In our Gospel this week, Jesus speaks to his disciples about the coming destruction of the Temple, a shocking prophecy for those who saw it as the very heart of God’s presence. Yet, as the stones of the Temple would one day fall, Jesus turns their attention away from earthly grandeur toward the enduring reality of God’s kingdom. With the destruction of the Temple, Luke captures the constant teaching of Jesus about the unexpected coming of the end. Luke’s message is not one of abandonment, but through Jesus’ suffering and that of his followers comes salvation.
This passage does not seek to instil fear, but faith. Jesus warns of wars, persecutions, and betrayals — realities that mark every age. Yet he promises, “Not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.” These words assure us that God remains faithful even amid chaos and loss. The apparent collapse of what is familiar does not mean the absence of God, but the beginning of something new — a deeper encounter with divine life.
In many ways, this Gospel gives us a way to face our own times of upheaval, change, and uncertainty. In a sense all times are now. Every generation experiences its own “falling temples” — institutions, securities, or certainties that crumble. But in faith, we recognize that these moments can become opportunities for grace. Through steadfast trust and patient endurance, we discover that God’s presence is not confined to what passes away but is revealed most powerfully in what endures: love, faith, and hope.
As the divine and the human meet in the wonder and mystery of the Eucharist, we are brought into that eternal moment where time and history give way to the presence of God. The Eucharist anchors us in this truth: that even when the world shakes, God remains constant. In Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection, destruction is transformed into new life. This is the hope Luke offers — that through every trial, the promise of salvation stands firm, and in Christ, we are held in the eternal embrace of God.
Fr Stephen Berecz
