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.”
We must consider even the good beauty of this earth from the vantage point of eternity. All here below is ultimately temporary. The temple was a sign of realities that were unchanging but it was not itself permanent or eternal. Even beautiful Christian churches that now facilitate worship under the veil of the sacramental presence of Jesus will not be left unchanged when he comes again.
If we get too attached to the things of earth, even the really good ones, we risk being unsettled in a way that can make us vulnerable to deception and easy prey to peddlers of false hope.
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!
People may come promising easy answers. The stories that lead the most quickly to the happiest ending are always the ones we would initially prefer to believe. We should be able to perceive when answers are too good to be true by remembering the realism of Jesus who said that things would not always be easy and would in fact by quite traumatically difficult at times. But he suggested that it was possible for us to maintain our peace even when we heard of such dire events as wars and insurrections, not in spite of them, but because they were accounted for in the divine plan.
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.
The things of earth are temporary and are destined to pass away. But the words of Jesus will never pass away (see Matthew 24:35). They give us good ground for hope. It is not a hope that we will never experience any difficulties. But it is a hope that he will be with us in whatever difficulties we experience and lead us safely through them all to the glory of his Kingdom. If we grasp the things of earth too tightly we risk perishing with them. But if we cling to God he himself set us free.
Because he clings to me I will deliver him;
because he knows my name I will set him on high (see Psalm 91:14).
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