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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.” Luke 21:5–6
In a literal way, this prophecy of our Lord came true. In 70 A.D.,
the Temple upon which they were commenting was destroyed. After
prophesying this, Jesus then goes on to warn the disciples that
there will be many confusions that will come. There will be false
prophets, wars and insurrections, powerful earthquakes, famines,
plagues, “and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the
sky.” Why does Jesus prophesy all of these things?
The answer was simple. He was not trying to scare them. He was not
simply trying to satisfy their curiosity. Instead, He was warning
them and preparing us all so that we do not become misled or
terrified when they come. He says, “See that you not be deceived”
and “do not be terrified.”
As the old saying goes, “Life is not a bowl of cherries.” While we
live in this fallen world, chaos, confusion, deception, abuse,
scandal, conflict and the like will be all around us. And when we
do come face-to-face with any such difficulty, there is a
temptation to fear, anger and despair. Be it family conflicts,
civil unrest or even divisions within the Church itself, God wants
us to remain at peace and to trust Him always.
Take Jesus’ own life as an example. He was arrested, falsely
accused, sentenced to death and crucified. And through it all, He
remained at peace, knowing that His suffering would become the very
source of new life. God can use all things for good for those who
love and serve Him.
Reflect, today, upon the undeniable fact that your life will
involve difficulty. Sometimes that difficulty is self-imposed as a
result of your sin, and sometimes it is unjustly imposed on account
of the sin of another. Truth be told, we should only be concerned
about our own sin. If other challenges come your way that are out
of your control, then use those challenges as opportunities to
trust. Entrust all things to God, every suffering, every
persecution, every tragedy, every struggle, everything. If God the
Father could bring about the greatest good ever known through the
brutal murder of His own divine Son, then He can certainly do the
same with all that you offer to Him in trust. Trust at all times
and in all circumstances, and our all-powerful Lord will bring good
from everything.
My most powerful Lord, You warned us of the many hardships that
would come our way before Your glorious return. You did so to help
prepare us and to strengthen us in those moments of testing. Please
give me the grace I need to always trust in You and to surrender
over to You every cross I carry. I do believe, dear Lord, that You
can bring good from everything, even those things that are most
difficult in life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.com
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Featured image above: Jesus teaches in the Temple by Jan van
Orley, via Wikimedia Commons
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