Chapter Chaplain's Homily Reflection - FAITHFUL ENDURANCE IN TRYING TIMES

FAITHFUL ENDURANCE IN TRYING TIMES
This Sunday’s readings speak directly to communities burdened by disappointment, upheaval, and spiritual fatigue. In the first reading, the prophet Malachi addresses a weary Israel, newly returned from Babylonian exile. Though the Temple had been rebuilt, the people felt disillusioned by the delayed fulfillment of prophetic promises. Their spiritual fervor had faded. Worship became routine. Tithes were neglected. And the haunting question arose: “Does serving God even matter?”
Malachi responds with both warning and hope. He announces a coming day of reckoning for the arrogant and evildoers, and healing for those who fear the Lord. Because God will act, Malachi calls the people to repentance, moral renewal, and spiritual readiness. His message is clear: God sees, God remembers, and God will restore.
In the Gospel, the disciples marvel at the grandeur and sacredness of the Temple. But Jesus interrupts their awe with a startling prophecy: “The days will come when not one stone will be left upon another.” He speaks of destruction, persecution, and global upheaval—wars, earthquakes, famines. He warns against fear and deception, urging His followers to remain steadfast in faith.
Just as Malachi’s audience forgot how God had restored them from exile, the disciples were tempted to anchor their hope in visible structures—majestic stones and sacred buildings. But Jesus gently redirects their gaze toward spiritual vigilance, reminding them that true security lies not in what can be seen, but in what endures.
History confirms this. When the Roman army under General Titus destroyed the Temple in 70 AD, the collapse of that visible sanctuary exposed the urgent need for an interior sanctuary—a heart attuned to God’s presence, even amid ruin.
Both readings confront disaster—but more importantly, they teach us how to respond to it. Evil does not cease. Human nature still resists the Gospel. Sin has not evolved beyond what Scripture already reveals. And yet, the response is clear: not despair, not retaliation, but fidelity. Each of us must choose to break the cycle of sin and grow in virtue. In this, the Old and New Testaments harmonize in their teaching about difficult times.
Like the people in Malachi’s time and the disciples of Jesus, we too carry deep expectations—about God, about life, about our government, schools, jobs, and future. Yet we find ourselves facing trials and disappointments, persecution for our faith, natural disasters, and spiritual fatigue.
We have witnessed the destruction of magnificent and costly structures in our nation: fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, war, injustice, the torching of Christian churches and private properties in our cities, and the alarming rise of persecution. These events shake our confidence and test our faith, tempting us to ask, as Malachi’s audience once did: “Does serving God even matter?”
But the central message in today’s readings is not a catalogue of woes—it is a call to faithful response. It is in our reaction to adversity that our spiritual greatness is revealed. Neither Malachi nor Jesus promises escape from suffering. So how do we respond?
Jesus assures His followers of His abiding presence—not by removing trials, but by empowering them within them. “I will give you words and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:15). This is not a promise of immunity, but of courage and divine strength.
Moreover, Jesus declares: “By your perseverance you will gain your lives” (Luke 21:19).
This perseverance is not passive endurance—it is active fidelity. It means holding fast to truth when lies are popular, loving when hatred is easier, and praying when God seems silent. Perseverance secures our lives because without it, we risk shrinking back in fear (Hebrews 10:39). But with it, we are anchored in Christ and shaped through trials for eternal union with God.
So let us ask God for the wisdom to recognize and accept that suffering is woven into the fabric of our earthly journey. Let us not fear trials, but fear losing faith in the midst of them. Let us resolve to persevere - with courage, compassion, and unwavering trust. For the One who calls us is faithful - and He will surely give us strength for the road ahead.

Chaplain

Arrowhead Desert Valley Chapter