Feria Sexta infra Hebdomadam XXIV post Octavam Pentecostes – V. Novembris – IV. classis
In the liturgical rhythm of the traditional Roman calendar, the quiet ferias following the Octave of All Saints are filled with sober watchfulness. The Church, having celebrated the glory of the Saints, turns our attention again to the necessity of perseverance in grace and vigilance amid tribulation. Today’s readings—Colossians 1:9-14 and Matthew 24:15-35—chosen for Feria Sexta of the 24th Week after Pentecost, echo this theme with clarity and urgency.
✠ Colossians 1:9-14 – “That you may be filled with the knowledge of His will…”
St. Paul writes to the Colossians with a deep apostolic solicitude, praying that they be filled not with human wisdom, but “with the knowledge of His will, in all wisdom, and spiritual understanding.” This is not mere intellectual assent, but a sapientia salutaris—a salvific wisdom, which must permeate both intellect and will.
St. John Chrysostom, commenting on this passage, emphasizes that such knowledge is not for speculation but for the purpose of “walking worthy of God” (Homilies on Colossians, I). He reminds us that divine knowledge must produce fruit: “He who has spiritual understanding is not content with knowing, but he also acts according to what he knows.”
The Apostle speaks of being “delivered from the power of darkness” and “translated into the kingdom of the Son.” This language recalls the sacramental character of Baptism, a true deliverance from the domain of Satan into the reign of Christ. St. Augustine teaches, “Those who believe and are baptized are taken out of the kingdom of the devil and placed into the kingdom of Christ. This is a real translation, not metaphorical” (Enarrationes in Psalmos, Ps. 64).
And yet, this deliverance is not the end—it is the beginning of a life of continual growth in sanctity, nourished by patientiam cum gaudio (Col 1:11), “patience with joy.” In these few verses, we see the fullness of the Christian vocation: illumination of the intellect, conformity of the will, perseverance in grace, and joyful endurance amidst trials.
✠ Matthew 24:15-35 – “He that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved.”
From the Epistle’s exhortation to spiritual maturity, we turn to Our Lord’s apocalyptic discourse. The verses of Matthew 24 are among the most sobering in the Gospel: a prophetic warning about the destruction of Jerusalem, the sufferings of the last days, and the necessity of steadfast faith.
Our Lord refers to “the abomination of desolation” spoken of by the prophet Daniel—a sign of desecration within the holy place. While originally referring to the profanation of the Temple, the Fathers have often interpreted this spiritually as any corruption or usurpation within the Church, especially in the end times. St. Jerome warns, “He speaks not only of the destruction of the Temple by Titus, but also of the times of Antichrist, when the abomination of desolation shall stand in the holy place—that is, in the Church” (Commentary on Matthew, Bk IV).
The exhortation to flee—to not return to one’s house or fields—is a vivid image of the spiritual urgency required. In times of persecution or apostasy, hesitation is dangerous. St. Hilary of Poitiers writes, “The command not to return even for a garment shows the haste with which we must flee from sin or error, lest we be overtaken by judgment” (On Matthew, 23).
Christ speaks of false prophets, cosmic disturbances, and the shaking of heaven and earth, but at the heart of this passage is a singular exhortation: perseverance. “He that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved” (Mt 24:13). This perseverance is not a passive waiting, but an active fidelity, a daily mortification, a continued turning toward God even as the world falls apart.
St. Gregory the Great, reflecting on this passage, draws attention to the mercy hidden within the warnings: “By foretelling the tribulations to come, Our Lord does not seek to frighten, but to fortify us, that we may not be scandalized when they arrive, but rather strengthened in hope” (Hom. in Evangelia, I, 5).
✠ Conclusion: Watching in the Light
The liturgical context of this reflection is important. The Church has just celebrated the glory of the Saints in heaven and commemorated the Holy Souls in purgatory. She now returns to the day-to-day battle of the Church Militant. The readings today place before us both the grace we have received—a share in the inheritance of the saints in light (Col 1:12)—and the vigilance required to reach the final consummation of that promise.
Let us, then, with hearts strengthened by the example of the Saints and the warnings of Our Lord, strive to walk in spiritual wisdom, endure with joy, and persevere through the desolation that may come, trusting in Him who said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away.” (Mt 24:35)