Is Our World Ending?

Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time | Year I

November 23, 2021

Readings: Click here to read the full text
    Reading I: Dn 2:31-45
    Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61   
    Gospel: Lk 21:5-11

According to Meriam-Webster Dictionary, END means "the point where something ceases to exist." In this definition, the end of the world means that the world ceases to exist. It will simply vanish into oblivion, total annihilation of everything. This is what many people think about the End Times. However, what Jesus taught us in the Gospel about the things that are bound to happen, the rise of false prophets, wars and insurrection, "nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" (Lk 21:10), "powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky" (Lk 21:11), happened through many years and centuries, is happening these days, and will still happen in the future. Yet, the End has not come. Jesus said "such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end" (Lk 21:9). When will it be? No one knows. 

However, for us Catholic Christians, the End is not about the annihilation of the created world. Pope Francis said, "God's plan is to renew everything in Christ and ‘bring everything to its fullness of being, truth and beauty.’" He further said that at the End Times, "we will be face to face" with God. "It's beautiful to think about this, isn't it, to think about heaven. All of us will be there, all of us. It's beautiful and gives us strength" (General Audience with Pope Francis, November 26, 2014). The End Times then is something beautiful to look forward to with greater hope, rather than something to be afraid of.

As Christians, we are not to fear the End Times nor be anxious about its coming. Instead, we prepare ourselves for it by living a life of holiness as we journey towards the eternal life Jesus has prepared for us.

Fr. Joel R. Lasutaz, SSS

Image credit: jimmyakin.com