And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations

 

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

 

- Luke 21:20–28 

 

On Saturday we read that, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, Jesus said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

 

  "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."  While we've been reading Jesus' discourse on the whole of what is called "end times," indicating that it's meant to reference the whole of the Christian era to the present day, here Christ once again becomes very specific regarding what is to come in Jerusalem.  My study Bible comments that the phrase when you see is a clear indication that many of those disciples listening to Him speak at that moment would still be alive at the time of the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem.  The Siege of Jerusalem took place in 70 AD, at which time the temple was destroyed, and in accordance with Christ's prophecy, "not one stone" was "left upon another" that was not "thrown down" (see Saturday's reading, above).  Only one retaining wall remained standing, known in modern times as the Wailing Wall or the Western Wall.  Jesus speaks directly of His concern for those those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  In Luke 23:29, Jesus will warn again, as He is on His way to the Crucifixion, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!'"

 

 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  Here Christ's narrative shifts from the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem (which would come within a generation), to the time of His return and the judgment.  Let us pay close attention to the fearful events He describes, and the emotions stirred in the hearts of people:  fear, and distress, and from expectations of those things which are coming on the earth -- for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

 

 There are many who seem to have a conscious idea of the world somehow becoming better and better, a sort of progress of virtue of one kind or another.  This may be due to scientific or material progress in terms of modern technologies and advances, or advances in science and education, even innovations in new sorts of time-saving or powerful capacities for the use of energies, and all manner of modern infrastructure.  But at the same time, we need to take a look at the world and ask ourselves what innovation has not also brought uses which are surely not for the better of the world or of mankind, as modern wars have been so destructive, technologies within the twentieth century bringing us massive displacement of populations and even genocides.  Today's modern warfare gives us a no man's land where a society once had an infrastructure that served people for transportation, hospitals, universities, and even attempts at a universal constitutional concept of rights for all citizens.  Human beings may create with intelligence and industry many capacities, but those capacities also become used to bring us fearsome sights indeed, as the past century has easily witnessed and continues to witness.  In this vein, let us consider what is the difference between material innovation and the spiritual understanding of the blessings of our faith.  We certainly have experience of distress of nations, and men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth.  In St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus says, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken" (Matthew 24:29).  St. Ambrose comments on today's passage in Luke, clearly seeing both physical and spiritual prophecy.  Not only will a  hostile army trample visible Jerusalem, as did the Romans, even emptying Jerusalem of its Jewish population.  But, he writes, "All Judea will be put to the spiritual sword, the two-edged sword, by the nations that will believe. There will be different signs in the sun, moon and the stars. When very many fall away from religion, a cloud of unbelief will darken bright faith, because for me that heavenly Sun is either diminished or increased by my faith. If very many gaze on the rays of the worldly sun, the sun seems bright or pale in proportion to the capacity of the viewer, so the spiritual light is imparted to each according to the devotion of the believer. In its monthly courses, the moon, opposite the earth, wanes when it is in the sun’s quarter. When the vices of the flesh obstruct the heavenly Light, the holy church also cannot borrow the brightness of the divine Light from the rays of Christ. In the persecutions, love of this life alone certainly very often shuts out the light of God."  So, therefore, St. Ambrose sees in this prophecy the pattern observed elsewhere in Scripture, that as faith is diminished, so the world becomes "darkened," a sense in which Christ the true Light is harder to see and to perceive.  Effectively, these prophecies become teachings on the importance of enduring in our faith and the practices of our faith.  For the light that we truly need is the spiritual light, and the truth we surely need to live by is the spiritual truth which Christ brings us.  The progress we make in material terms can be diminished with so much darkness that we can no longer see our path correctly without this light.  Let us not be taken in when things appear to be progress, but human suffering and the diminishing of life and of faith continue to our detriment.  At the same time, Christ asks us not to be deceived, and to persist in our faith, to watch.  As we in the developed world consider a wide array of material goods with which we may celebrate holidays, let us keep in mind our spiritual reality, and not be so dazzled that we don't keep our eyes on the true light.   There are many in the world who suffer for our faith, for Christianity, today.  Let us keep our eyes on His reality, and the teaching of the poor widow who sacrificed all she had for the love of God, for there are those who have kept and are keeping their faith in the face of violence and the swords of those hostile to Christ.  Let us keep in mind the great sacrifices as gifts to God some are willing to make and have made -- even of their very lives and security -- as we celebrate the holidays with gifts of a commercial kind.   Remember our brothers and sisters across the world in your prayers.

