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PRAYER FOR THE WEEK
Jesus, help me trust that you'll always be there for me! Amen.

Jesus heard people talking about how beautiful their temple was. "Someday, it will be torn down," He told them. "When?" they asked. "When the end of the world comes," Jesus said; "when there will be wars, earthquakes, sickness and starving people everywhere. Some of you will even be arrested for believing in me. But don't worry -- I'll be there to take care of you."

When really bad things happen, it can be hard to talk to the people going through those problems. What do you say to a friend whose parents are getting a divorce, or the one who's sick, or the one who's moving away?

In this week's Gospel (Luke 21:5-19), Jesus talks about the absolute worst thing that can happen: the end of the world. He says that when the end of the world comes someday, there will be major disasters all over -- and a lot of other stuff, too.

But, when that time comes (which could be very far in the future; we don't know), Jesus promised He'd be there for everyone. No one goes through bad things, now or at the end of the world, without God being there to take care of them.

When someone you know is dealing with big problems, that's a good thing to remember. There are no perfect words that will make the person feel better and solve all the problems - but you can say, "God is there for you, and I'm there for you."

Sometimes, people with problems just need to talk. Sometimes, they just need to sit quietly with a friend. Sometimes, they need to forget the problems even exist, and do fun things. You'll find out what works best, if you try to just be there for your friend.

Jesus already knows what works best. He promised that He'd take care of the whole world -- even, someday, when the world is ending.[[In-content Ad]]

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