Holy Priest-Martyr Babylas, Bishop of Antioch (250); Holy Prophet Moses Who Saw God
1 Corinthians 4:17-5:5; Matthew 24:1-13
Read Matthew 24:1-13
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
“When will these things take place?”
The Apostles must have been stunned to hear Our Lord’s prediction that this most impressive of buildings, Herod’s Temple, would be destroyed. This massive structure (among others) was used by Herod to show off his power. Simply to construct it, he need double the size of the Temple Mount itself (to 36 acres), meaning that 25 football fields could fit inside it! This structure would be destroyed!? Unthinkable.
But Christ’s answer is even more incredible than that. The disciples will hear of many alarming things from around the world including false prophets, wars, famines and earthquakes etc. But these, as alarming as they are, are not to distract the disciples from their true mission. Even under tribulation and persecution the disciples are not to be alarmed, but to persevere to the end and not let their love grow cold.
How about us? In the midst of this pandemic and the impending 4th wave, are we more loving or less loving? Do we lash out against our neighbours out of fear, prejudice, or frustration, or do we sympathize, listen, and walk with those who we may not understand? Herod’s temple would be destroyed a mere 40 years after Christ’s warning, but His words echo through all the centuries. The things of this world: buildings, cultures, viruses and even death itself do not hold the importance we sometimes ascribe to them. Only our choice to love, and even more so when it is difficult to do so, has eternal significance.