Transcript
There’s something haunting and beautiful about this passage. Jesus speaks of destruction, betrayal, upheaval, of a world in turmoil. And yet, woven through it all, is a quiet promise, “your endurance will win you your lives.” It’s easy to think that this Gospel is about events long ago or long forgotten. But I believe its power lies in how deeply it speaks to our lives right now. Every one of us has faced, or will face, moments when things fall apart, when what once seemed secure begins to crumble. Relationships break down. Jobs are lost. Health deteriorates. The unexpected knocks us off balance. Jesus doesn’t promise that life will be easy. In fact, He’s very clear, following Him means we will face hardship. But He also says something extraordinary, “do not be afraid.” And even more astonishing, He tells us not to worry about what to say in our defence because He Himself will give us the words. It’s a reminder that we never need to face suffering or uncertainty alone. This Gospel isn’t about fear. It’s about faithfulness. It’s about trusting that even when everything shakes, God is unshakable! Christ assures us that nothing, not war, not betrayal, not even death can separate us from God. For “not a hair of your head will be lost.” As I reflect on this, I’m struck by how often I’ve clung to temporary things for security. And yet, Jesus gently invites me, and indeed all of us, to place our hope in something deeper, something eternal. The Temple may fall. The world may shift. But God’s Word endures. And through that endurance, faithful, daily, sometimes quiet endurance, we will find life. That’s the hope this passage gives me. That’s the promise open to each of us!