We’re getting closer to the end of our church year. In fact in a few Sundays, it will be the beginning of the Advent season. The Church’s New Year.
In our Gospel lesson for this Sunday Christ disciples make reference to the large buildings, temples if you will, to which Christ tells them “not one stone will be left here upon another, all will be thrown down.” The end of things as they see them or as some would say the end of times as you know them.
The world may seem like it is falling apart but God is not through with us, not by a long shot! Jesus reminds us not to create treasures here on earth. We must create treasures in heaven. Things that we think are permanent in our lives are only temporary. You see material goods are temporary. They can be taken away. Our journey through life is short. We are travelers passing through. Our true home is in heaven and our true wealth is in knowing Jesus’ loves and cares for each of us.
As we travel through life Jesus expects his disciples to be the first people to counter false prophets, to show compassion to the victims of natural disasters and those in need. False prophets will always arise. If we ignore what they teach or say, they won’t survive. The main reason why false teachers can thrive is because of our secular society. They try to gain satisfaction from earthly things such as possessions, status, positions or wealth, but the only thing that gives us true satisfaction is faith in God.
God’s answer to trouble is trust. He wants us to trust him in times of trouble, as we go through life.
Sunday’s Gospel from Mark was not meant to make us worry about the future. It was written to offer comfort to believers who are struggling to make sense of their world and their lives. We have the same struggles, so this passage gives us comfort as well.
The destruction of the temples was not the end. It was about new beginnings in faith. A building may be destroyed, but the place where God dwells can’t be destroyed because God lives in Jesus and his word lives in the hearts and minds of all believers.
We have had many challenges in recent times. It is my hope that you can take comfort in the knowledge that although your physical makeup may be changing, your spiritual makeup will remain the same or increase, especially if God lives in your hearts and minds.
