The end is not yet

CHILL out! Let’s be cool. It’s not yet the end of the world. Though I’m no seer, I don’t think we have serious basis to think the world’s end is already in the offing.

            It’s understandable that with the big earthquake and the supertyphoon that we just had, we become edgy and without as much articulating it, we start thinking whether this is it, whether the apocalyptic image of the end of time is already at hand.

            We can again refer ourselves to what the gospel says to guide us in our thoughts and reactions to the extraordinary events we are experiencing these days. And what does it say?

            The closest and the most blunt clue we can get is what we read in Luke 21,5-19. It might be good to go through it again and meditate on it more closely to get a good idea of what to expect.

            One problem we have to overcome is the neglect we have with respect to our duty to thoroughly know the content of the Sacred Scripture, preferring to have our own sciences as the ultimate source of truth and wisdom.

            When asked in so many words when the world’s end would be and what sign there will be to presage its coming, Christ simply said the following:

            “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and “The time has come.’ Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.”

            Then he continued, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place, and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky…”

            Well, we just have to look around and see if the events mentioned in these gospel words are taking place. The gospel, of course, can be open to a wide variety of interpretation, but in my opinion, I don’t see these signs happening yet.

            What the gospel is exhorting us always is that we be prepared at all times. Death and the end of the world can actually take place anytime. And to be properly prepared can mean many things.

            One, we need to take seriously the business of our spiritual life. This is really what matters, much more than our family, professional, or social life which are also important and indispensable. It’s the spiritual life that brings us to eternal life and that gives meaning and direction to all the other aspects and dimensions of our earthly life.

            That spiritual life has to be nourished by prayer, the recourse to the sacraments that are clear channels of grace, the development of virtues. We need to see to it that we view the over-all state of our life in terms of how it is spiritually, more than how it is professionally or socially, etc.

            There should be growth of faith, hope and charity for God and a growing love for everyone that is manifested always and everywhere, whatever the circumstances. This is a continuing affair for us here on earth, an endless struggle to grow and improve.

            In the gospel, Christ also wants us to disabuse ourselves from so much concern about death and the end of the world that we neglect our earthly duties. This is dramatized in the parable of the master giving his servants some money and telling them to do business with it while he is away. (cfr. Lk 19,11-28)

            We have to remember that it is in our faithful observance of our ordinary and daily duties that we build up the consistency for our love for God and for others. It’s usually in the small things that serve as the sand and gravel to build up the edifice of our spiritual life.

            While the regular consideration of the so-called Last Things (death, judgment, hell and heaven) is highly recommended, it is meant for us to be properly prepared and not to instill fear.

            Such consideration is meant for us to sharpen our sense of what is essential in our life—seeking holiness in our ordinary duties—and not to be distracted by worldly and temporal affairs. Our usual problem is precisely that of letting ourselves be carried away by our earthly concerns and forgetting the eternal ones.

            I am happy to note that after our initial shock and the mess that erupted in the aftermath of the recent calamities, things in general are slowly settling down to normalcy.