As we come to the final stretch of our liturgical year, the Church intentionally places before us readings that speak of endings—of shaking foundations, of upheaval, of those moments when the world feels uncertain and fragile. It is not meant to frighten us but to recalibrate our hearts. Scripture uses the language of “end times” to address the fears, injustices, and anxieties of the present. Every generation has carried these fears; every generation has been asked to look beyond them with faith.
We hear today from the very last prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi. In our Christian ordering of Scripture, Malachi closes the Old Testament with a sobering warning—“Lo, the day is coming”—a day of reckoning, a day when all that is false will be burned away. His tone is indeed pessimistic about the state of the people: corruption among leaders, exploitation of workers, indifference to widows and orphans, and the oppression of the resident alien. Yet even here, at the very end of the prophetic voice, he refuses to let despair be the final word. “For you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.” God’s justice, he insists, is not merely fire—it is also healing light.
Jesus, in today’s Gospel, echoes Malachi: yes, turmoil will come; yes, even the Temple, the most sacred symbol of stability, will fall. There will be wars, divisions, persecutions, and moments when truth itself seems obscured. And yet Jesus tells us again and again: Do not be afraid. Remain faithful. Persevere. The end of something is always the birth of something new. The collapse of what is temporary becomes the threshold for what is eternal.
And then Jesus gives us a line that serves as the spiritual anchor of this Sunday:
“By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” (Luke 21:19)
Not by your brilliance, power, or strength…
Not by knowing every answer…
Not by escaping suffering…
But by perseverance—by staying close to God, close to neighbor, rooted in love, anchored in hope, unshaken in charity.
This perseverance is not passive. It is the active work of discipleship. It is vigilance in love—vigilance in our moral life, vigilance in caring for the poor, the stranger, and the vulnerable, vigilance in attending to the movements of God in our own hearts.
This is why the recent document from the bishops of the United States is so timely. Addressing the treatment of immigrants and refugees, they remind us that discipleship must always turn outward toward those on the margins. They write:
“We oppose the indiscriminate mass deportation of people. We pray for an end to dehumanizing rhetoric and violence, whether directed at immigrants or at law enforcement.”
This is perseverance in love—facing the harsh realities of our time with courage, not fear; acting with justice, not indifference; embracing those whom society pushes aside. We are called to advocate for the least in our society and protect the dignity of human beings, especially the immigrant and refugee among us. May we find our voices and speak out for those who are being harmed in so many ways today.
Today at 5:00 p.m., we will celebrate our annual Mass of Remembrance, honoring all our loved ones who have gone before us into eternal life. They remain with us in the Communion of Saints, cheering us on, helping us become the best version of ourselves. We hold onto their love, and we let that love inspire us to “finish the race well,” as they did. I invite every one of you to come, pray, and remember. Let us stand together in hope and gratitude for the great cloud of witnesses who continue to walk with us.
Yesterday, I sent an email with our Annual Finance Report. I strongly encourage everyone to read it carefully. It contains genuinely good news. We have seen tremendous growth in parish membership this year, and our financial picture reflects the same hopeful trajectory. I invite you to reflect on the idea of a “gift economy”—a way of understanding stewardship not as giving to accumulate but as giving to circulate God’s blessings for the good of others. Next weekend, at all Masses, we will speak in more detail about how each of us can participate in this gift economy of time, talent, and treasure. For now, please read the report and prayerfully consider how you may continue contributing to our parish’s vibrant and hope-filled future.
As we stand near the end of the liturgical year, may we open ourselves to God’s newness with trust. May we persevere in love. And may we, in these turbulent times, become witnesses of justice, compassion, and hope.
“By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
May it be so for us, as individuals and as a parish community—today and always.
God bless,
Fr. Brendan