Pastor's Message

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Nation will rise against nation … Kingdom against Kingdom.” ---“there will earthquake, famines, plagues … dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.”     Luke 21:11

             “When some were speaking about the Temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God,” Jesus said; “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.” “... you will hear of wars and insurrections …. Nation will rise against nation … Kingdom against Kingdom.” ---“there will earthquake, famines, plagues … dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.”

              These Words of Jesus from 21^st Chapter of St Luke's Gospel are quite startling. Jesus talks about disturbing signs, warns about wars and insurrection; Powers shaken, horror of every kind, he even says this “Men will die of flight, … in anticipation of what is to come!”

             Apocalyptic language, as it is called, was familiar to the People of Israel at the time of Jesus. They had heard it from Prophet Daniel; The Prophet had described the destruction of the Cosmos, and great sufferings on the earth that would anticipate the end of all things.

            Apocalyptic Literature has fascinated and terrified many up to our times. Movies have been made on the topic movies like “2012,” or the “Independence Day.” that grossed millions of dollars. What about the many popular series of Novels like “Left Behind,” on the “Rapture” by Tim La Haye and Jerry Jenkins, selling millions of copies! What are we to make about all these things?

            The Word “Apocalypse,” is derived from the Greek “Apokalypsi.” Calypse in Greek is a “Veil.”  Apocalypse, literally stands for “Lifting off the Veil.” When translated into Latin the word used is “Revelatio,” from which the English word revelation comes. Apocalypse is to unveil. A question then follows, what is it, that is being unveiled?

             In the Gospel Reading this Sunday, it is important to notice that Jesus quickly evades to answer the question that seemed important to his listeners; “The exact time when the end is supposed to happen.”  Jesus had previously revealed in Mark 13:32; “Of the day or hour, no one knows, neither the Angels in Heaven nor the Son but only the Heavenly Father.”

             Jesus in today's Gospel, takes off the veil and reveals the truth that is obvious: that creation is fleeting and passing away; even the most majestic and sacred of it!

            The visitors in Jerusalem were speaking about the Temple, and admiring how adorned it was with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God. They were admiring the Temple made by human hands, yet Jesus, “Emmanuel,” “The anointed of the Father,” “The True Temple, stood in their midst! Christ's listeners were blind to God's presence among them, in the Person of Christ Jesus. The God they were worshipping in the Temple made of stone, was in their midst.

            “Do you see these things, days will come when not one stone will be left upon another, all will be thrown down.”

             These Words of Jesus were supposed to shake Christ’s listeners, unveiling their blindness and challenging them to go beyond the beauty of the Temple made of Stone. They were being called to acknowledge Jesus; who humbly came into this passing world bearing the majestic power of God. It is only, the Son of God, and not the temple made of stone, who bore the very Presence of God. It was through him God would be truly worshipped in Spirit and In Truth.

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