And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, "As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down." And they asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?" And he said, "Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once."

Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake. This will be a time for you to bear testimony. Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe that you are really present here. I cannot see you but I know you are here. You want to speak with me during these moments of prayer. I hear your voice speaking to me through this Gospel passage. I trust in you. You alone have the words of everlasting life. And I love you, I want to love you sincerely and give myself to you.

Petition: Lord, help me to love you more and more each day. I ask you for the grace of confidence and trust in your as the head of your Mystical Body, the Church as we, like strangers in a foreign land, press forward, amid the difficulties of the world and the consolations of God.

1. Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, I am he!  How well you know us, Lord Jesus. We so easily become worried about what is going on around us, and we let fear and anxiety about the situation of the world set in. When it seems that the foundations of our life are being attacked or eroded and the protections we depend on are vanishing is when we need to turn to you and not away from you. When all is reduced to the here and now, to pleasure and personal satisfaction and empty rationalism is when I need to seek you out and not turn to false prophets who promise salvation in other, more comfortable ways. It is so easy to be led astray, and to look for all the answers in material things. Many are here not in your name but nevertheless promising what only you can give: happiness, security, life. "Do this and you will have life" you will be fulfilled and will want for nothing. False prophets. "I will give you all these things if you kneel down and adore me." Always the same promise.

Yet, Lord, you do not reject or hate us for this, but try all the more to give us what we need. You are the Good Shepherd, seeking out what is lost. How good it is for me to speak with you about this. For it reminds me that you seek me out, you want me to have life. And you also want to give this gift to many others through me. 

2. Thank you, Lord, for the Church. The Apostles ask Jesus for a sign. They and their successors are a sign for me. You have built your Church on them, and you have remained always with your Church throughout the ages. An immense amount of your followers have been faithful and have lived as signs of your presence for those who knew them. They have been faithful especially to your mercy, going to you in their needs and weakness, and working to rise above themselves with the help of your grace.

You have been faithful to your promise to be with us "until the end of time."  "Whoever hears you hears me. This is the voice I should be listening for and listening to above the hubbub of opinions and dogmas of the world. I know you speak to me in your Church, through your Church. I renew my faith, and I promise to guide my actions by what you tell me. I will not listen to false prophets, for theirs are words of men, and not of God.

3. This will be a time for you to bear testimony. Today is the day I must bear testimony. I am so worried about what others may think, or about making a mistake that I shy away from being your witness. I think that being your witness consists principally in knowing the right words to say, but it really is knowing the right way to live and doing my best to do so. If I live as you want me to live you will put the words in my mouth when I need them.  If I listen to and keep your words in my heart they will come to my lips and I will be able to explain your ways to others.   The difficulties I face in being your witness are much less than those you foretold your apostles, yet I still stumble and let you down.

I believe that you "enable us to live in you all that you yourself lived, and you live it in us." (See, Catechism of the Catholic Church, #521) I am not on my own. I will not be afraid to be faithful to you.

Conversation: Lord thank you again for your presence in your Church. Being faithful to her, I will never be lead astray; the Church's voice is your voice. Help me through my witness to be an echo of your voice wherever I live, study, work and play.

Questionnaire:

1. What false prophets" do I tend to follow in my life rather than Christ?

2. How do I show my love for the Bride of Christ, the Church? What is my attitude towards Christ's voice which reaches me through her?

3. What am I doing to bear witness to the Faith? What am I doing to help my friends and relatives come closer to Christ?