 

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near

 

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

 

- Luke 21:20-28 

 

On Saturday we read that, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

 

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."  My study Bible comments that the phrase when you see indicates that many of the disciples would still be alive at the time of the destruction of the temple and the Siege of Jerusalem, which would come in AD 70.   According to fifth century church historians, the early church at Jerusalem fled east of the Jordan at these signs.   The destruction of the temple was complete (see Saturday's reading, above), so that Jesus' prophecy that not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down was fulfilled.  That great conflagration and intense fighting included not only terrible loss of life and starvation of Jerusalem's inhabitants but also a massive destructive fire that swept the city, indicating days of vengeance indeed and certainly horrific hardship for those who are pregnant and those who are nursing babies, making the necessary sudden flight impossible.

 

 "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  How will Christ return?  My study Bible comments that the event will be unmistakable to all the world, as He will be coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  

In the mystery of this revelation and prophesy, we are given a glimpse of what are called end times.  In popular literature and media, end times are often portrayed as only the extraordinarily dramatic and frightening events close to the immediate time of Christ's return and of judgment.  But this is not the picture of end times that Jesus gives us.  Instead, the "time of the end" indicates the whole of the age in which we live now.  That is, these events of the end times begin, in Christ's words here, with the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem, and continue until the time of His Second Coming, which will be apparent to all.  Of that specific time of His return, He says, "Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  But the rest of this discourse is concerned with times leading from the Siege of Jerusalem, through the present time, and until the time of His return, as described by Christ.  So what we observe from today's reading is a combination of worldly wars and disasters which we know, and then the signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken." There have been times in the history of the Church when the sign of the Son of Man has been reported in the sky, meaning a brilliant image of the Cross, such as that noted by St. Cyril of Jerusalem in a letter to the Emperor Constantius II in the year 351, which remained for several hours and reportedly shone brighter than the sun (see Apparition of the Holy Cross).  But it is noteworthy that in the discussions we have of Jesus teaching about end times in the Gospels, the later first century destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem are mingled together with the end of the created world in the fullness of time, and there is no clear sense of chronology given.  The only conclusion we can draw is the relationship between the terrible event of the decimation of the temple and the city and the cataclysmic events to come which we're told will culminate in the powers of the heavens being shaken and the return of Christ in a cloud with power and great glory.  Even until today the many wars, famines, and natural disasters we know about have continued throughout the history that we know.  Certainly the evidence of tremendous violence, in and of itself, is notable, such as the wars of the twentieth century, great and small, involving so much of the world, and the development of massively powerful technology with which to wage war is noteworthy in terms of a kind of progression that seems to tie these themes together.  We have echoes of these prophecies throughout the ages, but most clearly in today's world we have strong warnings about environmental challenges, even as the world today dwells with an almost studiously-ignored uncertainty regarding what is by now the most heightened risk of nuclear conflict in history.  None of us should be ignorant of the fact that war is by now waged on a number of fronts which includes new technologies, including information, infrastructure systems, and many varied types of weapons unheard of before.  A true world war at this time would be something far more devastating than what was experienced in the previous century.  But what we may draw from Jesus' presentation of end times is simply that from that particular "type" of destruction of the temple, which He characterizes as vengeance, echoing through history until today, the world is seized in its own conflicts and trauma.  The struggle for spiritual truth brought by Christ into the world remains, and in the midst of that spiritual struggle are all kinds of other struggles and conflicts that magnify and echo one another.  "What is truth?" becomes yet another important question at such times of conflict and violence.  Perhaps the most important meaning we take from Christ's prophecy must be the singular importance of maintaining our understanding of who we are and what we must be about -- that none of the fearsome things we know, or the unknown things we dread, throw us off the track of maintaining our spiritual mission as Christ's followers.  We are not to make timetables about "the end" nor are we supposed to view any of these things except as signs to remind us of our real identity and the maintenance of our souls as those which belong to Christ.  That is, to be following in His mission and commandments for us, and most especially to keep in mind the real mission to care for one another as He has taught.  As St. Paul put it, to comfort and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11).  These incidents that make us fear, great and small, man-made or seemingly natural, should function for us as echoes of the elements of Christ's prophecy, and at the same time reminders not to fear but put our trust in Christ.  For we have not only been told all things beforehand, but we are also those who are meant to live His teachings.   That would especially include the "new commandment" that we love one another as He has loved us.  In caring for one another, let us remember that includes comfort and encouragement, an assurance that there is a way God wants us to go forward in spite of difficulties and obstacles and fears of what might be.  For it is in Him whom we trust, and to Him we look to find our redemption.

