A young, inquisitive student asks his religion teacher a difficult question. Unable to give an adequate answer, the teacher replies: “It’s a mystery of the faith.”
What is a mystery, anyway? A mystery is not something we can’t know anything about. It’s something we can’t know everything about. The Second Coming, which we read about today, is one of those mysteries. We cannot know everything about Jesus’ return, such as the date and time, the actual events preceding his arrival, and how the final judgment will take place. But we can know some things, and one of them can be a bit unsettling: “The triumph of Christ’s kingdom will not come about without one last assault by the powers of evil” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 681).
Scripture tells us that Jesus’ return will be preceded by a time of dramatic upheaval and chaos, both in the world and in the church. Nation will rise against nation. Famine, plague, and persecution will multiply. And finally, people will no longer adhere to the truth but begin to embrace fables and falsehoods at an alarming rate.
By talking like this, Jesus doesn’t want to scare us; he wants to prepare us. He came with a message of love and mercy, not doom and gloom. He came to help us get ready for the end of time. He never said it would be easy. We won’t just slip from one kingdom to another. But if we prepare well by taking steps to grow in love for God and for each other, we can anticipate an eternity filled with wonder and joy! As Scripture tells us: No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no human mind has conceived all that God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9).
So don’t focus on anxiously preparing for the tumultuous end of the world. Rather, be confident in Jesus’ victory. Prepare for the glorious beginning of eternal life. Walk in faith, not doubt. Be full of hope, not anxiety. Seek to grow in love, not fear. Jesus has overcome the world. He has defeated sin and death. And now he’s waiting for just the right time to come back and take you home!
“Lord, help me to prepare with great anticipation for eternal life. I want to spend all of eternity with you and the family you have gathered.”
Daniel 6:12-28; (Psalm) Daniel 3:68-74