The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for your home

November 16, 2025 – Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Luke 21:5-19

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I once thought that the four gospels were written like the daily newspaper. Events were recorded soon after they happened. The various evangelists were there with Jesus, perhaps taking a few notes and after he ascended into heaven, they immediately wrote their gospels.

Now we know this is not how they were created. For starters, they were written decades after the events they describe. And they were written in light of what happened during the decades after Jesus was no longer walking and talking with them. Some of what they wrote in their accounts were influenced by events occurring well after his earthly life ended. Like persecution and even martyrdom.

Helping gain a deeper under understanding of these later events, the gospel writers tried to recall what Jesus had taught them. Their lives would face moments similar to what he had undergone. While we all hope for times of peacefulness and enjoyment, we can also can expect days of challenge and hardship. Like Jesus did.

Today’s gospel recalls Jesus predicting the destruction of the temple by the Romans, something that happened around 70 AD. This was about when Mark and Luke wrote their gospels. There would also be political chaos leading to military conflict. Further, today’s gospel might help us understand events we are now seeing in our world.

The Church has us read these gospels toward the end of the Liturgical Year to remind us of what we ourselves might face in our lives. We do well to remember that the resurrection of Jesus was preceded by his suffering and death.

It certainly is true that we all have times when life is hard. We may ask ourselves whether such times are part of God’s will for us. Of course, such determination is never easy or certain. But today’s gospel might give us a way of approaching these matters. Our lives here on earth are complicated. We would like simple and certain explanations of why this or that happened.

Although let’s just say that clear and certain answers are never simple. It seems that most of us will have good days and days that are not. Both days of comfort and days of difficulty seem in accord with the life of Jesus, and, yes, his followers, including us.  

David M. Thomas, PhD