 

 

For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled

 

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.   And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

 

- Luke 21:20–28 

 

On Saturday we read that, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

 

  "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."   Although His entire discourse on "end times" (here in Luke and elsewhere in other Gospels) mixes both the events to come in a generation in Jerusalem and the fullness of worldly time, here in these verses the focus is clearly on the Siege of Jerusalem, which would occur in AD 70.  Jesus quite vividly and truthfully describes the terror and destruction that is to come.  My study bible comments that Christ's phrase when you see is an indication that many of the disciples would still be alive at that time.  Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies is a reference to the difficulties of fleeing quickly in a time of desperation.  

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  These verses refer to the fullness of time and the "end" of worldly time.  Possibly we are to understand them as the playing out of the great spiritual conflict which exists unseen, and which is resolved in the power and authority of Christ.  But one thing is quite clear, and that is that when Christ returns it will be something unmistakable and not hidden to anyone.  Christ will be revealed with power and great glory:  these are the same words used by Matthew in Matthew 24:30.  My study bible comments that while at His first coming, Christ came in humility and mortality, at His second coming He will be revealed in "power and great glory."

 

 How do we think of Christ's second coming?  How do we think about the end of time, the fullness of the times of the world?  These things are great mysteries and they are meant to be and to remain great mysteries.  There is nowhere in the telling of these prophecies that Christ invites speculation about when they will happen.  Rather, He is giving us a warning not to be fooled and not to be afraid when we see calamitous things happening.  Christ's specific warnings about Jerusalem were clear to His followers, and for this reason, the early Church there was able to recognize the signs He foretold about the destruction of Jerusalem.  Neither would it be such a terrible shock and surprise to them when the temple was destroyed, an act which was likely to be unthinkable to the Jews of His time.  In fact, even the Romans had not wanted the temple to be destroyed, but in the heat and chaos of war there is no prediction of what will happen.  In its fullness, the Siege of Jerusalem must have simply been a horrendous thing to live through and to witness, just as Jesus describes it here.  It happened near the time of Passover, the city was full of pilgrims when a war of attrition began.  Just as Jesus says, an army encamped all around the city and it was "surrounded by armies" who prevented pilgrims from leaving, and allowed no provisions in, so people were slowly starved.  This is not something alien to wars then and now, and we should understand the full horror of what Jerusalem endured, even as fighting broke out among varied Jewish factions under the pressure of the siege.   We should think about Jesus' words of pity for the women who were pregnant and nursing babies, and consider that time and the things people went through.  Jesus calls this time "the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled."  We might well wonder what He is talking about.  He has given many warnings in parables about the rejection of Himself and His ministry, such as the one found in this reading about the Wicked Vinedressers.   In chapter 11, Jesus has said, "Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,' that the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation" (Luke 11:49-51).   What these words imply are not a condemnation upon the whole of the nation, nor are they in any way positive statements about the horrors of war (quite the opposite; see, for example, John 9:1-3).  But they do convey to us the reality of the power of God in the world, and the consequences of our rejection of the grace that is given to us.  These are not prophecies of foreboding and warning in some general sense.  They are statements about the consequences of knowingly rejecting something given by God:  a call, a revelation, a gift of God's love.  Jesus' statement in chapter 11 mentions the blood of all of the prophets "shed from the foundation of the world," a cumulative rejection which will have its effect in this generation.  What the prophets, Christ, and those who truly bear the Kingdom into the world have in common is that they are sent by God.  What we must take away from this is the understanding that whether or not we recognize some effect in the world that results from the rejection of God's call which has in some way been given as a gift of love, there really shouldn't be any doubt God's power is at work in the world, and that rejection of a gift of grace has its effect one way and another.   Whether we want to recognize that or not, whether we are conscious of this reality or not, there is little doubt that the power of this Kingdom is something real -- even a spiritual reality that might remain completely unknown to those who reject it for themselves.   At the end of the parable of the Wicked Vinedressers, Jesus speaks of the stone that was rejected:  that those who stumble upon it have a chance to think again and reconsider.    Without faith, none of this makes sense.  And certainly, the Gospels go out of their way to establish that not every hardship or difficulty results from sin -- far from it!  There is injustice aplenty that is no fault of the victims.   But let us not forget in times of hardship and difficulty -- as well as times of peace and plenty -- that the power of the Kingdom is something true and good and beautiful.  It works through the small and the weak (2 Corinthians 12:9), it lifts up the lowly, scatters the proud, pulls down even the mighty from their thrones (Luke 1:51-52), and its rejection has its effects, understood or not.  Let us consider at all times our participation through faith in this Kingdom, and count our blessings, recognizing our great gift and not taking it for granted.

