End of Time

Matthew 25:1-13

“Stay awake for you do not know either the day or the hour.”

We seem to live in a dangerous and thrilling time. Prophets and pseudo-prophets are rereading the Bible, especially prophetic books like Daniel, or the Book of Revelation. Like the Y2K of some years ago, there has been (foolish) prophetic messages of the end of the world not once, not twice but hundreds of times. Some are wondering that we are still living in this world.

This has happened at other times too in history. We have a report of the Mass that Pope Sylvester II celebrated in the old Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome at midnight December 31st of the year 999. The basilica was full. Some people had given everything they had to the poor just before Mass began. They were sitting in sackcloth and ashes in the church. Some of them didn’t even dare to look up at the moment of consecration. They were lying flat on the earth with their arms outstretched as on a cross. At the moment that the bells started to ring at midnight, some of those present died of pure fear. But when the tolling of the bells was over, and the earth didn’t open, and no fire came down from heaven, it was as if everyone woke up from a nightmare. Weeping and laughing, the crowd started to embrace each other, man and woman, friend and foe, master and servant, and the bells of all the churches in Rome started ringing.

Jesus asks us to be prepared. We should be as ready as the five sensible bridesmaids at the moment of the bridegroom’s arrival. We have to do some long-range planning for the coming of Jesus at the end of our own days, and even for his return at the apocalyptic end of human history. But, I would think it is even more important to do some short-range planning for the coming of Jesus in the “now” and “here” of our daily life. Don't be surprised when I say that the end of the world is not at your death or at the end of history, but it is "here" and "now." Or rather, our meeting of Jesus has to happen today, not at our deaths. As St Catherine of Siena would say, "It is heaven all the way to heaven, and it is hell all the way to hell." I need to live my union with God today in whatever situation I find myself. This earth perfectly hides heaven, but perfectly reveals it too. The present time hides heaven, but perfectly reveals it too. So why wait for the end of time! But stay awake now!

God is present to me fully today in my situation, even if it is a mess (as He will be present unfailingly after our physical deaths). But the real question is: Am I present to Him fully? Or do I present myself now and then just for the sake of convenience?