Breakfast with the Word Tuesday 34th Week Ordinary Time of the Year B
Time is changing and in constant motion. One thing with time is that it is never static, latent and unchanging. Time shall come when what we see today will become obsolete. There will be a time when where we are today will become a thing of the past.
In today’s gospel, the jews praise the temple for its beauty and grand appearance. Jesus reminds them that a time shall come when this beauty will become a thing of the past.
Jesus predicts the destruction of the temple which later came into fulfilment after forty years. The point is that as the Church’s liturgical year drifts to the end, the church uses these readings to also remind us of the end of life.
A Little Understanding.
The temple in question was rebuilt by Ezra and Zerubbabel (Ezra 6:15) but was later expanded and refurbished by Herod from 19BC to A.D 63. So it became the centre of Jewish life.
In describing how beautiful the temple is, Josephus a Jewish Historian says that the temple was adorned with gold plates on the outside, which sparkles when the sun shines on it. It is not only that it is so big but extremely radiant in appearance. For many jews then, the temple became like an idol. The temple means more to them than God even.
The Jews show so much reverence to the temple that even speaking against the temple can be seen as blasphemy (Acts 6:13). But after 40 years of Jesus’ prediction, the temple was destroyed by the Romans. The beauty was lost, the gold melted and no stone was left unturned.
Today, when the people wanted to know the sign when this would happen, Jesus responded that there will be a series of false prophets, wars and revolutions and terrifying events but the end will not come at once.
Here, Jesus also reminds that a time will come when the beauty we see today, the adornments we all strive for will be a thing of the past.
The Irony of Life.
The irony of life is that nothing that we strive to acquire and possess will last forever but this is still where we pay more attention.
Today, many people can go to any extent to acquire wealth. We pay more attention to buy lands, properties and become somebody in life. You can do everything humanly possible to safeguard your cars and properties.
We beautify our houses and pay 100 per cent attention to look nice and appear neat. Sometimes we buy costly jewellery to appear gorgeous. Hence, we pay little or no single attention to our relationship with God.
Therefore, we forget that our souls need more attention than everything we try to possess because in the end none of these things we strive for will follow us to the world beyond. Only our relationship with God will.
The Time must Surely Come
The time must surely come when everything we struggle to have will become vanity and we begin to long for last-minute repentance.
A time will come when that beauty you strive to maintain will surely fade. There will be a time when the political position you enjoy today and you feel you have arrived must surely vanish from your eyes. Most of the expensive things of the yesteryears are no longer there today.
Man must understand that everything he sees in the world is ephemeral. They will surely fade away just like they come. Time will surely come when every position we enjoy today will be a thing of the past. Everything in life is simply momentary.
There must surely be a time when everything we boast of today will be a story. And finally, everything that has a beginning must come to an end. Like we come, so we must go. The time will surely come.
Life changes with time and a time for the changes must surely come. Time will also come when whatever you are passing through now will be a story. When we understand the mystery of life, we would purposely guide our steps. Everything is a matter of time.
May God bless you dearest and give us the grace to remain close to Him. May He always abide with you. Amen.
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