Words of Spirit and Life

Theme: IN THE END, GOOD WILL WIN OVER EVIL, LIFE WILL WIN OVER DEATH; BECAUSE GOD WILL WIN OVER THE DEVIL

• Malachi 3:19-20;
• Psalm 97:5-9. R/ cf. v.9;
• 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12
• Luke 21:5-19 

Today is the 33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Liturgical Year C. Next Sunday will be the Last Sunday of the Liturgical Year C. And as we come to the end of our Liturgical Year, the readings today tell us about the end times! The readings today tell us that at the end of time, good will win over evil, life will win over death; because God will win over the Devil!

The gospel today tells us that before the end times, Christians will be persecuted. They will be imprisoned. They will be brought to the courts, but they are not to prepare their defense, because the Lord himself will give them an eloquence and a wisdom which none of their opponents can withstand! They will even be betrayed by their own parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will be put to death; but their endurance will win them their lives!

That is why I said that, in the end, life will win over death, good will win over evil; because God will win over the Devil!

The first reading follows the theme of the gospel. The first reading also tells us that in the end, good will win over evil, life will win over death; because God will win over the Devil! The first reading tells us that in the end, evil will be burnt like straw. Their roots and their trunks will all be burnt! As for the good, the sun of righteousness will shine on them with its healing rays and they will be saved! Thus we read in the first reading:

“The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.” (Ml 3:19-20; SM)

The responsorial psalm follows the theme of the first reading. The responsorial psalm tells us that the Lord comes to rule the world and all its peoples with justice and fairness! Thus the response:

“The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.” (Ps 97:9; SM)

The responsorial psalm has three stanzas. The first stanza calls all the nations to praise and welcome the Lord who comes to rule the world and all its peoples with justice and fairness. (Ps 97:5-6) The second stanza calls the whole of creation to praise and welcome the Lord who comes to rule the world and all its peoples with justice and fairness. (Ps 97:7-8) And the third stanza from which the response is taken, tells us that the Lord comes to rule the world and all its peoples with justice and fairness. (Ps 97:9)

The second reading tells us how not to prepare for the end of time! Some people prepare for the end of time by doing nothing! This was what the Thessalonians were doing! They were doing nothing and waiting for the end of the world! St. Paul commanded them to work for their food! If they did not work for their food, they should not eat! Thus we read in the second reading:

    “We gave you a rule when we were with you: not to let anyone have any food if he refused to do any work. Now we hear that there are some of you who are living in idleness, doing no work themselves but interfering with everyone else’s. In the Lord Jesus Christ, we order and call on people of this kind to go on quietly working and earning the food that they eat.” (2 Th 3:10-12; Sunday Missal (SM))

We prepare for the end of time by praying, by doing the will of God, by being detached from the world, and by proclaiming the good news, so that all may believe and so that all may be saved!

Today we thank God for the gift of faith, and we ask God to increase our faith, so that even under persecution we will hold on to our faith, pray, and do the will of God; believing that in the end, good will overcome evil, life will overcome death and God will overcome the Devil! God bless you! Amen!