Word to the Wise
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 - Tuesday in the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
[Revelation 14:14-19 and Luke 21:5-11]While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, "All that you see here - the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2008 TUESDAY IN THE THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME [Revelation 14:14-19 and Luke 21:5-11] While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, "All that you see here - the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down." The last days of Jesus in Jerusalem are filled with incidents that are rich in irony and feeling. Yesterday the Widow called attention to the whole temple "system" which, like so many big churches in all times and places, needed cash to operate. In the case of Jews, the temple tax was an obligation! While Luke is telling this story through the filter of memory (since this gospel was put into writing after the destruction of the temple in 70AD), the temple must have been quite an impressive place. As pointed out by the scripture, it took a long time for Herod to renovate the place! (cf. John 2:20) Like all church renovations, it was a controversial project! Some of the companions of Jesus, who may not have ever traveled to Jerusalem, might have been amazed and gawking at all the decorations, etc., much like we would be the first time we enter one of the great medieval cathedrals and other large places of worship! Jesus says to them simply that pretty soon it would all be torn down! Such a prophetic utterance is not easy to digest! The loss of the temple was like the end of the world to many of the early Christians, and the Gospel of Luke is trying to point out that it is NOT the end of the world, no matter how bad things seemed to be then and at the time of the gospel's writing! History showed the destroyer (Jerusalem's religious leadership tried to "destroy" Jesus) became the destroyed (the Romans literally flattened the place in 70AD) The rich tapestry of Judaism was for a long while distilled down simply to the Pharisaic form that survived the temple before the "diaspora" (scattering to the winds) gave rise to a greater variety. Christianity left behind the temple roots and identified itself with the person of Jesus. History again shows what happened, especially at the hands of St. Paul. The whole reflection reminds me of the danger of associating my faith with any human-made building or symbol. Yes, and yes again, such things are helpful, but they are subject to those forces of nature that are far greater: hurricanes, earthquakes, fire, flood, etc. Faith should not collapse with them. AMEN
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