This reading is rich in imagery and foreshadowing One must wonder why the Pharisees told Jesus to leave Jerusalem. Was it to save Jesus from Herod or was it to save themselves from the annoyance and disruption Jesus was causing? There is also his use of the phrase, “On the third day I finish my work.” Is he talking about his immediate plans or about what will happen after his death? There’s the competing image of the fox as predator and the hen as nurturer and protector. Even as the fox preys on the hen, the hen is protecting her brood.
Today in prayer, lay before God any concerns about your life, about people you know and/or love, about the state of the world, etc. After each one you name, imagine Jesus gathering it all in as a mother hen gathers and protects her chicks. As the final breath of your prayer, say the words, “All will be well.”