November 24, 2015
Tuesday, 34th Week
in Ordinary Time
1st reading: Dn 2:3, 9a, 10a, 27a, 31-45
Gospel: Lk 21:5–11
While some people were talking about the Temple, remarking that itwas adorned with fine stonework and rich gifts, Jesus said to them,“The days will come when there shall not be left one stone uponanother of all that you now admire; all will be torn down.” And theyasked him, “Master, when will this be, and what will be the sign thatthis is about to take place?”Jesus then said, “Take care not to be deceived, for many will comeclaiming my title and saying: ‘I am he, the Messiah; the time is athand.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and troubled times,don’t be frightened; for all this must happen first, even though theend is not so soon.”And Jesus said, “Nations will fight each other and kingdom willoppose kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and plagues;in many places strange and terrifying signs from heaven will be seen.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The Jerusalem Temple was marvelous to behold. Its walls were made of gold and precious stones that glittered when hit by the rays of the sun. The huge budget for its construction, maintenance and upkeep was properly justified: it was the house of God. Its elegance, quality, and beauty were in proportion to those of the palace of the king. It would have been inappropriate for the king to live luxuriously had it been otherwise.
The choice of materials that gave it an image of indestructibility, and the amount of money poured for its embellishment that gave it incomparable beauty made everyone think it was built to last until heaven and earth would pass away. That is why when Jesus talked about a day when not a stone of it would be left, people got scared of the possible magnitude of the calamity to happen on that day. Jesus’ prediction sent an alarming message that the calamity to come was of a catastrophic magnitude strong enough to decimate an otherwise indestructible structure like the Temple.
Jesus had to calm them down, saying: “When you hear of wars and troubled times, don’t be frightened; for all this must happen first, even though the end is not so soon.” As predicted, the Temple was destroyed.
Recent calamities happening to our worn out environment condition our minds to the possibility of great catastrophes happening in the near future. Soon even our strongest structures will give in to the wrath of Mother Nature. If there is anything good we can get from this threat, it is the precious lesson of detachment from this passing world. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
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