Daily Gospel Reflection

It Will All Be Torn Down

Welcome back to Radical & Relevant, where each day we explore the genius of the gospels, the life and teachings of Jesus. And each day, looking for a word or a phrase or an idea that jumps out at you, the Holy Spirit uses to grab your attention so that we can live the gospel through that word, that phrase, or that idea today. Today's reading is from the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 21, Verses 5 through 11.

And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, Jesus said, "And as for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." And they asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?" And he said, "“Take heed that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, I am he, and the time is at hand. Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once."

What jumps out at you today is that Jesus is prophesying about the future. He's talking about the temple in Jerusalem. He's saying to these people, "Okay, this amazing, magnificent, awe-inspiring structure there is a time in the future where not one stone will be left upon another. It will be all torn down to the ground." And for these people, this concept for them, I mean, we build buildings very quickly in today's culture, but the temple had been multi-generational building. And Jesus is saying, "Yeah, it's all going to be ripped down." What jumps out at you today? What jumps out at me is that we're building stuff, right? We're building stuff as human beings. And it helps, I think, to keep in mind that it will all be torn down. It will not one stone will be left upon another. Somewhere in the future, we don't know how far in the future, but that reality is coming.

We were in Fatima recently for the world consecration to the Eucharist. I got my t-shirt on today. And I was talking to the people. And one day during the retreat, I said to them, "99.999% of the stuff you own is going to end up at St. Vincent de Paul or Goodwill or in the trash." And I could see a couple of people in the audience that they even physically pulled back because it does make you think, right? I talk the kids all the time, driving past the mall, be like, "There's nothing in that mall that's going to mean anything to you 20 years from now." Nothing. Not a single thing. But we do; we accumulate stuff, right? And that's a different way of building up. But it's all going to be torn down, it's all going to be thrown away, and we're going to be left with what? We're going to be left with who we are and who God is, and what our relationship with God and each other looks like. Let's think about that today. Have an amazing day. And remember, Be Bold, Be Catholic.