Reflection for Sunday November 13, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Luke 21:5-19

Gospel: Luke 21:5-19

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. 

“Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.

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Reflection:

Are you afraid of the end times? Many are afraid of the end times. Who will not be afraid when you read about destruction, wars among nations and dangerous signs that would apparently tell us that the end is near. We need not be afraid when we hear and read of end times scenarios because nobody knows about that except God. What we have to do is to take this end times signs as a warning for us to walk away from whatever that makes us sin.

In the gospel, Jesus mentions about destruction, wars amongst nations and awesome signs that would indicate that it is the end times already. But at the same time the Lord tells us that it is not yet an indication that our end and our judgment are near. The signs of the end times will surely come, however we also do not know when will it be.

What we have to do to be prepared is we have to do what is pleasing in the eyes of God. First is we have to stop making actions that leads us to sin this is hard to do because sin is designed by Satan as an object of our attraction that gives us temporary pleasure or reward. However, if we are determined to be prepared to for the unknown coming of the end times we have to be resolute to walk away from sin. Because we can walk away from sin if we are determined to walk away from sin.

Second is we have to continue to live and share our faith. Living and sharing what we know about our faith is not easy to do for the reason that this will require sacrifice and endurance of hardship.

But we have nothing to worry because those who sacrifice and endure for the propagation of our faith will receive generous reward from God. If we will not receive that reward during our lifetime we will surely receive it after we are through with our life in this world. – Marino J. Dasmarinas