Day 21: March 16

Readings:

And when you shall see the abomination of the desolation declared by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, let him who reads consider; then let those who are in Judea flee into the mountains, and let him who is on the housetop not step down into the house, neither enter to take up anything out of his house, and let him who is in the field not turn back again to take his garment. But woe to those who have in the womb, and to those who nurse, in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For those days shall be an affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created until now, neither shall be. And except the Lord had shortened the days, all flesh whatever would not have been saved; but for the sake of the chosen, whom He has chosen, He has shortened the days. (Mark 13:14-20)

The “abomination of desolation” denotes the state of the church when there is no love and no charity, for when these are desolated, abominable things predominate. (Arcana Coelestia 2454:4)

Reflection:

Returning into the house means a spiritual relapse. It is when someone who has been living a good life turns back from that life to old evils, or even to question the truths that had been the basis of belief (Arcana Coelestia 10184:6). Are we looking back with longing to our old evils like Lot’s wife?

previous		next