Though not self-evident on the surface, the Church gives us readings today which prompt us to consider the parousia, a term that is associated with the second coming of Christ. Zooming out to explore the broader context of our Gospel, we see Jesus speaking judgement on the Jerusalem Temple. Though God withdraws His presence from that locale, He makes a promise to be with us in the future. Exploring the personal implications this has for each of us during Advent, we end our episode with a summons to prayer since prayer is the means by which we take advantage of God’s parousia. Join Katie's weekly newsletter and get a free audio download of her

popular talk, Bible 101: A Crash Course in Scripture. Visit

www.sundaydive.com/bible101