 

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectations of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

  - Luke 21:20-28

In our current readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem, and it is what we know as Holy Week, the final week of the earthly life of Jesus.  He has been teaching daily in the temple, and also disputing with the religious leaders, who question His authority and also seek to trap Him.  But the common people listen eagerly to hear Him teach.  Yesterday we read that, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."  Jesus warns of what is to come in Jerusalem (at the Siege of Jerusalem, which would take place in 70 AD).   These events would effectively take place forty years after Christ's death.   Forty years after Christ's death indicates, according to St. John Chrysostom, a period of an entire generation given as grace and for consideration of the gospel message.  My study bible notes that the Lord's phrase when you see indicates that many of the disciples would still be living at that time.

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectations of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  Jesus speaks of the fulfillment of this time in which we live, which will culminate in His Return.  That they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory indicates this even will be unmistakable to all people, hidden from no one.  My study bible comments that at His first coming, Christ came in humility and mortality.  But at His second coming, He will be revealed in power and great glory, a phrase used also by Matthew (Matthew 24:30).

What does it mean that Jesus says that "Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled"?  I think we don't necessarily know a clear answer to that.  But certainly we can be given to understand we live in a period in which we simply await His Return -- and that we have no idea when that will occur.  God's time is not our time, and the fulfillment of prophesy is not a matter of simple calculation, nor immediate manifestation.  Moreover, all of Christ's emphasis is first of all upon warning His immediate disciples to be alert and aware of the time in which the Siege of Jerusalem would take place, and also that all of the Church -- for the entire period of existence of the Church -- is to remain alert for His Return.  That is, we're not to sit and calculate and speculate when that will happen.  Rather we remain alert to the things that we need to be about, how we best fulfill the mission He's given us, and to be the disciples He asks us to be.  In this sense, although 2,000 years have passed since Christ's life as Jesus, each of us has absolutely no time to waste.  Many will tell you that life is short, but what Jesus teaches us is that every moment counts, that He expects us to be alert and awake and fully present to His purposes in our daily lives.  Despite the power of prophecy and the temptation to speculate, if we don't take that message from what He tells us, then we are missing the point.  In this sense, every moment is precious.  Our walk of faith in our worldly lives is so essential that even the hair of our heads is numbered.  It is really remarkable how many teachings of Christ seem to indicate we have no time to waste.  When He warns against excess anxiety and useless worry (12:22-34), He's really teaching us not to waste our precious time.  He warns us that His Return will come as a thief in the night, at an hour we don't expect.   So our real purpose in hearing and heeding these warnings is to understand how deeply essential to God each moment of our lives in discipleship really is.  If we realized how precious our own life is, we would consider always what it is that we are to be about, how we may love God and grow in the practice of that love.  For each moment and for each person, there will always be ways to be busy being about "our Father's business."  We may always turn to prayer, for Christ calls faith in Him the work of God (John 6:28-29).  In a prayerful life, we may see things with a certain perspective, and whatever is before us to do will present opportunities for acting on that love of God, that faith in Christ.  We effectively consider at all times the two commandments that Jesus calls the greatest:  that we first love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength, and from this we love neighbor as ourselves.  The life lived as if all time is precious is one in which we do not forget this teaching, in which we understand that a moment lived in this love is not wasted -- and that there may be infinite ways of its expression depending upon our own circumstances.  It is a disposition of the heart that is the kind of alertness we're called to, and there will always be something at hand -- even if that means to sit in one's secret, private place and pray.  Sometimes that is indeed the best use of our time, as affirmed by Christ (Matthew 6:6).  Let us not forget that Christ also calls us to appreciate the beauty of the world and not to waste our time in useless toil (Matthew 6:28-29).  Moreover, we're to be aware of the good gifts we're given.   And we are always called back to ourselves, as was the Prodigal (15:17).  We might consider all the goals and challenges with which the world may present us; and contrast that with the humility He asks of us, the true and sober orientation of the heart He reminds us always to be alert to -- for it is there we will find our true challenge, the Way He asks of us, and how precious our every moment is to Him.  This is how we remain mindful of the reality of the time to "look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

