Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Luke 21: 29-33

Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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In his retirement, Thomas Jefferson, our nation’s third president, carried out a project he had contemplated for years.

He took a razor blade and cut and pasted various passages from the Gospels into a single narrative of Christ’s life from his birth to his crucifixion. However, Jefferson intentionally left a few things out: any mention of angels, miracles, or signs of Christ’s divinity.

All that was left were the Lord’s moral teachings. This became known as, “The Jefferson Bible,” which was held in secret until his death. 

The original script has been preserved by the Smithsonian in Washington.

Jefferson did what many human beings are tempted to do: he created a version of God in his own image and likeness, keeping what he liked and tossing out what he didn’t.

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At first glance, today’s Gospel passage might be one of those extra sections we’d be tempted to cut out, because Jesus is speaking about something uncomfortable, the end of the world – and by inclusion, the end of our own lives here on earth.

But as with any page in the Bible, all things must be put into their proper context.

First, consider who will bring an end to the world – not the Evil One, but Jesus Christ, our friend; our Savior; the one who has, “loved us and given himself for us.” A face-to-face encounter with the Son of God is meant to be a moment of tremendous awe and joy!

Secondly, consider what is ending versus what is not. 

What is coming to an end are depressing things like: darkness, war, sin, suffering, and death. Things that have plagued our world ever since Adam and Eve.

What will not end is life. Jesus tells us plainly, “Whoever in me believes has eternal life.”

Not here, but in heaven. The place where our swords will be beaten into plowshares, our spears into pruning hooks; where the lion lays down with the lamb; where we will walk and not grow weary, run and not grow faint.

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As we prepare for Advent and Christmas, we should remember that we are people of the resurrection. Our God comes – not only to live and die as one of us – but also to save us and lead us into life eternal.

Come, Lord Jesus.

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Image credits: (1) Crosswalk.com (2) The Wall Street Journal (3) YouTube, Daily TV Mass

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Gospel: Luke 17: 11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten persons with leprosy met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed. 
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. 
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine? 
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” 
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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When the first pilgrims landed on the shores of America in November, 1620, they cried out in gratitude. As one pilgrim noted, “We fell upon our knees and blessed the God of heaven.”

They had just endured a harrowing two-month journey across the Atlantic. Some died on the open seas. Half of the remaining population died of tuberculosis and pneumonia that first winter. Then the spring rains came, and their condition started improving.

This was the backdrop of the first Thanksgiving. Sickness and hope. Trial and error. Success and failure. Famine, and in thanksgiving, a feast.

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Today, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving by filling our tables with plenty, gathering with family and friends, watching football, and serving those who go without, much like the first pilgrims during that first frigid winter.

Gratitude is the reason for the season.

But as Christians, we are called to be grateful, not only in times of prosperity, but also in times of trial. As Saint Paul says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God.”

This is a deeper dimension of gratitude – acknowledging God’s presence in all things, at all times.

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While it’s natural for human beings to try to make sense of our environment, even to control it, faith adds a mysterious fourth dimension. Often enough, we don’t understand why things happen to us. 

But we cling to Christ’s promise, “Behold, I am with you always.” 

How do we show our gratitude for God in season and out of season? Or, like the single leper who returned to Jesus in today’s Gospel, do we pray as deeply in our gratitude as we do in our need?

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“We fell to our knees and blessed the God of heaven,” one of the first pilgrims recounted. Little did they know how harsh that first winter would be. But when the spring rains came, they gave thanks.

So, it is in the Christian life – no trial is forever. The spring rains eventually fall. For that we give thanks.

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Image credits: (1) Henry Ford College (2) Thanksgiving Day, Britanica (3) Waverly Church of Christ

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Gospel: Luke 21: 12-19

Jesus said to the crowd:
“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.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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We’re in the midst of one of the most challenging chapters in all of the Gospels. Here, Luke is not writing about the crucifixion of our Lord, but something – selfishly speaking – even more difficult. 

Not God’s pain, but ours.

“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,” Jesus says.

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What inspired such dark words from the Lord?

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He’s just days from his death. While walking in the Temple with his disciples, one of them remarks how big and beautiful it is. No one expected what would follow. 

Suddenly, the Lord starts turning over tables, predicting the Temple’s destruction, and warning his disciples of widespread persecution to come. 

Sadly, he was right.

Much like the Titanic, which was considered “unsinkable,” the Jews couldn’t fathom God’s costly house of worship ever being toppled. Yet within 40 years of Christ’s predictions, not just the Temple, but also the city of Jerusalem was in ruins, caused by a Jewish uprising.

More than one-million people were murdered by Roman forces and another ninety-seven thousand were taken captive. In the heart of the Roman Empire, Nero burned Rome to the ground and used Christians as garden torches during his dinner parties.

We cannot fault Jesus for being honest – or right.

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But if our focus remains solely on the pain of Christian persecution, then we’ll fall into the devil’s trap. All of the suffering in this world – from martyrdom to war, earthquakes, and famine – are like the pangs of birth. 

Out of this chaotic, fallen world, God is doing something new. As the Apostle John foretells in one of the final pages of the Book of Revelation, “I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away…Night shall be no more.”

As we prepare for this Advent season, we must remember what we celebrate. A savior is born to us. God has visited his people. Salvation is near. Eternal life awaits.

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Image credits: (1) Dave DeSelm Ministries (2) Siege of Jerusalem, Francesco Hayez (3) Christ’s Kingdom and the End Times