THE TEXT BELOW IS THE TRANSCRIPTION OF THE VIDEO COMMENTARY BY FR. FERNANDO ARMELLINI

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A good Sunday to all.

We are at the end of the Gospel according to Luke, which has accompanied us throughout this liturgical year; Jesus is in Jerusalem; he has reached the end of his journey, and the people are preparing for the feast of the Passover, that Passover for Jesus will be the last of his life. The passage of the Gospel that we are going to listen to places Jesus in an undetermined point of the city, but certainly, it is a place from which it is possible to contemplate the temple of Jerusalem. The evangelist Mark says that he was on the Mount of Olives, together with Peter, Andrew, James and John.

And the Mount of Olives, as you can see in the picture in the background, is the ideal place to contemplate the esplanade of the temple. Let’s reference this construction to understand better what we are told in today’s passage. The building was commissioned by Herod the Great. Why did he want to make this wonderful building? He wanted to be a great builder of the Roman Empire along with Agrippa, the son-in-law of Caesar Augustus. But he also wanted to ingratiate himself with the priestly aristocracy because of the temple which had been built after the exile was rather ugly; and he also wanted to win the sympathy of the people who considered him a usurper because he was not a Jew; he was the son of an Idumean man and a Nabataean woman.

Construction had begun in 19 B.C., and when I hear the dates of this time, of this period,even when I read the facts of secular history, I always wonder what was going on in Nazarethin those years. In 19 B.C., Mary must have been two years old and Joseph four years old, and maybe they were playing together… (we close parentheses). The construction of that temple you see behind me has required the work of more than 100,000 workers.

The Israeli archaeologists affirm that the wonders of the ancient world were not seven but nine; to the classical seven two had to be added: One of them was the temple, and when we say temple, we mean something different from the sanctuary. Temple referred to all that esplanade and the arcades along the four sides. One you remember very well, Solomon’s arcade, which was the one that was on the East of the esplanade and also the royal porch,which ran along the south side, the Sanhedrin, women’s, and Israelites’ courts.

This was the Temple, an architectural marvel; even today, one is amazed how they were able to build it at that time with the tools they had at their disposal. The other marvel was the sanctuary, and by sanctuary we mean the central part, the most sacred part of the temple, where the ‘Holy One’ was, the Menorah, the seven-branched candelabrum, and then the altar to offer incense to the Lord. We remember Zechariah, who went in to offer incense and had the revelation that he would be the father of John the Baptist. And then, the sanctuary, especially the Holy of Holies, where it was believed that the glory of the Lord dwelt.

The sanctuary was built by one thousand priests who had been taught the art of stonecutters because Herod did not want those stones to be touched by unclean hands. It took a year and a half to complete the sanctuary. Then we also remember two significant places in this reconstruction of the temple: the basilica or the royal arcade, which I have already mentioned, and which was 185 meters long, in two floors, and each one of those two floors had four rows of columns, 40 columns each row, and each column was 10 meters high, plus a Corinthian capital of one meter eighty. Imagine the wonder of this regal porch. On the first floor was the market of lambs, of doves, that market from where Jesus drove out the sellers.

I mention, finally, the golden gate, the ‘beautiful gate,’ Nicanor’s gate, golden gate because it was all covered with gold. It was an exaggeration; the historian Josephus Flavius says that the thickness of the gold was that of a coin. We must remember that the contemplation of this marvel of the temple was accompanied by the music that was performed there, the singing of the Levites. The Levites and their instruments were placed right on the steps, in front of this gate of Nicanor, the gate that separated the court of the women from the court of the Israelites. where was the altar for offering burnt offerings and sacrifices.

In the time of Jesus, it was said that he who had not seen the splendid Jerusalem had not seen beauty. He who has not seen the sanctuary where the Lord dwells has not seen the magnificence. And, indeed, the desire of every Israelite was to behold, at least once in his life, this magnificent building, to go and see the face of the Lord. “When shall I go and see the face of the Lord” (Ps 42), says that Levite who had been banished to the springs of the Jordan.

