33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C - 17/11/2013 - Gospel: Lk 21: 5-19
Be deceived
Logical arguments and rhetorical can lead us either to reality or can deceive us. It depends on the motives of a speaker. Deceptiveness becomes more and more popular on the internet with lots of what is being classified as spasm mails. These emails often sent by an unknown sender, asking for money out of compassion for charity or they target greediness proposing that you are a lucky person whom they would trust to give a share and to inherit a large portion of the deceased estate or fat bank accounts from someone else.
The Gospel reading warns us about deceptiveness. Jesus warned His Apostles about things they saw that were not always what they seem to be. The Apostles looked at the magnificent building of the Jerusalem Temple with all its grandeur and beauty and the stonework that was enormous and rock solid. They would have thought that the Temple could last forever and nothing could destroy it. Seeing their acuteness Jesus gave them the warning; do not let its magnificent beauty deceive you because what you were seeing now would one day be destroyed because of the paganism from within. A human hand can create then another human hand can destroy. When it strikes the Temple would be there no more. Jesus first warned the Apostles and extended it to those who were involved with the Temple by means of exploitation of the Temple for the living.
Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all around you......all because you did not recognize your opportunity when God offered it. 19,44.
The appearance of the temple does not reflect what is really inside or behind these magnificent walls. The Temple is being destroyed spiritually before it actually being trampled by the pagans. What lies behind the walls was spiritual bankruptcy and hypocrisy and that contradicted the teachings of Jesus. The destruction of the building was only the visible sign that the Apostles would experience but it actually was being destroyed spiritually long before. What was really happening was not the building itself but it was about the paganism of the ungrateful heart and about the deceptiveness of the false teachers and prophets. The Temple authority appeared to teach about God's love and salvation but deep within their heart they would hide their anti-Christ motives. They challenged the authority and the teachings of Jesus. They had set up traps to harm Jesus.
Jesus told the Apostles that the Temple authority would use different methods to deceive you. They first convinced you with literature and preaching and rulings. Those who stood firm would face harsh punishment with physical violence and imprisonment and persecution. Those who bound to fear would have no chance to be witnessed for Jesus. Do not allow fear to destroy your faith in God but lift up your heads and be ready for the resurrection and redemption. For those who stay awake and lift up their heads and look around they would see even in the deepest catastrophe there is hope and God's grace is available for them to endure for the Lord.
Your endurance will win your lives v.19
The Gospel reading warns us about deceptiveness. Jesus warned His Apostles about things they saw that were not always what they seem to be. The Apostles looked at the magnificent building of the Jerusalem Temple with all its grandeur and beauty and the stonework that was enormous and rock solid. They would have thought that the Temple could last forever and nothing could destroy it. Seeing their acuteness Jesus gave them the warning; do not let its magnificent beauty deceive you because what you were seeing now would one day be destroyed because of the paganism from within. A human hand can create then another human hand can destroy. When it strikes the Temple would be there no more. Jesus first warned the Apostles and extended it to those who were involved with the Temple by means of exploitation of the Temple for the living.
Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all around you......all because you did not recognize your opportunity when God offered it. 19,44.
The appearance of the temple does not reflect what is really inside or behind these magnificent walls. The Temple is being destroyed spiritually before it actually being trampled by the pagans. What lies behind the walls was spiritual bankruptcy and hypocrisy and that contradicted the teachings of Jesus. The destruction of the building was only the visible sign that the Apostles would experience but it actually was being destroyed spiritually long before. What was really happening was not the building itself but it was about the paganism of the ungrateful heart and about the deceptiveness of the false teachers and prophets. The Temple authority appeared to teach about God's love and salvation but deep within their heart they would hide their anti-Christ motives. They challenged the authority and the teachings of Jesus. They had set up traps to harm Jesus.
Jesus told the Apostles that the Temple authority would use different methods to deceive you. They first convinced you with literature and preaching and rulings. Those who stood firm would face harsh punishment with physical violence and imprisonment and persecution. Those who bound to fear would have no chance to be witnessed for Jesus. Do not allow fear to destroy your faith in God but lift up your heads and be ready for the resurrection and redemption. For those who stay awake and lift up their heads and look around they would see even in the deepest catastrophe there is hope and God's grace is available for them to endure for the Lord.
Your endurance will win your lives v.19
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia