Can we keep our faces up in the fire?
Things sound pretty terrible in today’s gospel. Jesus speaks of Jerusalem’s destruction, but he does this not to frighten people, but to instill hope in his listeners. That they may stand erect and raise their heads high.
When I was growing up, forest fires were so common my father would do a strange thing to protect us: he would set fire around our property. This seemed dangerous to me, but I later realized, the small fire may have brought a little fear, but the big consuming wildfire would not reach us because the connection was destroyed. God is working in us. Let us be those of hope because we know the present fire is not meant to destroy us, but to save us.
Do I fall into fear when things don’t go as I planned? How can I stand with others in God’s will for us?
The prayers we offer this day are for hope to find the reaches of the earth.
