Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Luke 21: 5-19
Persevering with Hope

Today’s Gospel begins with a scene of admiration. Some people are speaking with pride about the beauty of the Temple—its fine stones, its gold, its grandeur. It was indeed one of the marvels of the ancient world. But Jesus looks beyond what dazzles the eyes. He says, “The days will come when not a stone will be left upon another.”

Those words must have shocked his listeners. The Temple was the heart of Israel’s faith, a symbol of God’s presence. How could it fall? Yet Jesus is not trying to frighten. He is teaching his followers to see what is truly lasting. The things we build—our structures, our achievements, even our successes—will one day pass away. Only faith, hope, and love endure.

The disciples ask, “When will this happen? What sign will there be?” Like them, we too are often curious about the future. We want to know what is coming, to feel secure. But Jesus refuses to give a timetable. He simply says, “Do not be deceived. Do not be terrified.” Wars, revolutions, earthquakes, and disasters will come, yes—but they are not the end. They are part of the long, painful birth of God’s kingdom.

Luke wrote these words some fifty years after Jesus’ death, when the Temple had indeed been destroyed, and Christians were suffering persecution. Many thought it was the end of the world. But Luke reminds them—and us—that these are not signs of God’s absence but of His mysterious work in history. God is not ending the world; He is transforming it.

Jesus then speaks directly to his disciples: “They will seize you, persecute you, hand you over because of my name.” Yet he adds, “It will lead to your giving testimony.” What seems like defeat becomes an opportunity to witness. God can turn even suffering into mission.

And then come those consoling words: “Do not prepare your defence beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom no one can resist.” The Lord promises not safety, but presence. He does not say, “You will not suffer.” He says, “Not a hair on your head will perish.” In other words, your true life—your soul, your dignity as children of God—cannot be destroyed.

Perseverance is the key: “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” The Christian life is not about avoiding trials but remaining faithful in them. The world may crumble; faith remains firm.

Brothers and sisters, this Gospel invites us to fix our hearts not on what passes away, but on what lasts forever. When life seems uncertain, when evil seems to win, let us remember that God’s Kingdom is already being born, quietly, through the faith of those who persevere in love.

Let us walk forward, not in fear, but in hope—trusting that Christ, who conquered death, will bring to completion the work He has begun in us.Amen.

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Cum Approbatione Ecclesiastica 2025