Homily: Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
Malachi 3:19–20a; 2 Thessalonians 3:7–12; Luke 21:5–19
Fr. Ricky Cañet Montañez, AA
16 November 2025
Do you look forward to the Second Coming of Jesus? Are you excited to see Him? If we truly love Him, our instinct is to say, “Of course!” Yet every time we hear today’s Gospel, Jesus does not speak of angels, trumpets, or glory. Instead, He talks about wars, earthquakes, betrayal, and persecution. It is not quite the image we are expecting. It is unsettling. However, let us take notice because after this description, Jesus immediately says, “Do not be terrified.” (Luke 21:9) He promises strength, wisdom, and help to those who persevere.
Indeed, it feels like Jesus is speaking directly into our reality here in the Philippines. We live surrounded by noise: endless political debates online, videos predicting end-times, news of calamities, and group chats that somehow never sleep. Add to that the real persecution of Christians in places like China, Africa, and India — and we wonder if this storm could someday reach us too.
With all this noise, it is easy to get overwhelmed. It is easy to lose focus. It is tempting to grow cynical and say, “Ano bang magagawa ko? (What can I possibly do?) I am just one person.” And because many believe the world is too broken, they start living as if there is no tomorrow, no judgment, no life after death. They chase comfort at any cost — even if it hurts others, even if it wounds their own soul. Bakit pa ako magsisikap? Hindi ko naman mababago ang mga tao. (Why bother making an effort when people will not change anyway?) On the other hand, this is where today’s Psalm interrupts us: “The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.” (Psalm 98:9) God is not absent. God is not silent. God is not defeated.
Jesus then shifts the focus. Faith is not pretending everything is fine. Faith is being rooted, steady, and loving even when everything shakes around us. St. Paul reinforces this in the Second Reading. He reminds the Thessalonians that he and his companions worked “night and day,” not causing disorder, not burdening others. (2 Thessalonians 3:8) This simply means that when life is chaotic, our response is not to panic… but to perseverance. Not to be noisy… but to be faifthful. Not to complain… but to be quietly doing what is right.
Moreover, this is where the Gospel becomes incredibly practical because for us, perseverance does not require doing anything extraordinary. It is found in the small, faithful choices we make each day. It is waking up and showing up — consistently. It is helping a neighbour clean up after a typhoon. It is the young volunteer bringing relief goods during a flood. It is the teacher who keeps teaching despite limited resources. It is the parishioner who attends Mass every Sunday, rain or shine. It is the mother who keeps praying for her children even when they reject her. These things seem small but they are exactly what Jesus is talking about. Our small, steady acts of faith cut through the noise of the world and they become signs of hope for others.
Thus, here are the questions the readings place before us today: Amid the political tension, the social unrest, the disasters, the pressures of daily life — can we remain faithful? Can we keep showing up, quietly, humbly, lovingly, even when it is inconvenient, tiring, or unpopular… Because that is what fidelity is. That is what witness is. This is the kind of faith Jesus promises to sustain.
And so, we return to His final words in the Gospel: “By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.” (Luke 21:19) Not by fear. Not by noise. Not by power. But by the simple, daily choice to trust Him. And when we do — Malachi tells us what awaits: “The sun of justice will rise… with healing in its rays.” (Malachi 4:2)
Hence, brothers and sisters, we keep going. We keep serving. We keep loving because even if the world trembles, God’s promise stands firm. His justice — steady, bright, healing — will rise upon those who persevere.
From the National Catholic Register: An aerial view of Our Lady of the Assumption Church after the Aug. 6, 1945, bombing. A small group of priests can be seen standing in the road in front of the church.
Sunday Gospel Reflections 