Lk.18:1-8
“Noting great is ever achieved without much enduring.”(St. Catherine of Siena) We are in the second last Sunday of the liturgical year. The readings of the day invite us to reflect on our eschatological end in the context of Jesus’ prophecy concerning the destruction of the Jerusalem temple. We see disciples adoring the beauty of the Jerusalem Temple. They were lost in the external details rather than the real essence of the temple, which is the worship of Yahweh. This magnificent mansion was a matter of pride because no other nation could build such a structure for divine worship. In the gospel of John, chapter two testifies to this fact by presenting to us the cleansing of the Jerusalem temple by Jesus. The focus of the house of the Lord should be worship. However, it became market place that provides things that facilitates worship. This moral decay in the temple administration was reflected in the lives of religious leaders as well as the faithful.
Whenever the people of Israel lost their focus from worshipping Yahweh, they had experiences of unpleasant events. In the book of Jeremiah, we read his prophecy concerning the temple because of their sinful lifestyle. He prophesied about the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians. Yet the people were not ready to accept the prophecy; as a result, the temple was destroyed, and they had to undergo the exile in Babylon. Like the prophet Jeremiah, Jesus hints at the same warning and signs concerning the destruction of the Jerusalem temple. Jesus warns them that after his ascension many would come in his name telling that they are the Messiah. In fact, under the leadership of an Egyptian Jew who claimed himself as the Messiah, a group was organised and ended up in conflict with the Roman Empire. Jesus mentions also other tussle against the imperial rule within and outside the country. It is recorded that the zealots, the political group of the first century, had an assault against the Romans. There were civil wars within the kingdom caused by administrative failures of the successors of king Nero. Jesus also spoke about famine and an earthquake as signs. At that epoch, there were severe famines and destructive earthquakes in the Mediterranean region. The historian Josephus recorded that before the destruction of the temple, strange signs appeared in Jerusalem, just like in the time of the prophet Jeremiah.
Along with this, his disciples had to face persecution from both the rulers and their dear and near ones for the sake of Christ and his gospel. However, Jesus assures them that they will not be left alone. They need not worry about how they would defend themselves; the Holy Spirit would empower and assist them concerning what they needed to say and what they needed to do. We see how this assurance of Jesus is fulfilled in each of his disciples’ lives, especially in the life of St. Stephen, the first martyr for Christ. Even today, his proclamation of the gospel remains one of the most convincing witnesses to Jesus in all of history. It is true that the persecutors might have tortured them to the extent of putting them to death. However, no one could take away life from them because they enjoy life in all its fullness with the author and provider of life.
As we reflect on this passage today, let us be aware of this eschatological dimension of our lives. Though we are not sure of the second coming of Christ, it is not an excuse for us to withdraw ourselves from making adequate preparations to encounter the Lord. It is also a reminder for us to prepare ourselves for the personal encounter with the Lord that will happen at the end of our life journey. Each and every event in our lives is an invitation to prepare ourselves for this great encounter. Let us read and understand the signs of the times in our lives and act according to his words.