A Stone's Throw Away, Really?

Sunday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel of Luke 21:5-19 (Click Here For Readings)      
                                         
Then he said to them, "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......." 

A Stone's Throw Away, Really?  Countries around the globe, such as Japan and most recently the Philippines, have experienced major earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, and typhoons. Wars in Egypt and Syria have left thousands dead.  Government corruption and greed fuel the growing human trafficking and hunger problems facing many third-world nations.  Economies are on the verge of collapse.  What is this world coming to? Could the end time be near?  All of the signs seem to be present!  Before we freak out and begin to stock storm shelters with supplies and spread viral warnings on social media announcing "The End is Near," let's stop for a moment and think.  Is the end of the world really a stone's throw away?  Nope!  Freakish weather-related events and war have occurred ever since the times Jesus walked on earth. I think we can relax and know that Jesus will not return to pass final judgment in our life time. However, we still must remain diligent, prepared, and alert.  The end of the world may not come soon but personal burdens & tragedy may happen that will test our spiritual strength.

Do not be deceived, for many will come in my name. The Media will continue to portray negative, heart-wrenching stories to scare us into believing all of the world is evil and corrupt.  Psychics and Mediums will try to "predict" the future in their client's lives. Fanatics will send out mass propaganda trying to convince the public that the apocalypse is near.  Beware of the charlatans who prey on the weak, the helpless, and the ignorant.  This is why it's important to be fully knowledgeable of Christ's teachings.  Be able to identify the fraud and phony "prophet" from Christ Jesus the True Prophet.  

Persevere and secure your lives  People will mock us and hate us for our Christian beliefs.  We will continue to be viewed as the "bad guys" by the secular world.  Those of us who strongly believe in Christ's message will need to persevere, effectively handling harsh criticisms and bias.  Jesus says in the gospel that  By your perseverance you will secure your lives.  At the final judgment, Jesus will know exactly who deserves entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.  We cannot worry about the end of time being in the present or the near future. We should be concerned about living our lives to the fullest - persevering through our goals and challenges with Christ as our focus.

-J.