For the past couple of weeks as we approach the end of our liturgical year, we are hearing scripture readings that call to mind the “end times”.
In today’s first reading (Malachi 3:19-20) we hear of the end times – a day of judgment and justice. We hear of the stark contrast between the fate of the “just and upright” who will live eternally with God, and the “proud evil-doers” whose lives will end in destruction.
In the gospel (Luke 21:5-19) Jesus alludes to the end-times but in the context of a more important message on how we are to live our lives in the here-and-now. Jesus tells us that “by our perseverance we will secure our lives”. And this simple but loaded phrase turns our attention from the events of the end-times to the events of our daily lives.
We know that the end-times will present the culmination of the ageless battle between good and evil. More importantly, we recognize that this same battle rages within each of us. Pride, jealousy, lust, greed, and self-centeredness are just a few of the inner struggles that we are faced with. Jesus himself cautions us that it will be challenging for us to remain faithful to him amidst all the temptations and distractions of this world. But Jesus also assures us that we can find strength in him and that if we are faithful to him, he will be faithful to us.
So we are hopeful that just as God will not abandon the world to the powers of darkness and evil at the end-times, he will not abandon us in our daily struggles to remain faithful to him. All we need to do is stay close to God – to remain open to God for strength and guidance and to allow God’s grace to penetrate our being. We stay close to God each and every day. And in the end – with God’s redeeming grace working in us and we in turn sharing our grace-filled lives with others – we will persevere and secure our lives.