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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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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It seems everyone wants to know when the world will end, including the disciples in today’s Gospel. Although Jesus offers them a few signs of the “end times,” it all seems very vague to me.
Perhaps we should focus on two things that we know are coming to an end.
The first is quite obvious – we’re approaching the end of the year. The leaves have fallen, the days are getting darker, the time for harvesting is over. Winter is at hand.
As we prepare to mark the end of this calendar year, perhaps we should take a few moments to reflect upon the blessings of 2022.
Where did we see God working in our lives? And how did we help others?
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The second end is less predictable, though no less real. While we know neither the day nor the hour, our time on earth is also coming to an end. (I hope not for a long while!)
But today’s Gospel urges us to ponder, are we comfortable with standing before the Lord? Or are there changes we should make in our spiritual lives?
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As Saint Paul reminds us, “The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. Let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12).
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Image credits: (1) www.torbenrick.eu (2) dickersonbakker.com (3) The Episcopal Diocese of Newark