HOMILY FOR 33RD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C/The Day of the Lord

Homily for 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C  

Malachi 4:1-2a; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12; Luke 21:5-19.

Theme: "The Day of the Lord".

As we draw closer to the end of this liturgical year, the Church invites us to reflect on  the last things which are death, judgement, heaven and hell. The Prophet Malachi in the First Reading speaks of the end time: "Behold, the day comes, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up,says the Lord of hosts" (Mal.4:1). A day will certainly come when the Lord will punish the wicked and reward his faithful ones.

The Responsorial Psalm tells us: "The Lord comes to judge the peoples with fairness". "He will judge the world with justice, and the peoples with fairness" (Psalm 98:9). The Lord's judgment will be just and fair. Each one will get rewarded based on how they live their lives here on earth.

In the Second Reading, concerning the day of Lord, there were some Christians in the early Church who believed that Christ's Second Coming was very imminent. They became so preoccupied about the approaching end of the world that they stopped bothering about practicalities, living in idleness, mere busybodies, not doing any work. St. Paul laments this situation by alluding to his own life of constant work. St. Paul command and exhort such persons and exhort them in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work in quietness and to earn their living: "If any one will not work, let him not eat" (2 Thess.3:7-12). The best preparation for Christ's Second Coming according to St. Paul is to be faithful to one's duties.

In today's Gospel,  as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings (Luke 21:5), which was indeed was one of the wonders of the ancient world of the time. The sight of this temple was mind-boggling. The sun reflecting from the temple's brilliant white marble and gold ornament set on a hill, made it visible miles away. It was as difficult to imagine or to conceive of this building not lasting, as to conceive today the same fate for St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, the Eiffel Tower in France or the Buckingham Palace in London, yet because of the wickedness of Jerusalem, Jesus prophesied that not one of the temple would be left on another. This temple which was completed in 63 A.D, was destroyed seven years later by the Romans. They levelled the temple to the ground in fulfilment of Christ's prophecy forty years earlier.

Jesus warns us further in today's Gospel: "Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is at hand!' Do not go after them" (Luke 21:5-19). Indeed false Messiahs will appear before the end of the world trying to mislead Christians. Many troubles and misfortunes will occur. Before the end of the world nation will fight nation, kingdom will be against kingdom.

Nothing definite can be deduced from Christ's words as to what these signs will be which will precede the end. That it is in the distant future seems clear from the fact that many other events would take place first. He is now telling his disciples and us that we will have our own tribulations to face in their near future because of our faith in him. If we bear these sufferings for Christ's name we will earn the eternal life of heaven

Today's readings offer hard but consoling words to the followers of Christ in every age. They invite us not to confuse the challenges, difficulties and trials of the times with signals that the end is near. The challenges are real but Jesus' consolation to Christians in the midst of them is that not a hair of their heads will be lost; our endurance in the face of persecution will win us our eternal life and the Sun of Righteousness will shine with healing in its wings on all who are faithful to the Lord.

Our modern world has devised more "polished", "civilized" ways of persecuting Christians. This new methods are more psychological than physical; they are directed at the mind rather than the body. The most potent weapon is fear: fear of losing a job, a contract, a roof over one's head; fear of losing one's circle of friends, of being ostracized, of being called unflattering names; fear of one's life or the lives of family members and so on.

The new way of persecuting Christians may be different, but they are no less punishing than the ones the early Christians had to endure. Today's Christians can take heart in Christ's consoling words at the end of the Gospel: "But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives" (Luke 21:19).

May God grant us the grace to stand firm in our Christian faith so as to endure trials, tribulations and persecutions that confronts us daily through Christ our Lord. Amen.