Homily: November 22, 2025, Saturday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time (The end).

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 “I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me; and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land.”

These are the final words of Antiochus Epiphanes, the successor of Alexander the Great. If you have been following our daily readings, we first heard about him on Monday described as a “sinful offshoot.” He defiled the Temple of Jerusalem, persecuted the faithful Jews, and opposed the worship of the true God.

Now, at the end of his life, Antiochus realizes his mistakes. He is filled with regret, bitterness, and sorrow. It’s a tragic end a man who once had so much power, wealth, and glory, yet dies far from home, spiritually empty and tormented by guilt.

We’ve seen similar examples in the Bible and history people who made poor choices, turned away from God, and spent their last moments in deep regret. How different is this from the death of the saints, who met their final moments in peace and joy, having lived their lives faithfully.

Life is short. When compared to the vastness of the universe, our time on earth is but a brief moment. 

What will matter in the end is not what we possessed, achieved, or controlled  but how faithfully we loved God and others.

We hear in Scripture that the greatest commandment is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Those who live by these commandments can face death with serenity, knowing they have loved well.

The saints show us this beautiful end: St. John Paul II blessing his people even in his final moments, St. Benedict dying peacefully in prayer, St. Thérèse of Lisieux whispering “I love You” as she died, St. Francis of Assisi singing praises to God, and St. Joseph dying in the presence of Jesus and Mary.

Let us live each day with that same faithfulness so that at the end of our lives, we may not die in bitterness or regret, but with joy and peace, saying, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Amen.


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