I said that Jesus was with a group of people contemplating this construction and someone said to him: ‘Look how wonderful.’ Let’s listen to Jesus’ reaction:

“While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, he 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.’ Then they asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this happen?’”

The statement made by Jesus must have not only surprised and amazed all those present but also scandalized them. All considered the sanctuary in which the glory of the Lord resided as indestructible and unshakable; how could Jesus affirm that there would not be left one stone upon another of the temple? Could it be that the Lord was not able to protect his dwelling place? Jesus would have wanted to avoid this catastrophe by all means; let us remember that he wept for the city of Jerusalem that had rejected his Gospel and which, therefore, would come to a dramatic end.

Jesus had made his proposal of a new world, a world of brotherhood, of sharing, of mutual service, and those who do not accept his proposal and want to perpetuate the old world, that of competition, where the strongest subjugates the weakest, those who want to remain in this old world can only decree their ruin. And indeed, the catastrophe came 40 years later, when the army of Titus surrounded and then destroyed this city with its temple.

In the background, you see the famous relief of the Arch of Titus in Rome, where are the soldiers who carried the furniture of the temple and the seven-branched candelabrum, the Menorah. Those present were astonished by what Jesus said and they ask him when these things will happen. Jesus does not answer because he does not know when it will happen, but he is concerned with indicating to the disciples how they should position themselves before this dramatic event.

When Luke wrote his Gospel, there was no longer a stone left upon a stone of the temple; it had already been destroyed. How to interpret this fact, and what lessons were Christians to draw from this drama? Those who approached the temple were to offer sacrifices and ask for blessings and favors from the Lord. Jesus wanted that no stone was left upon a stone of this way of relating with God. He wanted it to be erased forever from people’s hearts, this image of God adored in the temple, of the God who grants his favors to those who offer him something, sacrifices, good works, songs, and prayers, and denies these benefits to those who do not submit to him.

The temple of Jerusalem represented this commercial relationship with the Lord, and Jesus wanted it to be eliminated forever. The God preached by Jesus is the God of unconditional and gratuitous love. The God of Jesus offers his benefits to the wicked and to the good. The destruction of the material temple was to be read as a transition from the old temple to the new temple Jesus was talking about.

In the background is a picture I took from the western tunnel of the temple esplanade.That stone you see emerging from the western wall of the esplanade is the foundation stone of the world. It is the holiest place in Judaism (levenascerkiah). The tradition of Israel says that from this stone, God has woven the whole world and on this stone, and another one that came forth in the Holy of Holies, on this stone the High Priest on the day of Yom Kippur entered to shed the blood of atonement for sins. This stone came to the surface on the Holy of Holies.

Notice that in front of this stone, I repeat, the holiest place in Israel, there are always people in prayer day and night, especially women. In fact, the wailing wall is holy because it is the place of prayer closest to this stone. The material temple that had this stone in its center has collapsed. What can this event mean to a Christian? It means that this stone has given way to another stone, the one that God has laid at Passover, the cornerstone of a new temple, a temple not material, but of living stones, of those who unite their life of love to that of Christ; and from this temple the only sacrifices that ascend to heaven pleasing to God are the works of love.

This is the reading that Luke wants his communities to do of the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem. So, how to live this moment of passage from the old temple to the new temple? Jesus gives two indications; let’s listen to the first one:

“He answered, ‘See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them!”

Since everyone expects and desires the birth of a new world, of a new man, Jesus says that there is danger of being deceived by false messiahs; they will present themselves in his name, that is, as savior, as anointed of the Lord, that is, as divine; they will use the expression ‘I am,’ which is an exclamation that in the Gospel recalls the name of God. ‘Be on your guard,’ says Jesus, ‘do not go after them.’

This is a very topical recommendation, even today. We have had recent experiences of ideologies and political parties that have come forward announcing the advent of the new world, of the new man. They have presented themselves as saviors of the world, but they have turned out to be diabolical, and those who followed them have become accomplices of inhuman projects.

