“By Your Perseverance, You Will Secure Your Lives”
As we approach the final weeks of the Church’s liturgical year, the readings turn our eyes toward the end times, not to frighten us but to awaken our faith and deepen our trust in God’s providence. In today’s Gospel (cf. Luke 21:5–19), the disciples admire the grandeur of the Temple, and Jesus responds with unsettling words: “The days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone.”
For those who heard Him, this must have sounded shocking. The Temple was more than a building; it was the heart of their faith, identity, and security. Yet Jesus uses this image to remind us that even the world's most beautiful and enduring things will one day fade away. What truly lasts is our faith in Him.
The Lord tells us that wars, earthquakes, and persecution will come, but we are not to be terrified. These are not signs that God has abandoned us; they are reminders that He remains with us through every trial. “By your perseverance,” Jesus says, “you will secure your lives.” Perseverance here means more than simply holding on; it means continuing to love, trust, and follow Christ even when life feels uncertain or painful.
We all have moments when the “temples” of our lives begin to crumble, when health fails, relationships strain, or plans fall apart. Yet these can become sacred moments of grace if we keep our eyes on Christ. In those places of loss or struggle, God strengthens us and draws us closer to His heart. What seems like an ending can become a new beginning in God's hands.
As a parish family, we are also called to persevere together, support one another in faith, pray with and for one another, and trust that God is at work even when the world seems uncertain. Every act of kindness, every patient sacrifice, and every quiet prayer is a stone laid in the lasting temple of God’s love.
As this liturgical year draws near to a close, let us renew our trust in the Lord who never abandons His people. No matter what may shake around us, His promise endures: no hair on your head will be destroyed. Our hope, our peace, and our future rest securely in Him.
