The gospel for this coming Sunday, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, is Jesus’ mini-apocalyptic message about the future of the Jerusalem Temple and the coming days. Throughout this week of posts we have considered St. Luke’s extended commentary on Jesus’ warning of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and its Temple. While our gospel reading ends at Luke 21:19, most commentaries include an additional five verses as part of the commentary

²⁰ “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. ²¹ Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, ²² for these days are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled. ²³ Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people. ²⁴ They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.