Gospel reading: Luke 21.5-11
When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, [Jesus] said, ‘As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.’
They asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?’ And he said, ‘Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and, “The time is near!” Do not go after them.
‘When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.’
Reflections
Romans 12.1-2 is one of the keys to my calling: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
And so this phrase in the first paragraph of the Gospel reading immediately struck a chord in me. In choosing to present (or gift) my soul and body to God as a living sacrifice, I consider myself dedicated to God. In intention, at least. I am not always very good at the practice.
The passage tells of many gifts brought by faithful Jews to offer to God in the place of God’s worship, the Temple. The Temple itself was beautiful, built with care and skill, with love and craft to the glory of God. It was not in itself a bad thing; it was a good thing. But it was still transient, human, of earth. So Jesus prophesied ‘the days’ when it will be broken and thrown down. Although the ‘divine passive’ voice is used here, the breaking down will by humans, specifically by the Romans in AD70.
I also am transient, human, of earth, separated from God, objectively a sinner. I have needed and still need breaking down in order to be built up again, my soul as a Temple dedicated to God, an Interior Castle, the Holy of Holies into which God leads me through a series of mansions, where I ‘con-temple’ with God. It’s a paradoxical sense of place beyond place.
Thankfully, the way in which God breaks me down is not to be compared with the Romans’ destruction of the Temple. God proceeds with infinite gentleness and tenderness, working in me holiness and wholeness, drawing me into eternal oneness and life with God. The human is transient and expects immediate impact and results. God is eternal and can take plenty of time.
-oOo-
Since April 2020, I have been jointly hosting a shared Lectio Divina group on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings. These are my reflections only, during the prayer session and as I wrote them up. Please see my separate commentary and leaflet for more information about shared Lectio.