Reflection for November 25 Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time: Luke 21:5-11

Gospel: 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.

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Reflection:

Are we afraid of the end of the world?

Jesus speaks of the destruction of the beautiful structures we admire. Everything, including sacred places of worship, will one day fade. This scenario resembles the signs of the end times. Yet in the midst of these warnings, Jesus gently assures us, “Do not be terrified” (Luke 21:9).

So what should we do? Should we allow the signs around us to drown us in fear, or should we hold firmly to Jesus, who reminds us again and again, “Do not be terrified”? Of course, our hearts cling to what the Lord tells us.

Earthquakes and calamities of massive proportions are unfolding, and wars throughout the world continue to rage. But let us receive these realities with calm faith, for Jesus already forewarned us. Let us never attribute these disasters to God, as some might do. God does not desire our destruction; if He did, He would not have sent Jesus to walk among us, to love us, and to die for us on the cross.

There are wars in different parts of the world because we humans create them. These arise from our greed for power and our hunger for control. The same is true of our abuse of the environment—an abuse that leads to increasingly destructive typhoons and hurricanes. What is the result?

Massive loss of lives and properties, tragedies that could have been prevented if only we had compassion for God’s creation and for one another. Yet even in these bleak signs of the times, we are not abandoned. The Lord remains with us. In the midst of everything unstable and uncertain, we are invited to be calm, to pray, and to deepen our faith in the God who holds all things together.

When the world around us trembles, will we choose fear… or will we choose to trust the One who says, “Do not be terrified”? – Marino J. Dasmarinas