33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Nov. 13, 2022

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Nov. 13, 2022

33C22.    Malachi 3:19-20a.  “Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble.”  “But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice.”  God comes to punish the evildoers and reward the good.  Await the day!

Luke 21: 5-19.  Jesus foretold that one day the great temple in Jerusalem would be torn down.  And much later in 70 AD the Romans did that because of the Jewish revolt against them.  Jesus predicted that terrible things would happen, especially to those who believed in him.  Even members of ones’ own family would put some of them to death.  “You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed” which is to say that nothing of any real value will be lost because by their own perseverance they will secure their soul, which is the only thing that has any real value.  What comes to an end in this world has results in the next world.  We must look passed the appearances in the present time to see what God has for us in the future.  Psalm 98 refrain: “The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.”

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12.   Paul saw that among the Thessalonians were those who were “conducting themselves” “in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.”  Paul exhorts them to imitate him and those who followed his example, the model for living an orderly life and so enjoying the food of ones’ labors.  St. Francis DeSales wrote, “Do all ordinary things extraordinarily well.”  Ordinary daily life should be lived in a way that pleases the Lord.