Daniel 2: 34-35
While you watched, a stone was hewn from a mountain without a hand being put to it, and it struck its iron and clay feet, breaking them in pieces. The iron, clay, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once, fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer, and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
Luke 21: 6
"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."
There's an interesting parallel between the first reading and Gospel today. In Daniel we hear of a stone striking and collapsing a statue made up of precious metals. That same stone, we are told, becomes a great mountain that fills the whole earth. This is not to be taken literally, but describes the ultimate finitude of earthly powers; powers that are so often prioritized in our lives. It also looks forward to the inevitable victory of the Almighty One. This theme is taken up by Jesus when he says of the temple in Jerusalem, "the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down." Many of the religious people of Jesus' time were concerned with earthly powers, with the externals in life, and did not prioritize the values integral to following God's command. Jesus commands us to love others as he loved us. He has proven his love for us in an unimaginable way! Jesus Christ, our Head, asks us, the Church, to be living stones in the temple of His body. In being built up with Christ as our foundation, we are called to fill the whole earth.
Get to know our seminarians! Today's reflection was written by:
Elvi J. Moya, Pre-Theology II
Home parish: Nativity
Did you know...
I'm of Dominican descent, was born in New Jersey, and graduated from USF's College of Nursing. I love Our Lady and entrust my vocation to her Immaculate Heart!
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