HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY - 11/25/22 (Memorial of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, virgin and martyr)

Luke 21:32–33

“Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/112522.cfm

Blessed Memorial of Saint Catherine of Alexandria! Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us that heaven and earth will pass away. For some people, this may be terrifying to hear. But, for us who seek to follow Christ, we should rejoice and persevere in doing God's will. There are at least two reasons why Jesus says this. First, Jesus tells us that His words will not pass away. Our Savior is reminding us that the law of God is eternal. When we recognize that the temptations in the world do not give us true and authentic happiness, it is a calling for us to repent of our sins, go to the sacraments such as the confession, and turn back to God. At the second coming of Christ, there will be a judgment of all the people whether their deeds correspond to their love for God and the desire to follow His commandments. May we also pray for the parents to be diligent in teaching the Catholic faith to their children. Through this, the new generations will be able to endure the trials and temptations in this world because they understand that the words of Christ will always be effective and will always be true. 

Second, the heaven and earth will pass away because there will be a new heaven and a new earth. This means that we have an assurance that no matter the difficulty that we see around us and in this world, our Lord will have a second coming and His Kingdom will be glorious in its fullness. We have the hope of being resurrected from the dead because of the salvation offered to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. This new heaven and new earth are truly centered on God. This is why we should not seek worldly satisfactions such as money, fame, approval, lust and many more. These things will not give true satisfaction to the desires of our hearts because we are made for God. Only our Lord can give us everlasting happiness that is beyond what the world can give us. It's because only God is unchanging. May we keep our faith in the promises of Christ even when we see ourselves falling to sins. God is always waiting for us us to seek His forgiveness and come back to Him. The promise of eternal life will not pass away to those who accept the gift of salvation. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Saint Catherine of Alexandria:

https://sanctoral.com/en/saints/saint_catherine_of_alexandria.html

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/