Meditation Minute

My Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

 

“Awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”

 

Gospel Reading: Luke 21:5-11

 

While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here– the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”  He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’  Do not follow them!  When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.”  Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”

 

In today’s Gospel reading, we hear the Jews admiring their great temple in Jerusalem. In response to their joy, Jesus begins an eschatological discourse on the end of the world. Today’s gospel deals with the destruction of the beautiful temple in Jerusalem. Jesus tells his disciples, “All that you see here– the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone ...” He tells them this not to scare them, but to prepare them for the events that are to come. He warns them to stay true and not be led astray that there are many out there who will try to deceive them. This same message is still as true today as it was at the time of Christ. The church is constantly under attack by society. Our religious freedoms are constantly being trampled upon as the Church continues to spread her word.

 

Every time you turn around you hear another attempt to remove Christianity out of society. We can no longer have the Bible in public places; pornography is running rampant on the internet and abortion is nothing but an after-thought to many. One year ago, the Association of Pediatricians recommended that the Morning After abortion pill be made available over the counter for all women, even underage teenagers. This nightmare becomes reality this year. We are being led to believe that a child born to a teenager is somehow bad.  Jesus told his disciples to take heed and not be led astray. I pray that you take that same warning today. We must be careful not to follow the false prophets which are leading society through a moral decline.  We must resist the temptation to go with the flow and stand up against the atrocities which try to rob our soul of eternal life with our Father in heaven.  The Jews came under attack by the Romans and the temple was destroyed. However, the faith of the Jews persisted and the church surveyed. Today, we are under attack by a society so focused on money and wealth that our temple will also be destroyed because of the weakening of the foundation. The destruction of the foundation is evident in our economy and the dependency we place on these material goods. We are also told that the Catholic Church cannot uphold its moral teachings in its own hospitals. 

 

Jesus told the Jews not to seek signs but rather to seek God's kingdom. We too must seek the kingdom of God for it is through the narrow door which leads to the kingdom that we shall all find salvation. Today’s message may appear apocalyptic, but it is actually a message of hope; a hope that is founded in the glory of the kingdom of God. Where is it that you place your hope? The things we long for are our temples. Do we long for material riches or do we long for a relationship with Christ. It is not easy to choose Christ, but the joy and the rewards are unlimited. The sadness that plagues a material desire is only compounded by the desire for more. If we turn this material desire into a spiritual desire and longing for Christ, our longing will be turned into riches that are not measurable. As we approach Thanksgiving we are called to reflect on the things we have in our lives. We should not forget to give thanks for the spiritual riches which God has given us.

 

A Simple Prayer

 

Lord, you have unlimited grace and mercy.

I desire to be a faithful servant, everything I have belongs to you.

Use these possessions to help increase my spiritual wealth.

Help me to overcome my fears so that I may find the kingdom of heaven.

 

Yours in Christ

Michael Marcon