“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 21:16
In today’s Gospel, Jesus overhears the people making comments and admiring the beauty of the temple, and his remark to them serves as a reminder, especially as we approach the end of the liturgical year, that the things of this world are passing away but the things of God are forever, warning us to keep our eyes on God and eternal life. We may dwell too long on the things of the world that we don’t take the time to be with God and serve God as He expects of us. To “secure our lives,” as Jesus proclaims, we must be observant of God’s way and not be overly concerned with something like finding just the right vase for the living room or choosing just the right color for our new car. Instead, our concern is about offering God proper worship and serving his people with mercy and love. As we approach the season of Thanksgiving and Christmas, for example, we should be more conscious of those in need, for the sick, or for families who are misplaced, and not to just be their voice in our society but to find ways that we can serve them better and help them attain a better life. This is just one example of the things that are “concerning” in the eyes of the Lord and what He asks of us if we’re to “secure our lives.”
This week the Church offers us a good example of someone who sought to “secure her life” by giving herself in service to God and his people in Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, a woman who manifested such great love for the poor and suffering that she has become the patroness of Catholic charities. She was the daughter of the King of Hungary but chose a life of penance and temperance instead of the life of leisure and luxury. This choice endeared her in the hearts of the common people throughout Europe. She understood well the lessons and warnings of Jesus, especially the one which we hear today, and so, she dedicated her life to God’s people, serving the humblest needs of others. She could have lorded over her subjects, but instead, she chose to love from the heart. May she then be for us an inspiration to serve God from the heart and to discern the things that truly matter in life. Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, pray for us.
In Christ
Fr Robert