2 John 4-9 / Luke 17:26-37
Birds are generally nice to look at. Whether they are flying or perched on a branch, most birds look beautiful.
Except one species - the vultures. Short of saying that they are ugly, they look gruffy, like a bunch of uncombed feathers, they look a little hunched. Maybe when they are flying, they might look better.
But if looks are not good, then their diet is revolting. Vultures are scavenging birds of prey. But they don't hunt. Rather they eat anything that is dead or rotting.
In today's gospel, Jesus mentioned about these birds when He says: Where the body is, there too the vultures gather.
He was talking about the end times when the disciples interrupted Him and then He gave them this graphic image.
Putting it simply and directly, vultures gather where there is death and the dead are left in the open, and they feed on the dead.
But the vulture, as much as it may not be a pretty sight, but it is, at the same time, a symbol of God's judgement on evil. In the end, evil will be devoured by the vultures.
Yet, we also need to take this as a warning sign. If we don't repent of our sins, then we are dying spiritually and waiting to be consumed by the vultures of God's judgement.
So let us repent and do penance, and fly towards God with wings powered by love and good deeds.