Most people find comfort in Christianity, but then we read about wrath being poured out, mom’s fleeing with babies, and people dying by the sword! What comfort is there in that?
At this point in Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to die. He warns us that this will upset the balance of everything.
Most Judeans had been hoping for a violent uprising to overthrow their Pagan oppressors. Jesus, however, advocates for a way of peace.
As we know from history, violence does come. The Romans destroy the Temple in 70 A.D. and the Judeans have to flee Jerusalem.
Just as Jesus predicted: violence was not the answer—the Pagans beat the Judeans at that game.
But, where does that leave us?
Early Christians saw Jesus through the prophecy of Daniel 7, the enthronement of the Son of Man. This means that those early Christians—as well as us—see the destruction of Jerusalem as a sign that Jesus was, indeed, enthroned at the right hand of the Father. His way was right.
This is the beginning of the great Exodus: God is rescuing his people from our oppressors.
But, if this event was in the past, what does it say to us today?
Like those early Christians, we too face violent persecutors. But, instead of resisting them with violence and the sword, we’re called to walk with Christ in peace by picking up our cross.
We’re called to preach peace to those who oppose us, practice patience, and flee instead of taking up arms.
After all, God doesn’t call us to victories we accomplish on our own—God is already victorious through the crucified Christ.
The Reading
(Note: today, I’m following the lectionary reading rather than the festal reading)
And as certain persons spoke about the Temple—that it had been made lovely with beautiful stones and votive gifts—he said, “As for these things you gaze upon, the days will come in which there will be left no stone upon a stone that will not be overthrown.” And they questioned him, saying, “Teacher, when will these things be, then? And what will the sign be when these things are about to happen?” . . . Then he said to them, “Nation will be raised against nation and kingdom against kingdom, And there will be great earthquakes and in various places pestilences and famines, terrible portents and great signs in the sky. . . . But, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by arms and encampments, then know that her desolation has drawn near. Then let those in Judaea flee into the mountains, let those inside her walls go out and away, and let those in the countryside not enter her, Because these are the days of retribution, when all the scriptures are fulfilled. Alas in those days for pregnant women and women nursing; for there will be great distress in the land and ire against this people, And they will fall by the edge of the sword and will be led away captive to all the nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled upon by the gentiles, until the seasons of the gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:5-7, 10-11, 20-24)
Rest for your souls. God bless!