Few natural phenomena are as spectacular as the storm clouds that assemble over a mountaintop. One can hear the thunder grumble ominously among them. The tempo increases until its grumble glides into a rumble and an intermittent crash. In the forest below, one feels the quickening fresh-scented breeze turn into a hard-muscled wind that bends the creaking leafy forest giants into submission. The camper cringes in his tent as, in the now imminent storm, the thunder applauds the pyrotechnics of the lightning. Jesus’ predictions in the Gospel Lesson arouse our awe and apprehension, like an approaching mountain storm. Their air of inevitability nearly makes us cringe and cower and run for cover.

I.

Jesus speaks of the inevitability of change. It seemed to his disciples that the temple at Jeru…