends his opponents fleeing. He is our champion, like the lad David who dares to challenge the giant warrior Goliath. He does our fighting for us and when he conquers, the enemy turn tail and run; as the Philistines did when they beheld their champion bested, beaten and beheaded.
Lately we have seen another dreadful enemy destroyed, Moammar Qudafi (the tyrant of the uncertain spelling.) The image of his corpse is ghastly and prudent souls might feel understandable reluctance to cheer his demise. But the human race has a predilection for warfare and while some of us deplore the very idea of war, we breathe a little easier when a diabolical enemy is defeated.
Jesus' opponent in the Jewish synagogue was a heavy-handed rabbi who would shame the old woman who appears in his synagogue. He went so far as to embarrass his congregation by using them to magnify his scorn. But Jesus stood up to him and dared him to defy his compassion and his logic:

When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

This is, of course, a momentary triumph for Jesus. We know the price he will finally pay, when the rabbi musters his forces and condemns the Messiah to death.
Jesus knows full well the cost of redeeming this old woman. He does not hesitate. Nor does he hesitate to save us.
When he rises up on Easter Sunday morning we will see our enemies fleeing before him  once and for all. We can laugh with him at the sight of his retreating foes -- ha, ha, halleluia!