I WILL SING TO THE LORD, GLORIOUS HIS TRIUMPH! (EXODUS 15:1)
Blessed 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time to you. Our liturgical year will draw to a close soon – after next Sunday’s celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King, we will begin the new year with the 1st Sunday of Advent. So our readings today invite us to take stock of our lives – to do a self-assessment of our ‘Net Present Position’ in the light of our spiritual lives & faith.
The theme of this Sunday’s Eucharist as set forth in the Sunday Missal is ‘The Triumph of God”. Our Gospel today from Luke 21:5-19 speaks about the signs of the End Times – wars, revolutions, nations fighting each other, earthquakes, plaques & famine, persecutions, betrayal, hatred, even death. Such Doom & Gloom! Yet, through it all, Jesus promises that he would give us ‘eloquence & wisdom’ to counteract our enemies & oppressors. He further goes on to assure us: “Your endurance will win you your lives.” (of Luke 21:19)
Our 1st Reading from the Prophet Malachi Chapter 3:19-20 also speaks of the end, when the evil-doers will be destroyed by fire & become like stubble, but the ones who fear the Lord & keep His commandments will “shine out with healing in its rays” (cf Malachi 3:20). Again, there’s a message of healing, hope, & optimism for believers in the face of immense suffering & trials.
In our 2nd Reading (2 Thessalonians 3:7-12), St Paul is encouraging us to not fear & to not get distracted; rather we are to continue working, persevere in loving & serving others, & trusting the Lord to deliver & save us. And the psalmist in today’s Responsorial Psalm urges us to continue praising the Lord in whatever circumstance we face, because the Lord is King &, as the Response assures us: “The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness” (cf Psalm 98:9).
Do you see from the Readings today that the Lord is victorious & triumphant? That He has the power to save the people who believe in Him & would accept Him as Lord? That He is always fair & just, & He is also kind & merciful?
So how do we apply the Word today in our daily lives? The baseline is this: Can we continue to believe in God? Will we profess our faith in Jesus Christ His Son who saves us, despite rejection or humiliation? Are we willing to remain open to the action & guidance of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Can we then praise the Lord in every circumstance & situation, as King David said in Psalm 34:2: “I will bless the Lord at all times, His praise always on my lips”? Moving from Faith to Praise, can we work on our career, business, ministry & family life with great passion, enthusiasm & devotion, & do it with all our heart, knowing that it is for the Lord (cf Colossians 3:23-24)? Finally, can we persevere in our faith, though at times we may be troubled, worried, threatened, facing scarcity & lack, maligned & attacked, knowing that the Lord who loves us will make us more than conquerors in these situations (cf Romans 8:35,37)?
Brothers & Sisters, we love & serve a God who is rich in mercy, compassion & love, who loves us as His own beloved children with an everlasting love, & will never forget us, though we may at times reject & run far away from Him. Today, as you read this, I invite you to once again turn to the Lord & declare your love, faith & trust in Him. And the Lord will speak tenderly to your heart His Word in the Entrance Antiphon today from Jeremiah 29:11,12,14: “The Lord said: I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You will call upon me, and I will answer you, and I will lead back your captives from every place.” God Bless You! Amen! Alleluia!
Article by Damian Boon, HFC Blog Team Lead