Lk 21:20-28
[Jesus said to his disciples,] 20“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand.21Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, 22for these days are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled.
23Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people. 24They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
25“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”
Reflection:
When these signs begin to happen. Jesus foretells the destruction of Jerusalem and the coming of the Son of Man.
We need no prophecies to foresee the destruction of our world. We have mismanaged and abused our environment, and Mother Earth is getting back at us. Terrible calamities will come upon the earth. Global warming, climate change, and environmental disasters are wrathful judgments upon us. These are not “acts of God.” We have called these calamities upon ourselves. We need to respect Mother Nature which has been entrusted to us if we wish her to respect us. Let us all do our share to protect our world. It is the only real playground we can pass on to our children.
We can also read the signs in our relationships and our affairs. Our soul and conscience give us signals when we are turning away from God. Let us read them and heed God’s call before we find ourselves in a dry, dark land.
Do five acts of kindness or charity today to keep you off your worries.