Jesus warns against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the load of the law they put on people, without lifting a finger to help them carry it.

“You clean the outside of your cup and plate while the inside is full of what you have obtained by violence and selfishness…. Blind Pharisee, Clean what is inside the cup first, and then the outside will be clean too.”

Jesus then goes on to talk about his love of Jerusalem, and prophesies the destruction of the Temple, as well as other troubles and persecutions. He then talks about the end of times and uses a chilling verse which I think sums up our age:

“Such will be the spread of evil that many people’s love will grow cold. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved.”

Jesus talks about when he will come again and says no-one knows the time except the Father, but he urges us to be like faithful servants, who are put in charge of their master’s affairs while he travels. They are happy when he comes back unexpectedly and finds them doing their job faithfully.

Dear Father,

I often find these prophecies of Jesus’s confusing, and I spend a lot of time trying to understand them. Please help me to be just like the faithful servant who does what his master has told him to do, until the master comes home. So please help me carry out my duties with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and temperance. Please help me remember to pray, always, to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen