Gospel Reflection - 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time


Luke 21:5-19

    In the themes and predictions of today’s Gospel, Jesus alludes to the destruction of the Temple, which would occur in the year 70 AD. He foretells of the persecutions, imprisonments, and calamities that would befall Jerusalem. “I myself will give you wisdom in speaking,” “not a hair on your head will be destroyed,” He consoles them. For “by your perseverance you will secure your lives.”

    While the destruction of the Temple occurred two thousand years ago, we are still subject to persecution, imprisonment, and calamity in our modern day. War and hatred seem to have become our language, our means to resolve conflict and disagreement. While the evils that threaten us now have changed more or less from the evils that threatened Jerusalem, Christ’s offer of hope has still remained. 

    For the Jews, the Temple in Jerusalem was where God dwelt. When they prayed, they prayed facing east, towards Jerusalem. So we can imagine the distress it caused them when the Temple was destroyed. Our Lord Himself said to the Jews, “destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” 

    Jesus was referring to the temple of His body. Through His incarnation, Christ became man, God dwelling with us. The Temple being destroyed was symbolic of God’s presence everywhere, that He isn’t confined to one specific place. When the temple of Christ’s body was destroyed on the Cross, the price for our sins was paid, He left us the sacraments as a constant reminder of His presence among us.

Through Baptism, God dwells within our soul; through the Holy Eucharist, we receive Christ’s body, blood, soul and divinity, sharing in an intimate and loving union with Him under the species of bread and wine; through Confirmation we receive from the Holy Spirit the special graces which strengthen us in living out our Christian faith…

    Jesus’ words remain: “by your perseverance you will secure your lives.” 

    Even if it seems at times that our world will be destroyed, just like the Temple, we must persevere. The sacraments will be our strength, prayer our safeguard. Turning within our souls, we will find God dwelling there. He will give us the courage to face the difficulties of life, the sorrows of the world. Afterall, we were not made for this world…we were made for much more. 


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