The Unshakable Kingdom

Voice over by Angeline Chue Chue

Mal 3:19-20a; Psalm: 97; 2Thess 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, as the liturgical year draws to a close, the Church places before us the sobering yet ultimately hopeful reality of the end times. The Scriptures today do not invite us to fearful speculation, but to steadfast faith and diligent work, assuring us that while everything earthly will pass away, the one who stands firm in the Lord will possess life everlasting.

The prophet Malachi paints a dramatic picture of the Lord’s coming, which will burn like a blazing oven, consuming the arrogant and evildoers, leaving them neither root nor branch. For those who reject God, the Day of the Lord is one of holy terror. But for those who fear His name, that same divine fire becomes a source of healing and life: “But for you who fear my name, the sun of justice will arise with healing in its wings.” This is the great paradox of God’s judgment—it is a single event that both refines and destroys, depending on the orientation of the human heart.

This call to righteous living while we await the end is made intensely practical by Saint Paul. He presents himself as a model of integrity, working day and night so as not to be a burden. He then delivers a commandment that echoes through the ages: “If anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.” Paul is not condemning those who cannot work, but those who will not, the idle busybodies who neglect their daily duties while consumed with “end times” anxiety. The Apostle’s remedy for apocalyptic fear is not more prophecy, but more productivity—the sanctification of daily life through faithful, orderly work. This is how we prepare: by fulfilling the duties of our state in life with diligence and love.

Finally, the Lord Jesus Himself brings these themes to their fulfillment. His disciples are marveling at the magnificent Jerusalem Temple, a symbol of permanence and worldly security. Jesus shatters this illusion: “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” He then describes the terrifying signs that will precede the end: wars, insurrections, earthquakes, famines, plagues, and persecutions. His followers will be handed over by family and friends, hated because of His name.

Yet, in the midst of this most frightening prophecy, He gives the most comforting promise. Do not prepare your defense beforehand, He says, “for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.” You will be betrayed, “but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.”

The trials and the end of all things are not signs of God’s absence, but the very arena where He manifests His power and fidelity. The Temple of stone will fall, but the true Temple, which is the Body of Christ, will endure. The sun and moon will darken, but the “Sun of Justice,” Christ Himself, will arise with healing for His people. Our task is not to calculate the date, but to persevere in faith, hope, and charity.

As Pope Saint John Paul II often proclaimed, “Do not be afraid!” The world’s foundations may shake, but the one who is built on the rock of Christ will not fall.

So how do we apply this? We reject both idle speculation and frantic fear. We embrace the wisdom of the saints: we work diligently at our daily tasks, as Paul commands, and we pray constantly, as the Gospel implies, entrusting our every moment to God. When hardship, persecution, or even the simple anxieties of life come, we do not rely on our own strength, but on the promise that Christ Himself will give us the wisdom and endurance we need.

Let us go forth in peace, not afraid of the blazing oven, but longing for the healing rays of the Sun of Justice. By our faithful work and unwavering trust, we build our lives not on the passing stones of this world, but on the unshakable foundation of God’s eternal Kingdom. Amen.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.