This Sunday begins the Advent season of preparation. This is the beginning of the Year of our Lord 2017. This year we will be following Jesus primarily in the Gospel of Matthew. Today, Jesus warns of the coming destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. An event which happened in 70AD. An event that shook the Jewish people to their foundation.

I love to read about King David. Maybe it's because I grew up on a farm and could relate to David as a shepherd. I did chores daily, taking care of feeding chickens and pigs and calves. David, as a young shepherd, was anointed by the prophet Samuel. Through David's youth and early life he became a great warrior and was faithful to King Saul even though Saul became jealous and tried to kill David. David continued to be a great warrior king. In the end he was asked to be the king of both the northern and southern tribes of Israel. He accepted the responsibility of being king of Israel. David was a warrior king, successful in battle and leading the tribes of Israel. Unfortunately, like us, David had clay feet. He used his powerful roles to commit adultery with Bathsheba and ultimately murdered her husband Uriah. He needed to repent of his wickedness and did, calling on the mercy of God, which is perhaps reflected in Psalm 51.

St. Paul teaches us that our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 6:19). He also teaches that all of us together are the temple of the Holy Spirit (3:16-17). So, each of our bodies is a place set apart for the continuous praise and worship of God, and yet we are not temples in isolation from one another because we are all together being built into the One Temple of the Holy Spirit (1st Peter 2:5).

Our First Reading of today is taken from the second book of the Maccabees and it is good to notethat one of the best known passages of the books of the Maccabees is the account of the martyrdom of a mother and her seven sons. The willingness to sacrifice one’s life rather than transgress the law and commandment of God. Despite the torture the entire family remained faithful and offered the supreme sacrifice of their love and fidelity. Their courage came from the confidence they have in God who they know is trustworthy and has promised eternal life to thosewho abide in him. Their courage to withstand such torture came from the hope they have in the resurrection. The first lesson we get from this, is that no matter how cruel the world is, no matterhow cruel the world treats us, no matter what we suffer for bearing the name of Christ and for ourfaith, we should always look to the future with hope and glory in the promise that lay ahead whichChrist has promised to all who remained steadfast till the end. As St Paul would say, “What no eyehas seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived what God has prepared for those who lovehim.” (1 Cor 2:9)