Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
It’s easy to read today’s Gospel (Luke 21:5-11) and think Jesus is describing this very moment. Let’s review the checklist:
War? Yep
Insurrections? Check
Earthquakes? Regularly
Famines? Definitely
Plagues? Don’t even get me started.
But I’m not here to say that “the time has come.” If I did, Jesus would advise to stop reading, which would defeat the purpose of writing this in the first place!
Instead, I’m thinking about the signs Jesus gives us, and the fact that they’re really pretty common throughout the world. It’s not like any of the above list are unheard of – quite the opposite. They’re regularly on our minds and in the news, and many are faced with these realities every day.
What are we to make of the fact that Jesus’ signs are common occurrences? I don’t think we are being told what to look for at the end of the world. If that were the case, we should always be under the impression that the end is near. Instead, I wonder if Jesus’ words today remind us to always be ready. We cannot and should not put off our relationship with God until tomorrow. We don’t have time to wait – after all, the signs Jesus gave us are all taking place now, in these times!
Today, may we be reminded that the time to be ready for Jesus’ coming isn’t tomorrow, but today. Let us ensure that we are taking care of our souls as if we had no time left. As we witness the warning signs Jesus gave us, let us heed that warning and prepare ourselves.
Marty Bagatti