Prayer often involves asking God for what we want and desire. Today we hear about God's desires for us.

Although the people of Jerusalem long-resisted God and even killed the messengers God sent, God did not abandon them. In fact, God longs that people be gathered under divine care and protection. God yearns that people stop resisting his love and, instead, accept God's blessing. In light of this, today Jesus presents a feminine image of God as a mother hen who cares and protects.

Yet, is this image true to life? What about the hardships and sufferings of life we face? Will God not protect us from these?

The Letter to the Romans addresses this point. It does not deny that life brings trials and real pain. Sometimes life can feel like a deep pit with no way out. At the same time, God's desire and love for us is intense. If God is for us, while we may suffer, no force can ultimately stand against us, not even death. We are invited to trust that through Jesus' death, resurrection and intercession, in the end, nothing can separate us from the love of God.