We must also be careful with other messianisms, that of science and technology, which have impregnated all aspects of our life. When they preach that we must do everything that can be done, they turn against man. Beware, too, not to confuse the new world with the latest novelty, with the latest fashion proposed by those who today manage to capture the attention of the public on social media and pass it off as good, even if the morals contradict the Gospel.

Beware—Jesus says—because they deceive you; they will say that the ‘time’ has come, and here the Greek term used is not χρόνος – kronos, which indicates the calendar time, but καιρός – kairos; they will tell you that it is a good time, the auspicious time to change things;there will come those who will say, ‘the times have changed; certain morals, certain values, are legacies of the past to be forgotten, things of the Middle Ages.’ ‘Beware,’ says Jesus, ‘do not let yourselves be charmed by proposals contrary to my Gospel, for they deceive you.

Let us now listen to the second indication of what to do that he gives us:

“’When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”

At this point, to communicate his message, Jesus resorts to apocalyptic language. We know that today, unfortunately, this adjective is incorrectly used as a synonym for catastrophic, not. Apocalyptic has nothing to do with catastrophes; although journalists talk about apocalyptic drought, apocalyptic tsunami, apocalyptic disaster, no. This adjective comes from the Greek verb ἀποκαλύπτω – apocalypto; ἀπο (apo) means away and καλύπτω (kalypto) to conceal. Hence, it is the removal of that which conceals, of that which is veiled, of that which prevents things from being seen. Jesus uses it precisely in this sense; he does not want to frighten us but to encourage us because this is what the apocalypticswanted.

Jesus wants to take away the veil that prevents us from seeing our history, what is happening in our world, and seeing it with God’s eyes. He speaks of wars, revolutions,earthquakes, famine, and pestilence, terrifying facts but nothing new. It is what we have always seen in our world and what is happening even today before our eyes.

The challenge is how to read these events, and there are two ways of looking at these realities. The first is discouragement in the face of something inescapable, and it is said, ‘there is nothing to be done,’ ‘you must give up and resign yourself because it will always be like this, we can’t do anything about it; nothing will change in our world; these things will always happen, and it will always be like this; and the new world announced by Jesus was a utopia, and we feel sorry for it.’ If the evil one can convince us He has won that the new world that Jesus initiated will never be realized. And that is what Jesus wants to avoid. He wants to make us see how things are in God’s eyes, in God’s plans.

The apocalyptic authors of Jesus’ time invited us to read the painful situations of humankind in a different way; not as pains that prelude death, but as birth pains, as the signs of death that a new world was about to be born; and, therefore, it was the invitation to courage, commitment in the realization of God’s plan. This is the vision in which Jesus wants to involve his disciples; he wants to tell us that the new world is at the gates, the transition between the two epochs of history is imminent, between the old world and the new. A few verses later (but which are not read in today’s passage) Jesus will recommend: “When these things begin to happen, lift up your heads because your deliverance is at hand.”

Now the question: Will the ancient world resign itself to disappear, or will it struggle bitterly to survive; will it persecute those who strive to remove it from its midst, to eliminate it? Let us listen to what Jesus says:

“’Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.’”

Some sufferings and tribulations happen unwanted, but there are others to be reckoned with that will certainly happen to you if certain choices are made. If one chooses to follow Christ, they must know that there is a price to pay, will be persecution. Jesus did not want to deceive his disciples; he did not promise them an easy life, he did not assure them applause,approval on the part of the people, but insistently reiterated that adherence to him would entail opposition. He said that what happens to the Master will also happen to them. He was called Beelzebub the master of the house, What can be expected of his followers?

Why this persecution? Because Jesus started a new world and the old world is not resigned to disappearing. The true face of God challenged the religious institution presented by Jesus, and they reacted. Against Jesus, they have thrown stones; what can the disciples expect? The economy of the Roman Empire was based on slavery. Between 20 and 30% of the population were slaves, then comes the Gospel that speaks of universal brotherhood and calls into question the whole institution.

