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Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!" And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?" And Jesus, answering them, began to say: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many. But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved."
- Mark 13:1-13
Currently in the readings we are in Holy Week; Jesus is in Jerusalem with the disciples He has been tested in the temple by various factions of the leadership, most recently questioned by a scribe. His answers have been such that no one dares question Him again. But in yesterday's reading, Jesus Himself took the initiative, before the people: Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool." Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then His Son?" And the common people heard Him gladly. Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation." Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."
Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!" And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down." The temple was an extraordinary collection of buildings and architectural marvels of beauty. It was known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, built by Herod the Great who was known as the Herod the Builder. But Christ prophesies its destruction here to His disciples, which would happen in AD 70, when the temple was destroyed by the Romans. The soldiers believed there was gold between the stones, thus "not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?" And Jesus, answering them, began to say: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many. But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved." My study bible points out that this account of end times is given in what is a "reverse parallel" or "chiastic" form (from the Greek word for "X" - the first letter of Christ, Χριστος), meaning the topics mentioned in the first half of the passage are repeated and amplified in reverse order in the second half (the entire passage is not included in today's reading, and will be continued on Monday). So our passage begins and ends with a warning about false Christ's (including the passages from Monday). The second warning is about wars, and the second to last is about tribulation (also in Monday's reading). The third warning -- included in today's reading -- is about being delivered up to councils, while third-to-last is also about being delivered up, but by family members. In its center is the prophecy that the gospel must first be preached to all the nations, which, as my study bible puts it, "is at the heart of the apostolic ministry and mission of the Church (Matthew 28:19-20).
There's another important point Jesus makes here and it's startling in its directness -- and this is also at the heart of this "chiastic" or X- for cross-shaped passage. That is the statement that they are not to worry under any form of persecution, nor premeditate what to say, because whatever they are given in that time, "it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit." It's a powerful addition to their expectations, to what He is telling them. Jesus' predictions focus on the destruction to come in Jerusalem, but they also include "end times" that have to do with His Second Coming, the return of the Son of Man, which we will read in Monday's reading. So central is this event of the destruction of the temple that it is linked to the fullness of the time which is initiated now in His Incarnation. Tying all of it together is the presence of the Holy Spirit, the gift given at Pentecost to all of them and to all the Church. It's there our faith is rooted, there the Church is truly formed and the Body of Christ held as one. It is the Holy Spirit whom St. Paul says prays in us. The Holy Spirit "helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession" for us (Romans 8:26). In the same chapter of the letter to the Romans, St. Paul also tells of the Spirit's role during their times of persecution: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.' The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." Therefore at the center of any and all forms of hardship, persecution, tribulation, the Holy Spirit is there, "God with us." We rely on the Spirit, who teaches us to pray, who gives us the words to speak, and who gives us Sonship as heirs and children of God. The gift of the Spirit is intimately connected with the Church in every way, and particularly so in times of hardship and suffering. Let us rely on this centerpiece of Christ's promises to us, God the Spirit who connects us through all things, and tests the world through the end of an age initiated by the Incarnation, also made possible via the Holy Spirit. Let us remember to rely on His presence.
