I’m just reading a book “Living with the Gods” by Neil MacGregor, who was Director of the British Museum. The subtitle is “On Beliefs and Peoples” and in the introduction he says, “Every known society shares a set of beliefs and assumptions. that is an essential part of a shared identity.  Sometimes they are secular, as with nationalism, but throughout history they have been religious”. He then continues for almost 500 pages exploring this.

So, we all put our trust in something bigger than ourselves, beliefs and things that seem secure!  And in this Gospel passage the disciples are admiring the Temple – “what large stones and what large buildings.”  We’ve all done that at some time.  It may have been a large Cathedral, or it could have been some architectural wonder such as the Shard in London.   But I wonder if the disciples were shocked by his answer?  “Do you see these buildings – all will be thrown down”

No doubt many people see this as prophetic.  Because within 50 years of Jesus’ death the Temple was destroyed by the Roman authorities. Those who think Jesus is being prophetic will believe that he is looking into the future and knowing what will happen.

But one writer says that Jesus is being pastoral.  He is reassuring his disciples that, despite the catastrophic events that may happen, his disciples are not to lose heart, since the end is not yet. It is a message for then and for now.

In our lifetimes we face many changes.   Sometimes they threaten us, and our “belief and assumptions” can be challenged – by changes at work, failures to achieve what we hoped for, relationship breakdowns, and health scares – to name just a few.  Each of these may once have seemed as secure as the stones that made up the Temple.  And then we found otherwise. Our lives can bring challenges that are traumatic.

In this Gospel reading, I do find the last sentence puzzling – “This is the beginning of the birth pangs” What have “birth pangs” got to do with the situation? Sadly, these few words are not discussed or explained in commentaries!  But to me it seems that Jesus is encouraging the disciples, and us.  Birth pangs can be painful, and lengthy, but they produce new life.  Things are very different afterwards. 
And I believe that Jesus is saying that when we face disaster, or our trust is broken it need not be the end.  He wants us to believe in something more.

I’m told that Spain used to have a coin with a map of the world as it was known then, before Columbus.  It had the words “Ne plus ultra” – no more beyond.   Then when Columbus made his discoveries, they had to obliterate the “Ne”, so that it said, “more beyond”.

Our human certainties can be shattered.  But while we live there is always the possibility of a new start.  The pain of some loss can be terrible, and almost be destructive.  But Christ will help us to find there is more beyond.