ARE YOU READY FOR THE END OF THE WORLD?
In today’s Gospel (Mk 13:24-32), Jesus warns us to be on our guard, because we do not know the day or the hour when we will be called from our time on earth and be answerable to Him on the day of judgement. He speaks about the end of the world and to be alert to the signs in the sky. He tells us that ‘the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness and the stars will come falling from heaven’. Sadly, many of the unfaithful will foolishly believe that this apocalyptic event will be the result of ‘climate change.’ They will ignore the time given to prepare themselves to repent for their sins, and be saved from going to hell. It is our duty to pray for people’s conversion. The unfaithful refuse to believe that Jesus has full authority over the weather, as witnessed in another part of the gospel, when He rebuked the wind and calmed the stormy sea, after the disciples woke Him from His sleep in the boat. They said: “Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey Him!” (Mk 4:35-41). God created earth (Gen 1:1). Very few people are connecting the present bizarre and radical climate change events as a sign from God for humanity to repent and stop sinning and to live as God intended.
THE PEOPLE WHO CHOSE TO SERVE GOD ARE IN THE BOOK
At the end of the world, it will become very clear who created and controls the cosmos (the order of the universe). Jesus, ‘the Son of man will come in the clouds with great power and glory’. He will save all the faithful believers from the hands of Satan, and take them with Him to eternal life. Those saved achieved the eternal perfection here on earth by living a life of holiness. They acknowledged His First Coming in Bethlehem and fervently lived their lives in anticipation for His Second Coming. They will receive the sanctifying grace of salvation, because of their love for Jesus and their acknowledgment of His one single Sacrifice on the Cross (Heb 10:11-14,18). He poured out His Precious Blood for the forgiveness of sins. Sadly, Jesus will send all the unbelievers who rejected the Church to eternal damnation. The damned can blame nobody but themselves because Jesus has warned us. We must obey His Word and not try to change it. He says that His Words will never change or pass away throughout the existence of time. A Priest is called by Jesus to prepare the people for the Second Coming and should never feel socially awkward preaching the Truth. It is his duty to direct us to repent for our sins or else our names will not be written in the Book of Eternal Life (Dan 12:1-3). Let us invest ourselves more in Jesus and in heavenly things, so that we can receive the profit of eternal life. Let’s not invest so much in this passing world.
God bless, Fr. Brendan.