Four Horsemen of Apocalypse (1887) Glinka National Museum Consortium of Music Culture, Moscow by Viktor Vasnetsov from the public domain
The Church stands again at the threshold of endings and beginnings. A quiet hush settles over the liturgical year, as if creation itself pauses, listening for the footfall of the coming King. The readings echo like distant thunder, not to frighten us, but to remind us that all of history bends toward a radiant dawn.
The Lord is near.
The King is coming.
Lift your eyes.
Malachi speaks of heat and light, of a day blazing like an oven, yet also of a sun of justice rising with healing in its rays. The fire of God does not come to consume the faithful but to cleanse, to illuminate, and to make whole. Each of us carries corners where shadows linger, yet Christ comes not with condemnation but with sunrise. As the year fades, we are invited to let the old be burned away so that new life in Him can break forth like morning after a long night.
The psalmist imagines rivers clapping their hands, mountains lifting their voices, and seas roaring with joy. Creation longs for the God who judges with justice and heals what sin has wounded. The world aches, but its ache is a longing for the King.
Saint Paul draws this cosmic vision down into the soil of ordinary days. He tells us to work quietly, live faithfully, avoid idleness, and remain humble and ready. Holiness grows in the steady rhythm of daily obedience.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of temples falling and kingdoms shaking. Earthquakes, famines, and plagues remind us that earthly things are fragile. Yet into this swirl of uncertainty He whispers peace. “Do not be terrified. I will give you wisdom. Not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” The unraveling of the world is not the unraveling of His love. His throne stands firm.
As we draw near to the Solemnity of Christ the King, we hear the Alleluia verse like a trumpet call:
“Stand erect and raise your heads, because your redemption is at hand.”
This week, we prepare our hearts for the One who reigns with mercy and truth. Do not be distressed by the chaos of the world. Christ the King comes to lead us into wisdom, peace, and purity, into a Kingdom that cannot be shaken.
StreetEvangelist 