33rd Sunday Ordinary Time
Fr. Mark Gatto
Preached: November 16, 2025
When you look at our world today, does it feel to be worse off than the generation before us? When you look at the church today does it seem to be in harder times than in previous centuries? We often think that our times are the worst. But, if you look closely at history you see that each period had its challenges and difficulties.
In Luke’s Gospel when we hear Jesus speaking of earthquakes, wars, insurrections, plaques and persecutions, it is reflecting what the Christians were experiencing in that time. Luke’s Gospel was probably written about 80AD after the Temple in Jerusalem had already been destroyed by the Romans, and Christians were facing very difficult persecutions. Some were probably discouraged, others had fear, and others wondering where God was in all of this. Some wondered if they were in the end times.
So, this speech by Jesus is presented to address the fears and questions of the Christians at that time. In our own times, we see the threats of climate change and most leaders either ignoring this or choosing to do little or nothing about it. We see the reality of war and violence in various parts of the world, the Middle East, Ukraine, parts of Africa and so on. We see natural disasters like the hurricane that struck Jamaica recently and the damaging typhoons recently hitting the Philippines.
We see governments leaning towards authoritarianism and racism and attacks on various minority groups. The Church itself faces many challenges in our society. What do we make of all of this? Where is God in all of this? Are we in the end times? The Church at Vatican Council II called us to “read the signs of the times in the light of the gospel.” That is not easy to do, it is not always clear. We need to watch, to reflect on what is happening in our world. What is God doing in our world?
In the words of Jesus that we just heard in Luke’s Gospel, we find some direction as we look at what is happening on our world and church today?
First, we see Jesus in the Temple of Jerusalem. This was the centre for the Jewish Faith. The place for their sacrifices, seemingly essential for their worship of God. It was a beautiful Temple, full of beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God. The people are discussing its beauty with great pride. Perhaps like we might be talking as we walk through St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Jesus tells them, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another,…” In fact, about 40 years later his prediction comes true. In 70 AD the Romans attacked and destroyed the city of Jerusalem. The Temple was completely destroyed. 2000 years later there is nothing left of the Temple in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount except for part of one outer wall which we call the Wailing or Western wall.
Jesus is forcing them, and us, to focus on what is truly important, what has enduring value. Our faith in God must not be placed in temporary worldly things, even things seemingly so important as the Temple or our own churches today. Jesus is reminding us that a building, a human institution, is not where our faith should be placed. God is beyond all of these and not dependent on them. Key question in reading the signs of the times is this, “What has enduring value?
Second, Jesus encourages them not to give in to fear when they experience many terrible things in the world. When faced with wars, insurrections, persecutions, betrayals, he says “do not be terrified.” There are many challenges we will face in this life, but in the end, “not a hair of your head will perish.” In other words, do not give in to fear, do not be ruled by fear. There are always religious leaders and political leaders who will try to use fear to control people, often leading to unhealthy extremism both in politics and religion.
Fear is a terrible guide. When we are looking at the signs of the times, to see where God is at work, if our primary influence is fear, then we should examine this very carefully. Fear does not help us to see very clearly where God is truly at work.
Third, Jesus does not give us some false comfort, that everything is going to be easy and comfortable. He tells us that there will be suffering before these days really appear. Why will there be suffering? Because we have to be transformed. But, being transformed does not happen easily. Changing is hard, changing from anger, from hatred, from fear, this is difficult. When someone is in really bad physical shape, changing that and becoming fit is difficult. Some suffering is involved. Starting to work out, to change how I eat, this is a struggle. Being transformed by God into that new being called by Christ, is far more difficult. It is a hard path.
What is happening in our world and church today? Are we in end times? Where is God in all of this? The Church calls us to “read the signs of the times in the light of the gospel.” In the speech of Jesus we heard from Luke’s Gospel we see important advice for how to see all of the things happening in our world and church today.
First, focus on what is truly important, what is of enduring value? Do not be dependent on temporary things that come and go. God is not locked in a church, but at work in the world.
Second, do not give in to or be directed by fear. Fear is a bad guide and leads us away from what God is doing.
Third, realize that joining in what God is doing in the world will be difficult. It will be costly and include some suffering to be transformed into people who are working in union with God.
Reading the “signs of the times” is a call to reflect deeply on the events unfolding before our eyes and to respond to them out of mature faith. Only in this way will we be able to join God at work in our world.
