Gospel & Reflection for the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025
Luke 21:5-19
When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’
‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
‘But before all this happens, men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’
Reflection
Friends, forty-seven years ago this week, the world was shocked and dismayed to become aware of the largest mass-suicide / mass-murder, ever committed. Nearly a thousand men, women and children lost their lives at a compound in Guyana called Jonestown and their deaths were the result of following a madman calling himself the Reverend Jim Jones. All who died, were American citizens, but they had fallen under the spell of Jones, who claimed that he was building Heaven on Earth, as God had promised. Jones manipulated his followers to join him in Guyana, where he assured them, they could have their own piece of paradise, they could build a utopia. All he delivered though, was a hell on earth.
Unfortunately, history has been full of people who have claimed that they came from God, or that they were gods, or that they bore messages from God. The Pharaohs, Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius and Christ are the most famous, but the likes of the infamous Jim Jones have been too numerous as well. However, it should stand to reason that if God was going to send someone into the world on His behalf, then the least that God could do would be to support their claim and pre-announce their coming. How interesting then for us to acknowledge, that throughout history, of all the contenders asking us to believe in them as God or from God, only one, just one, was ever pre-announced.
The arrival of Christ Jesus into the world was no surprise; it was expected. For centuries, Christ was promised and predicted, His message and actions anticipated, His name foretold – Emmanuel, ‘God with us.’ Everyone else simply stepped forward very unexpectedly, announced themselves and gave their own name saying, “Here I am, believe me.” Christ however was the only one, who stood out from that lengthy line of contenders, and by His life, work, death, and Resurrection fulfilled all that had been said and promised about Him.
No wonder then, that He warned the people of His own time, and all of us now, to be aware of false messiahs – “Take care not to be deceived because many will come using my name…refuse to join them.” He was making us stop and think.
He then lists many frightening situations and events, happenings that could easily unsettle us and make us doubtful, especially as we look at the state of the world today. It is a world looking and sounding a lot like what Jesus was predicting and warning us about! However, having made us stop and think, the use of such imagery, real and frightening as it is, was only ever meant to instil in worried and disheartened people a sense of encouragement and hope. The Lord’s message was for people not to lose heart, to remain strong together; to have, despite everything that may happen, the firm assurance that indeed God is with us, as was long promised.
This promise should always be our greatest hope. Hope is one of the great messages of our Christian faith. It is what Jesus brought to people in word and deed and it is what He brings to us all now. It is a tragedy and shame, that Christ’s powerful message and example of hope have been misused by the likes of the maniacal Jim Jones and those like him, but also how it has been smothered by past scandals of the Church. All of it has only encouraged society to champion the love and convenience of the self, the individual, above anyone or anything else.
However, maybe these challenging and upsetting times of ours are but an opportunity; an opportunity for us to take the encouraging words of Christ fully to heart and make them real for ourselves. Now more than ever, there is a need for endurance and good example to shine. We are the ones now being encouraged by Christ, encouraged not to lose heart, to remain strong together, to hold on to hope. We need the strength of endurance to stand by all that is good and hopeful about our faith and match it with a tenacity to show ourselves as a hope-filled and selfless people in all that we say and do.
So, as Christ has asked, let us not be disheartened, deceived, or led away from our faith. But as Christ has promised, let us allow His grace and presence to help us make a firm stand, a stand for true faith, real love, and ardent hope. It is these that will win us our lives because Christ has already overcome the world and we are His faithful people.
Fr. Richard
