Jesus: Only Sign You Need

𝐍𝐎𝐕. 𝟐𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐊 𝐈𝐍 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈: 𝐃𝐚𝐧 𝟐:𝟑𝟏-𝟒𝟓

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐃𝐚𝐧 𝟑:𝟓𝟕-𝟔𝟏 “𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐦”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐋𝐊 𝟐𝟏:𝟓-𝟏𝟏

𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝑽𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆: “𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅. 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆, 𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒉𝒆.” (𝒗.8) 

            Had there been a sign of what would befall church organizations, ministries, apostolates, religious and Christian communities, then splits, dissolutions and or divisions that have affected such groups and even in the political realm could have been avoided.

            There is nothing as painful as to see Christian organizations wracked by division and disunity especially when these come from the work of human hands that could be avoided if only the people who belong to these organizations will focus in building the kingdom of God in their hearts.

         There are times also when people who make up the church or community look for signs to guide their actions, programs or projects. Some even pray imploring God to give them a sign of the things to come oblivious of the time and opportunities they missed during the period of waiting.

         This was the same scenario in this passage when the disciples of Jesus asked him for a sign as to when the destruction of the Temple that he prophesied would take place as the Jews just couldn’t believe that their Temple which was a beautiful structure with a historical value would be destroyed.

         The Temple Jesus was referring was not the Temple that Solomon built because this was destroyed by the Babylonians in the Sixth Century B.C. The Temple in Jerusalem where Jesus was teaching was built by Ezra but this was desecrated by the Seleucids in the Second Century B.C. and was reconsecrated by the Maccabees and was expanded and adorned during the time of Herod the Great.

         But what lay hidden from the minds of the Jews at the time was that Jesus was not only prophesying about the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem that happened 70 years later but he was also referring to his own body as the Temple of worship that would also be destroyed at the cross and will be rebuilt in three days when he resurrects from the dead. At the same time, Jesus could also be referring to the Temple of the Holy Spirit in us that we destroy on account of our sins.

         As with his disciples, we too at times are enamored by signs that we equate with what happens in our lives. And in this passage, Jesus shows he could read the signs of events that are yet to come. While his disciples are unaware of the things to come, Jesus saw of terrible things that are coming which only proves that he comes from above.

         Jesus warned of earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places and if we are to equate this with what is happening now, we will assume the end is near. But this warning can also be taken in a different light. It might not be the environment that we are in that Jesus is referring to but it could be our own self.

        This prophecy was made more than 2,000 years ago and this is still happening today. In the same way the lessons of the Scriptures are as good today as when they were before and perhaps the loss of lives when calamities strike as when Western Visayas was inundated by Typhoon Yolanda could have been minimized if our government officials have been reading the Scriptures.

         Many of us have experienced earthquakes in our lives in the form of the pain and frustration we experienced that jolted us. We have experienced famine when we deprive ourselves of the Word of God which is the food that nourishes our souls. And the pestilence such as sickness, diseases, loss of job, loss of income, persecution that we suffer from.

         From these experiences, those who remain faithful to God are given the Grace to rise from their pains and suffering and this is actually what this passage says that there will be persecution, suffering and difficulties that we will face but he also assures us of our salvation if we will only fix our eyes on him.

         What God is saying in this Gospel of today is for us to make use of our faith and hope of his second coming to equip us in resisting all occasions of sin. As Jesus warned his disciples and he is warning us now that false messiahs that would come after him, of natural disasters and persecutions but we can count on him for protection as we anticipate his return in glory.

         Many times, we remain indifferent to the decadence that has permeated our culture. Abortion, divorce, same-sex marriage, immorality, unabated graft and corruption, inexplicable greed for wealth and power have invaded our country and our church and we at times don’t recognize there is now within us a moral crisis.

          The United States has now recognized there is a need for them to revive their educational system in both the home and in the institutions from where the right values and cultures emanate.

         The time has also come for the Philippines to rethink what happened to the age-old values that use to define the exemplary character of its citizens. Today, the country is currently drowning in a sea of immoral behavior from the top of the totem pole of the government sector to the lowest hireling in public service.

         The degree of graft and corruption that has surfaced is enough to send shockwaves to even the deepest jungles of the country’s 7,641 islands. What is more shocking is the apparent shamelessness in the way public funds were apportioned and stolen.

         We must accept and it is time for everyone to go back to the Gospel values if we want to be spared the trials and tribulations that Jesus spoke of in this passage. Many will come as prophets, teachers and as messiahs and they are already in our midst, and it is only through the Gospel that we can be clothed with the Grace to overcome these falsities.

         In this coming Season of Advent, we can all take possession of his Grace and mercy by awaiting the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ with great anticipation because it is on the day of his birth that light comes into the world. And by believing and accepting him as the Son of God, we who are in darkness are brought into the marvelous light of his Kingdom. (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 - 𝘕𝘰𝘷. 25, 2025)