SECURING OUR LIVES BY PERSEVERANCE - 11/13/22 (Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time)

Luke 21:8

“See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’  Do not follow them!”  

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/111322.cfm

Blessed Sunday! When some people were commenting on the beautiful temple in Jerusalem, Jesus reminded them of the reality that there would be a time that it would fall. Our Lord tells us how symbolic this is of the end of the age pointing to His second coming. There would be famine and wars among nations. At the same time, He also said that we should not be deceived. Many people would come claiming to be the Christ or telling others that they would lead them to the truth. But, as our Lord reveals to us, we should not follow them. Why is there an emphasis on the fact that we should not be deceived of false teachings after the description of the many things that will perish in preparation for the second coming? It's because of the importance of salvation. We cannot control the famines and the wars in the world. But, what we can do, by God's grace, is to remain in Him and not be deceived by the group of people who will try to keep us away from God. The truth is that we cannot be secured with our possessions here. At any rate, they can come and go. But, what we can be really secured is our salvation if we are faithful to Jesus Christ. 

Perseverance is necessary for our salvation to be secured. How can we be secured in our faith and in our path to salvation? First, we should always listen to the teachings of the Catholic Church. This is because Jesus promises that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church (Matt 16:18). Because Jesus knew that He would go back to the Father, He gave a special protection to the Catholic Church through the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. Because of this, we have the certainty that what we believe is right. As such, when we see some ideologies promoted by others that are clearly against the teachings of the Church, we have the confidence that what they promote are wrong. Second, it is important for us to always ponder on the reality of eternal life, death, heaven, hell and judgment. When we do not think of these things, there may be a tendency for us to just focus on worldly things in such a way that we are no longer prepared when temptations arise. The fact that Jesus tells us about His second coming means that He wants us to meditate on these truths. This will enable us to be more humble and to see that what matters most is our salvation. God is the God of justice, and He is also the God of mercy. If we see the times that we are struggling in our faith, it's an opportunity for us to persevere more and to trust in His mercy for us. Our God alone gives us true security. 

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

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

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

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

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

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

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