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- An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - November 16, 2025
“By Your Perseverance You Will Secure Your Lives”
This is the next to the last Sunday in Ordinary Time before Advent begins. Today, our scripture readings direct our attention to the final
judgement day, known as the “Day of the Lord”. There are questions that have pestered humanity since the earliest times—When will the end come? How will we be judged? What do we do while we wait?
In our first reading (Malachi 3:19-20), God offers a stern warning to those of Judah, both leaders and people alike, who have turned away from God and God’s law. For them, the day of judgement will be a horrible day, but those who love the Lord and fear His name will bask in the healing rays of the sun of justice.
In our Epistle reading (2 Thessalonians 3:7-12), St. Paul admonished the beloved in Thessalonica to model themselves after the work ethic he and his companions exhibited when they lived among them. Apparently, some of them thought Jesus’ second coming was so imminent that they stopped working for a living and became disorderly busybodies.
In our Gospel reading (Luke 21:5-19), Jesus described for His disciples what the end-times would look like and what things must happen before that day would come. He then described for them that “before all this happens”, they would endure many persecutions and trials for His name’s sake. But—despite all that, despite even being put to death, “not a hair on your head will be destroyed”.
Yes, the “Day of the Lord” will come and yet we know “neither the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:13). What today’s scripture readings help us focus on is how we should live our lives in these “in-between times” - the time between Christ’s first coming and His second. That is the only thing we can control. Following St. Paul’s example to the Thessalonians in today’s Epistle would be a good place to start. Being Paul to others would be an even better way. May we imitate St. Paul’s life and courageous example to those who come into our lives.