What can the heralds of this newness of love for all expect? They will be persecuted.And Jesus said it, ‘Worry if you are not persecuted. Woe unto you when all speak well of you,for it means that you reason like the pagans and live like them.’ The problem is how to behave when they persecute them because persecution will undoubtedly come. It is beautiful something that I have already quoted in another video, what a bishop of the East answeredwho was living in a dramatic condition of persecution, answered one of his brothers from the West who asked him, How can one live in such a difficult situation? He replied: ‘I don’t understand how you, people in the West, live as Christians without being persecuted?’

Jesus now tells us how his disciples should behave in persecution. The first indication he gives: ‘You will have the opportunity to bear witness.’ What kind of witness? With words? No. Let’s try to think, when can you demonstrate that you are meek? Certainly not when you’re lying on the couch and enjoying a piece of classical music alone; that’s not the time when you can testify that you’re meek. You will have the opportunity to demonstrate it when somebody offends you in the street and you don’t react with another offense. When can you show that you are a generous person? Your testimony of generosity will be when you help a needy person. When will you be able to testify unequivocally that you are a disciple of Christ? This is what Jesus says, that persecution offers you the opportunity to demonstrate that you can love those who hate you, bless those who curse you, do good to those who want to take your life.

Persecution puts the disciple in the ideal position to testify that with Christ, a new Spirit has come in into the world, a divine power that makes one capable of loving his enemies. Those who are not animated by this Spirit, respond to evil with evil, to the offense with an offense. We remember Lamech, who reacted to evil with retaliation, he was able to kill one if he provoked him. Then came a more humane way of doing justice, with the law of ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’ But this was not yet the new justice brought by Jesus. Thus, ‘if someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other; if they rob you of his cloak, also offer your tunic; if they force you to go a mile, walk two miles.’ If this happens, we are before irrefutable proof that a new world has begun. This is what Jesus says: in the persecution, my disciples must not lose the opportunity to give this testimony of the highest love, the love of the enemy.’

“But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” Why should they not prepare their defense? Because they would be tempted to prepare it according to the standards of this world; ‘do not put yourselves on the same level as your aggressors, you must let yourselves be always guided by love, by the voice of the Spirit.’ Then yours must always be words not suggested by pride, by the will to prevail, by revenge,but only words of love, of peace, of hope. Aggressiveness would ruin everything. The other must understand that you love him, not that you want to defeat him; your persecutors must convince themselves that your strength lies in your fragility and weakness according to the world’s criteria. Then, keep in mind that you are not wolves, you are lambs among wolves; do not put on the wolf’s skin; you are not wolves, always behave like lambs.

“You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends.” Here the evangelist refers to a law foreseen in Deuteronomy chapter 13, where it is said that when one abandons the faith and becomes an idolater, the relatives are authorized and even blessed if they kill him. Of course, this did not occur materially, but it is to say how serious this choice was to forsake God and become an idolater. Jesus says, ‘my disciples will also find themselves in this condition of being cut off from their own families, of being regarded by people as despised because they have forsaken the true faith.’ When a person was cut off from his own family in Israel, he lost the right of succession and inheritance. Jesus says, ‘take all this into account if you want to be my disciples.’

“Everyone will hate you because of me.” This is also valid today. If you preach the Gospel you will surprise people because they follow other logic and other moral criteria. If you confront someone who accumulates wealth, and you make him understand that he is a fool, he will hate you. If you tell the dissolute person that he is dehumanizing himself, he will hate you. If you denounce the lies and injustices behind the strong powers, the gun lobbies, if you raise your voice too much, you will pay for it.

And the final promise of Jesus, ‘keep in mind that in persecution they will not be able to do anything to you, although perhaps they will take your lives,’ but “by steadfastness you will save your lives. Not a hair of your head will perish.” What does Jesus mean? He wanted to get at this: be persevering in persecution, endure; the most they can do to you is to take your biological life, but they cannot touch your real life. In Greek, it’s called ‘Ψυχή’ – ‘psijé,’ which is not biological life; it’s the life that God has given you and that grows in you when you love even the enemy. And this life no one can take away from you.

I wish you all a good Sunday and a good week.