Thirty-Third
Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 16/17 2019
As we approach the end of the liturgical year, our readings offer a sobering reminder that this life is not our ultimate aim and that God’s justice will triumph in the end. Now is the time to get our priorities in the right order, putting God first above all else as his faithful stewards.
Our Lord brings home the urgency of right priorities in our Gospel passage from Luke, reminding the people around him who were looking at the temple nearby, “All that you see here; the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” All in this world is passing, our Lord reminds. We must keep our focus on eternity.
Yet, before the eternal bliss of heaven, we should expect to be tried and tested. “Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name.”
It sounds scary, but if you are living a stewardship way of life, there is nothing to fear. You have a plan in place. All you need to do is stick with it. Put our Lord first in your time, with your talents, and through your use of treasure. This way of life is not meant to be easy. But Jesus promises it will lead to eternal salvation and the joy of union with Him. “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.”
