Homily for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Nothing In This World Lasts Or Is Ultimate

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara, CSsR

Homily for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

Church of St. Bridget of Minneapolis, MN

Sunday, November 16, 2025

The day is getting shorter, and it’s also becoming darker and gloomier. I pray for those suffering from seasonal depression. We are nearing the end of both the calendar year and the liturgical year. Next weekend, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, and afterwards, we will enter Advent, which prepares us for Christmas. During this time of year, the Church’s readings also become darker, focusing mainly on the ultimate things—the end times (eschaton). 

Our Gospel for this Sunday begins with Jesus’ disciples admiring the grandeur and beauty of the Temple in Jerusalem, the most stunning, significant, and impressive building they had ever seen. For the Jews of Jesus’ time, the Temple was the economic, cultural, political, and religious center of the nation. As they looked, admired, and praised this magnificent structure, Jesus made a shocking statement: “All that you see here— the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” Can you imagine how this would have affected the disciples? They must have been scratching their heads, wondering what kind of comment that was. They probably thought: this man claims to be the long-awaited Messiah. Yes, he’s doing what the Messiah was expected to do. At the height of his public ministry, he’s in the holy city and in the Temple. Why can’t he move in, take control, and reign from this sacred place? Why did he look at the dwelling place of Yahweh on earth, which symbolizes everything good, beautiful, and right, and then predict its destruction?

What is the Lord talking about? As he has said elsewhere, Jesus is once again declaring the stubborn truth that nothing in this world lasts. Yes, everything in the world is good. The Book of Genesis tells us that after God created everything, he looked at it and saw that it was good (Genesis 1:31). Everything in this world is good, but nothing lasts forever. Everything in the world reflects God, but nothing in the world is God. The Temple here represents all those beautiful, delightful, beguiling, wonderful things that attract our attention; those things we look at with rapt attention. The Temple stands for things and people we are drawn to and captivated by. It represents that pop star, that cultural icon, that politician. It symbolizes your idea of the good life—the fat bank account, the impressive stock portfolio, that job, that car, that building, that position, that office you aspire to occupy someday. It could be the house you dream of buying and living in. The Temple embodies all these things. Like Jesus’ disciples, you gaze at them in wonder. But the Lord’s message for us today is this: the things you fix your attention on, pursue with all your heart, and sacrifice so much to obtain, will not last. The days are coming when all the wonders of the world, all those things I just mentioned, will be destroyed. 

Is this pessimism? Some might say so, but it's not. It is the most profound truth. Isn't it true that nothing on earth lasts? Isn't it true that buildings, offices, jobs, bank accounts, and stock portfolios will one day mean nothing? The point is — don't base your life on worldly possessions. Reorient your life so that the ultimate good is God alone. When you do this, you'll relate properly to all earthly things. But when they become your God, when you stand dazzled by them, your life becomes disordered. That's why Jesus, at the height of his life, intentionally challenges this worldly attitude and calls us to start living rightly. 

Many people hope, and some genuinely believe, that the world will get better and better. Some argue that with enough political reform, adjustments in economic policies to make things better, and efforts to improve our psychology, we will be okay. But the Bible consistently says no. If the most important thing in human life were technology, they might be right. Technology and the science supporting it almost automatically advance. Almost nothing else does. Consider this: with the level of progress in science, technology, humanities, and more, are we happier than our ancestors were? If you think we are, then why does the suicide rate continue to rise? Are we more holy? If so, why do only a few of us know the Ten Commandments, take them seriously, and try to follow them? Are we wiser today? If you believe we are, then show me the new Socrates, the new Plato, the new Aristotle, the new St. Augustine, the new Thomas Aquinas. And if you think we’re emotionally healthier, why are psychologists and psychiatrists multiplying so rapidly? Are families stronger today? Don’t get me started. Look at the state of marriages. These days, brothers and sisters fight over inheritance until death. 

Based on what we've discussed, internalize these symbols. When you're convinced that nothing in this world truly lasts and you place your hope in God, expect inner conflict. There are interests, desires, and powers within you that are focused on worldly possessions. Consider your ambitions, hopes, and love for material things. When you acknowledge in your soul that none of these things is permanent, don’t expect them to disappear peacefully. Prepare for a struggle! An internal battle will occur. When a new, God-centered way of living clashes with your old habits of focusing on money, pleasure, and similar pursuits, expect an earthquake. Why? Because new life is emerging, challenging the old. Jesus also says, “They will seize you and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and prisons, and they will bring you before kings and governors because of my name.” Christians who focus their lives on God will always attract trouble. But when we blend in with the world, seduced by worldly goods, we cause no trouble. We just fit right in. But when we say no to what others see as ultimate value—when we stand with our eyes fixed on God instead of material possessions—expect opposition. So, fix the eyes of your soul on “Unum Necessarium,” which is God. 

God bless you!