- Luke 21:20-28

In current readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem, and teaches daily in the temple.  He has made His Triumphal Entry, cleansed the temple, and faced the challenges of the leadership.  He has also returned a few challenges of His own.  He speaks to the leadership, His disciples, and also the public.  (See readings from  Saturday,  Monday,  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).  In yesterday's reading,   Luke told us that as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified, for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines, and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."  My study bible says this is "a prediction of the siege and capture of Jerusalem by Titus, son of the Emperor Vespasian, in A.D. 70.  Damage included the total destruction of the temple."  Of the prediction regarding "all things which are written" that may be fulfilled, my study bible cites Daniel 9:24-27.   Regarding the fulfillment of "the times of the Gentiles" there is also a reference to the prophecy of Daniel (Dan. 9:27; 12:7).  Thus, Christ's mission into the world, and this prophecy regarding what is to come in Jerusalem, is never separate from the history of Jewish spirituality.  On the contrary, it is a fulfillment, as Christ has taught, of the Law and the Prophets.

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  Of this, my study bible tells us, "Cosmic as well as historical upheavals will precede the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  The expectation of Christ's return sums up the Christian hope and constitutes an important doctrine of the Church." 

One passage cited in my study bible regarding the end of the earth and the time when Christ returns is from Peter's Second Epistle (2 Peter 3:10).   This is a very interesting passage, because in the Greek what it tells us is that while the elements we know may be dissolved (with great heat or fire) what actually happens is a revelation or discovery of all that truly is, including all the "works" of the world.  In other words, Christ's return assures us of a deeper reality exposed, a true reality that includes hearts and minds, in which time doesn't function the way we understand it now.  This is to be a revelation of what actually is the full state of the world, in Christ's terms.  Prophecy understood in a similar vein tells us of the revelation of works through events that unfold as a result of the failure to acknowledge the full reality of God, and the presence of God's kingdom, even in this world.  Jesus has lamented over Jerusalem, saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!  But now they are hidden from your eyes.  For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation."  And, linking once again with the fullness of the history of Israel, today's lectionary also includes 1 Samuel 4:1-11, a time when another prophecy of destruction was fulfilled because of the failure to know "the things that make for your peace."  If we combine a look at the prophecies and their fulfillment, together with the understanding of the scenarios we're given of the end of the age, what we have is a depth of reality that includes all our "works," our choices -- the things we think are hidden but are not really so.  Our hidden choices work out into our own daily individual lives, just as on a grand cosmic scale beyond our understanding, so all "works" are to be exposed as the fabric of what truly is in this world.  When we consider the Kingdom to be something ephemeral, something we simply can't see and feel and know, and ignore its presence and relationship to our own internal lives, then we fail to include all of reality.  We fail to understand, really, what works for our peace -- and the depth of the meaning of the words "your peace."  Our peace is made up of much more than a mask or bandage covering up wounds or injustice, more than a sword that demands silence.  Our peace, on the contrary, is made up of the things of God, heeding the prophecy that comes from the presence of the Spirit, the words of Christ regarding righteousness and healing.  When we fail to acknowledge the full truth of this reality, we are blind to all that is, we fail to know what truly is.  The true fabric of reality is far more than what we see and feel around us, but requires a depth of understanding and a respect for that spiritual truth.  Let us remember that our inner worlds are as essential to us as the outer; our hearts and minds and souls are the place of this Kingdom and our capacity to bear it into the world -- and that so much depends on our wisdom to do this, and our failure to do so.

