Which side?
In today’s Gospel (Lk. 21,5-19), Jesus talks about the signs of “end-times”: wars, earthquakes, plagues, famines, insurrections. Jesus also warns about the appearance of false prophets who will come in His name. Finally, Jesus warns us about persecution of His followers. Through it all, Jesus tells us: Do not be afraid, do not be deceived, and do not give up.
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Fear is one of the greatest instruments of the evil one and his agents. How often have people been silenced because of fear? How often has the work of God been aborted because of fear, real or imagined? The Lord tells us today: Courage! What sort of fears haunt and affect us? Are we paralyzed by our fears?
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Another instrument used by the evil one and his trusted agents in this world is untruthfulness. And so we have all sorts of liars all around us. Don’t you get the feeling that our country is fast becoming the lying capital of the world? The biggest problem we have now is “Truth Decay,” and what our leaders are saying is: “Don’t talk about it. Let’s move on.” No. We must talk about it, because without the truth, there can be no real moving on.
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We need to listen to God in these trying times. A text message I received reads: “When you say, ‘it’s impossible,’ God says, ‘All things are possible.’ (Lk. 18, 27) When you say, ‘I am tired,’ God says, ‘I will give you rest.’ (Mt. 11, 28) When you say, ‘Nobody loves me,’ God says, ‘I love you.’ (John 3,16) When you say, ‘I can’t do it,’ God says, ‘I can do all things.’ (Phil. 4, 13) When you say, ‘I feel all alone,’ God says, ‘I will never leave nor forsake you.’ (Heb. 13, 5) When you say, ‘I’m afraid,’ God says, ‘I have not given you a spirit of fear.’ (2 Tim. 1, 7)”
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We need to be courageous when we encounter all sorts of lies and intimidation. There will be problems, there will be pain, and even persecutions. Through it all, we must be joyful and strong. May our faith strengthen us and enable us to withstand all the pressures and attacks of the evil one and his trusted agents. Let us once more listen to Jesus’ words in today’s Gospel: “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.”
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When will God take you and me? We often put the question: “Am I ready to face God?” Perhaps the question should be: “Is God ready to face me?” For those who think that they can go on sinning and can continue with their evil ways, they should realize that, perhaps, they are not yet being taken by the Lord because they are not yet acceptable in His sight. Or perhaps, they are still being given a chance by the Lord to mend their ways.
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One other reason your and my personal end-times have not yet come is that, perhaps, you and I still have a mission in life. Mission not yet accomplished. Let us all be reminded today that we all have a mission to accomplish in life. Let us also remember that our mission in life is not just to become rich, comfortable, or powerful. Our mission is to do good in this life, to love God and spread His love, and to go to Heaven at the end of our earthly lives. This is the “big picture” that will help us persevere and that will encourage us to live righteously even when everything around us is infiltrated by the evil one.
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Next Sunday, the last Sunday in the Liturgical year, is the feast of Christ the King. Where will you and I be when He separates the goats on His Left and the sheep on His right? Where will you and I be “when the saints go marching in”? The answer to these questions depends on how faithful and true we have been to Him, through it all, and how we have persevered in His grace.
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Heaven, they say will be full of surprises. Let us all work out our salvation in fear and in trembling. And yet, let us be hopeful and joyful because it is by His grace that we will be saved. Instead of boxing out each other, why don’t we reach out to one another and help one another get to heaven?
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