Steadfast Love

A Reflection on the Second Reading for November 10th, 2019:
Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

2 THESSALONIANS

2 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. 3 1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph, as it did among you, 2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from evil. 4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things which we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

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Stead⋅fast / 'stedfæst / adjective constant, firm, unwavering


In the second reading for Sunday, Paul writes to the Thessalonians: “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”
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The word steadfast comes from the Old English word stedefæst (c.500 - c.1100), which means “secure in position, firm in its place.”


If Christ is steadfast — that is, “firm in His place” — where, then, is Christ’s place? More to the point for me, and I encourage you to consider this for yourself: Where is Christ’s place in my life?


Some of you will have heard, as I have, that Christ should be at the centre. This should be His place in each follower’s life.


But, if Christ is secure and firm in His place then, in order to meet Him, must we go to Him — pick up our life and everything in it, bring it to where Christ is, and then arrange it all around Him with Him in the centre? I think perhaps it does.


Many of you will have seen the Holman Hunt masterpiece The Light of the World. 

In addition to a number of Biblical themes, it celebrates Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock.” You will notice from the painting the absence of a handle on the door. We are meant to understand that the handle is on the inside so that the door can be opened only from our side. So, yes, Jesus stands at the door of our lives, but He requires us to bring our selves to Him and open the door before we will meet Him.

"Christ is faithful because of who He is. Nothing we can do can diminish or increase His love for us."

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Christ stands firm (steadfast) not because He cannot do otherwise but because of who we are; we must come to Him of our own free will. Christ is faithful because of who He is. Nothing we can do can diminish or increase His love for us. The Thessalonians have already moved to Christ, and Paul is urging them to keep it up.


This reading delivers a clear message of promise. It is forward-looking. The Thessalonians are being sent out on a mission, accompanied by Jesus and God, who will guard them from evil people. The Lord is faithful to us. He is steadfast. His comfort is ours, not in a superficial way but fundamentally, in our very hearts and, if we choose, we may rest in that place of comfort for “eternity.” This is love, steadfast love. ​​


Donna Davis

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