Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Thirty Third Sunday ( Malachi 3:19–20A; 2 Thessalonians 3:7–12; Luke 21:5–19) 

Dear Parish Family, 

The word Parousia in Greek means “presence” or “coming,” and in Christian theology it refers to the second coming of Christ—the final revelation of God’s kingdom when Christ will return in glory to judge the living and the dead. For Catholics, the Parousia is not an event to be feared, but a moment to be hoped for, the fulfillment of God’s promise to renew all creation and to bring justice and peace to its fullness. 

In the first reading from Malachi, we hear of “the day that is coming” which will burn away all evil and injustice, but for those who revere the name of the Lord, “the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.” This imagery captures both judgment and mercy. God’s justice will expose sin and destroy oppression, but His mercy will bring healing and salvation to the faithful. The Church teaches that this purifying fire is not meant to destroy creation but to transform it—just as our own hearts must be purified before we can share fully in God’s glory. 

St. Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, warns against spiritual laziness and false expectations about the end times. Some early Christians had misunderstood the message of Christ’s return and had stopped working, waiting idly for the end. Paul reminds them that Christian hope is not passive. We are called to live responsibly, to work diligently, and to serve one another as we await the Lord’s coming. The Parousia is not a reason to escape from life’s duties but to engage in them more faithfully, for every act of love, justice, and compassion prepares the world for God’s kingdom. 

In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of wars, earthquakes, and persecutions—not as signs to predict the end, but as reminders to persevere in faith. “By your perseverance you will secure your lives,” he says. The end times are already unfolding in every age when truth is tested, faith is challenged, and love is put to the test. 

Catholic theology teaches that the Parousia will be the ultimate victory of love over evil, life over death. Therefore, our waiting is not fearful but hopeful. We live each day as if it were our last—not in despair, but in faithfulness. For the Christian, the end time is not the end of everything, but the beginning of eternal communion with Christ who is, as Revelation says, “the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” 

Fr. Clement Sahaya Anand SAC,
Parochial Vicar