A heartfelt homily on Luke 21:31-46, Emphasising to Build Your Life on the Word That Never Passes Away (28-11-25)
Praise Be to Jesus Christ
A long time ago, a young man named Aaron lived in a small village by the sea. Each morning he walked along the shore studying the patterns the waves left on the sand. One day an old fisherman saw him and asked, “Why do you study the sand? The tides will erase it every day.” Aaron replied, “I want to understand how the waves move.” The fisherman smiled gently and said, “If you want something that never changes, anchor your life not on the sand but on the rock.” That evening Aaron realized that life is full of shifting tides, but truth built on a firm foundation endures forever. This simple wisdom takes us directly into the heart of Jesus’ message in Luke 21:31–38.
In this Gospel passage, Jesus speaks of unsettling signs and the coming of the Son of Man, but in the middle of these warnings, He gives one of the greatest assurances ever spoken: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” Everything around us—our achievements, our plans, our stability, our relationships—changes with time, but the words of Jesus remain permanent, unshaken by centuries or circumstances. Psalm 119:89 affirms this when it says, “Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens,” and Isaiah echoes, “The grass withers, the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Human promises may fail, but Christ’s Word outlasts the universe. St. Augustine beautifully said, “The Word of God is like a deep sea—it has beauty on the surface and mystery in the depths,” reminding us that Scripture always has more to reveal each time we return to it.
Yet Jesus accompanies this assurance with a loving warning: “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life.” He is not threatening us; He is protecting us. The world’s noise—sin, distractions, constant stress—can numb our hearts and drown out His Word. St. John Chrysostom once wrote, “The devil does not need to steal the Word from you; he only needs to make you forget it.” When anxiety dominates us, when sin distracts us, when busyness fills every corner of our minds, the eternal Word loses its place in our hearts. But when we allow His Word to root itself in us, it becomes light in darkness, peace in storms, and strength in times of fear.
Jesus then tells us to “be always on the watch and pray,” inviting us to live with awake hearts and listening ears. Watchfulness means staying spiritually alert, guarding our souls from anything that blinds us to His presence. Verses 37–38 tell us that the people came early every morning to hear Jesus at the temple. Their eagerness is a reminder for us to seek the Word not occasionally, but daily. St. Jerome, who dedicated his life to Scripture, famously said, “Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” When we dwell in His Word every morning, we learn to stand before the Son of Man with confidence and hope.
Jesus also says, “When you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.” The nearness of the Kingdom is not only about the end of time; it is about God coming close to us through His Word each day. Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “The Word of God is alive and active,” meaning it continues to speak, shape, heal, and guide us in the present moment. When the world shakes, His Word steadies us. When decisions confuse us, His Word lights the path. When we fall into sin or discouragement, His Word lifts us back into grace.
Just like Aaron who realized the sand cannot sustain anything, we too must ask: What am I building my life on? Is it passing things—success, comfort, approval, worldly security—or the eternal, unchanging, unfading Word of Jesus Christ? St. Francis de Sales beautifully advised, “Hold on to God’s word with all your heart. It will never abandon you.” As everything else around us shifts, His Word remains our anchor. As heaven and earth pass away, His promises stand firm. As life rushes like waves on the shore, His truth remains the solid rock beneath our feet.
May we be like the people who rose early to listen to Jesus, watching, praying, and building our lives on His eternal Word. For heaven and earth may pass away—but His Word will never pass away
Prayer: Jesus Open our hearts to receive Your Word
Thank you Father for your meaningful reflection.
Wonderful message keep it up, Nirmal Mary SAB