33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time November 17th, 2019

Luke 21: 5-19

⁵ When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, ⁶ “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.”

⁷ They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” ⁸ 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.

⁹ “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.” ¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; ¹¹ there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.

¹² “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. ¹³ This will give you an opportunity to testify. ¹⁴ So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; ¹⁵ for I will give you wordsand a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. ¹⁶ You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. ¹⁷ You will be hated by all because of my name. ¹⁸ But not a hair of your head will perish. ¹⁹ By your endurance you will gain your souls.

By your endurance you will gain your souls.

Luke 21:19

Commentary: In the context of Luke, today’s Gospel appears near the end of Jesus’ teaching in Jerusalem, just prior to the events that will lead to his crucifixion. His warnings and predictions are ominous but can be read in many ways.  To those who first heard Luke’s Gospel, those may have been words of encouragement. The destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans was history (70 A.D.); Luke’s Gospel, Catholic scholars propose, was written between 80 and 90 A.D. His audience was probably Gentile Christians. Luke here tries to interpret the fall of Jerusalem for them and to locate it in God’s plans for humankind (salvation history). At the same time, Luke is suggesting to his audience that there will be a considerable elapse of time before Jesus’ final coming. Luke’s listeners have likely seen much upheaval and are anxious to know if these are the signs of Jesus’ coming. Luke is urging greater patience.  In the second part of today’s Gospel, Jesus warns that his followers will face persecution for their beliefs. Luke presents persecution as an opportunity for the followers of Jesus for “It will lead to your giving testimony” (Luke 21:13). In persecution God’s wisdom and power will be shown in the example of followers of Jesus. Perseverance in the face of persecution will lead to their salvation.  Here Jesus is assuring his followers that God is present to all believers, even in times of trouble. Ultimately, Jesus will witness to this with his own death. As disciples of Jesus, we try to follow his example, trusting in God’s mercy and protection, even when we are facing difficulties.

Questions:

1.  When was the last night you heard a prediction of the end of the world?

2.  If disciples of Jesus face persecution, how does this idea encourage or discourage you to be a disciple?

3.  What choices have you made without seeing the consequences?

4.  When have you been lucky enough to escape the consequences you did not see coming?

5.  How has faith helped you make decisions or get through a difficult time?

Words to the Song – To the Ground by Death Cab for Cutie

The arms lost control/Slipped and began to roll/On the wings of an ocean gale /Crashed right through the rail/down to the valley below/to the valley below.

Down in the charred remains/stripped the chassis clean/And the gravel grew through the frame /Till it swallowed everything/swallowed everything

Return to the ground/to the ground/return to the ground/ to the ground

Trees growing tall/weeds covering all/and the animals make their homes/ Underneath its fusted dome/All things come around

All comes around/comes around/Returns to the ground/to the ground

Ground

Around / comes around / to the ground / to the ground / to the ground / to the ground.

Visio Divina

1.Visio (See) Look at the art. What do you see? What is happening?

2.Meditatio (Meditate) How does it make you feel?

3.Lectio (Read, Context) Read the Gospel passage above. Read the article excerpt below. What are the common points between the Gospel, the excerptand this photograph.

4.Oratio (Pray) Silently sit with this image opening yourself up to the flow of the Holy Spirit.

5.Contemplatio (Ponder) How is God speaking to you in this Visio Divina? Share your thoughts by writing them or telling them.

6. Operatio (Act) Because of this Visio Divina, what acts or changes in thinking do you want to happen in your life?

Visio Divina Links on CARFLEO

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Then there is Francesco Hayez, an Italian Romantic given to allegorical paintings and portraits. In his The Destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (1867), a bloody riot is taking place on the gigantic stone altar in the Temple courtyard. While Hayez doesn’t get the orientation of the altar correctly, or the fact that it had a ramp rather than steps, the chaos and mayhem are overwhelming, and rendered even more so by the invaders’ capture of the golden menorah.  Amid the billowing smoke we see angels fleeing: a nod to the idea that in the course of this event the divine presence fled from the Temple Mount. In spite of its chaotic splendor, however, the painting never rises above a costumed tableau vivant.   http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/941/features/mourning-memory-and-art/

Visio Divina Links on CARFLEO