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near

"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days  of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

- Luke 21:20-28

At this point in Luke's gospel, Jesus is in Jerusalem, and it is Passion Week.  He has entered the city in His  Triumphal Entry, and wept over the city, lamenting its lack of peace.  He has cleansed the temple, and already run into confrontations with the leadership, as they asked Him, "Who is he who gave You this authority?".  He told a parable against them, warning them of the times of the Gentiles and of Judgement.   The leadership has tested Him regarding payment of taxes to the Romans, and life in the Resurrection.  He has spoken against the hypocrisy of the scribes and tested them, asking "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?"  He pointed out the poor widow, who gave all she had to the treasury, saying of her, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."  On Saturday, we read that as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, "These things which you see -- the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down."  So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be?  And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"  And He said:  "Take heed that you not be deceived.  For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and 'The time has drawn near.'  Therefore do not go after them.  But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified, for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."  Then He said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences, and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.  But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons.  You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand or what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But not a hair of your head shall be lost.  By your patience possess your souls."

 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days  of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."  Jesus speaks here directly of the Siege of Jerusalem.  My study bible notes, "A prediction of the siege and capture of Jerusalem by Titus, son of the emperor Vespasian, in A.D. 70.  Damage included the total destruction of the temple."  The "times of the Gentiles" seems to be the initiation of the time period in which we now live.  We note something remarkable that is important to us:  this time is not eternal.  It will be "fulfilled."  Because of His warnings, the early Church survived, leaving the city to escape the worst of the destruction.

"And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  In these verses we shift to the end of the age and the "fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles."  Jesus speaks of His return.  My study bible says that "cosmic as well as historical upheavals will precede the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  The expectation of Christ's return sums up the Christian hope and constitutes an important doctrine of the Church."

It's interesting to consider the return of Christ in the light of what He has to say about the different "ages" or "generations" (in upcoming verses in tomorrow's reading).  We get a sense from the Gospels of the nature of time as we know it and understand it.  This is a sense in which modern science, especially physics and theoretical physics, confirms what Christians have understood from Scripture.  Time is something we experience in a particular way, and we understand it through our experience.  But it is a God-created reality within which we live, and one in which we are to understand our own nature as finite in this sense that our notion of time will end.  When the "times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" it is the time of the initiation of the Kingdom and of His return.  Jesus has also spoken about life in the Resurrection in recent readings, when He addressed a question about marriage from the Sadducees.  The important thing that we learned -- and it is truly a transcendent statement, giving us understanding of a cosmic significance -- from Jesus' reply is that "He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  In this place at the end of what we know as time, we live and so do those who have gone before us; there is a communion of saints, and this is the nature of what is inaugurated at His return.  In the initiation of this time that is the end of our understanding of time, Jesus says, "the powers of the heavens will be shaken."  Perhaps we may speculate that time, which twentieth century scientists have called the fourth dimension within which we are bound in our lives, will be one of the "powers of the heavens" that will be shaken in the inauguration of this new time, the eternal time of the Kingdom, in which all live to Him.  At any rate, I am not a scientist, and perhaps I speak generally about things I do not unfortunately completely understand.  But it's important that we note that while popular presentation would have us believe that religion and science don't mix, I would beg to disagree, and I point to the Church Fathers' understanding about this "temporal" or "temporary" nature of time and its shift in order to point out that the Gospels give us insights which modern theoretical physics would tend to bear out.  We can speculate all we would like, and this is quite interesting, but as we read on we will see the nature of Christ's emphasis despite His predictions.  As in Saturday's reading, His emphasis is on the choices we make, our constant need for alertness and preparation for His return in the here and now -- as indeed it has remained true through twenty centuries since His Incarnation that Judgment, or Resurrection will happen for all of us.  And so, in reality, every moment counts, to each moment we are to live as if He returns imminently, "like a thief in the night."  Jesus has promised that His return will be "at an hour you do not expect."  Time, in this respect, created for us in our nature, gives us opportunity:  for choices, for repentance, for thinking about who we are in relatedness to God, for moving forward on that journey to Christ, to the place in which we all live to Him.  St. Athanasius, among other Church Fathers, has expressed the thought that, "God became man so that man might become a god."  In other words -- and it is important that we are talking about the created nature of time in which we live -- we return to the Beginning, to Genesis and read that we are to grow in God's likeness.  We are created "in the image and likeness of God."  Created in God's image, time as we understand it gives us constant opportunity to grow in that likeness, to cooperate with grace, to say "yes" to the Spirit, to our baptism.  How do we take advantage of each moment?  Can we consider its importance as He would have us do?  On Saturday, Jesus spoke of the overwhelming preciousness of our souls.  Each moment must be valued for what it truly is:  a gift.