Prophecy or Warning?

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Rv 14:14-19; Lk 21:5-11

Today’s Gospel warns us regarding the impending God’s judgement. 

The passage on end times or eschatological times is usually very puzzling. 

Why would Jesus talk about the destruction of the Temple, Jerusalem, and the entire world?

Does Jesus intend to threaten his listeners? What does Jesus really mean by his statement?

Jesus directs his message to those who are admiring the beauty of the Jerusalem Temple. 

Jesus notices that those admirers are proud of the structure of the temple building and not about the One residing in it. Jesus finds them to be a crowd that only marvels at the externals of life. 

They were proud of their chosenness by God, their Abrahamic origin, God-given commandments, meticulous observance of laws, etc. In Jesus’ view, their spirituality was shallow and their religiosity peripheral. 

It is to them that Jesus directs his message and reminds them of death and decay, of God’s judgement, and of their worthiness to stand before the seat of judgement.

Hence, what Jesus says is not so much a prophecy as a warning. Jesus makes use of historical events to teach his followers lessons on discipleship and holiness. 

Jesus’ statement can be applied to our lives too. 

If our lives are marked by peripheral or superfluous religiosity, we are called to engage in a process of discernment and change our lives. 

As a lived experience, our faith lets itself be seen in our daily lives. 

Let us pray that we may course-correct our lives so that our experience of God may transform our lives.

Fr. Dhinakaran Savariyar