The Turning of the Liturgical Year
As the Liturgical Year nears to an end on November 23rd and the new Liturgical Year opens on November 30th, the readings invite us to consider the second coming of Christ at the end of time.
In the end, good will triumph. Evil will be destroyed. The faithful will be rewarded, and those who caused evil to endure will have to face God for the evil they sponsored. In the end, God wins. Is anything forever? What is really important?
Ominous Promises and Eternal Hope
In the first reading from the Book of the Prophet Malachi, we are presented with an ominous picture of God’s coming. Those who were unfaithful and who caused evil to endure are punished, and the faithful who suffered for their faith and their moral life will be rewarded.
In the second reading from Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians, we are told that the way to prepare for the coming of the Lord is to imitate him as he imitates Christ.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks about the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. This destruction is symbolic of the end of all things as we know them. Imagine how these words of Jesus were heard by the people of his time. They believed the Temple was forever. Nothing is forever on earth. Finally, we are told that his followers would suffer for his name. In the end, goodness and truth will prevail. This is the meaning of the last line of the Creed: “We believe in the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”
Faith Through Doubt and Discouragement
Where do these readings leave us?
I think the readings are hope-filled for all who are striving to follow Christ. Oftentimes I hear good people say, “Why bother to follow the rules? Look how those who live as they want get ahead.” Why should I strive to forgive others when they take advantage of me? Why should I go to Mass, when some of those who do go live lives of hypocrisy?
Many times, people who practice goodness, kindness, and integrity become frustrated. They become discouraged at the advancement of others whose behavior seems to be unjust, unkind, and not at all what the gospel preaches. How often does our justice system fail us and hold criminal behavior unaccountable? How many of us have felt this way? Remember, in the end, God wins.
The Gospel Commands Us
Firstly, we follow the gospel because God commands us to do so.
Secondly, we will have to suffer the behavior of those who do not do what the gospel commands us. This suffering can come from being mocked, ostracized, or actually being physically hurt.
Thirdly, in the end the gospel will triumph. We will be held accountable before God for what we have done and what we have not done. May we be found doing good for all the right reasons when we face the judgment of God. We will be judged not on what our neighbors have done or not done, but on what we have done or not done.
Be on the Winning Side
In the end, God wins. So be on the winning side now. There is no fooling God who knows all and sees all, and who, while merciful, is also just.
Msgr. Guy A. Massie
November 16, 2025