Luke 21: 5-11
While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, "All that you see here – the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."
Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?" He answered, "See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end." 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."
Dawg's Thought:
Today's prayer intention - for the repose of the soul of Trif Kupanoff Sr.
In the end, no matter what happens to us, there is one end that will really matter: when we stand before Jesus at the end of our earthly lives.
With that in mind, from the time my day begins and I turn off the alarm on my Blackberry, until the time I go to bed and I plug my Blackberry in my charger by my bed, I rarely think about my "End".
Instead, I tend to follow the little "i am he"'s and the disordered "the time has come"'s. I was on an Ignatian retreat this past week to discern my vocation, and even then, in the midst of meditating on my sinfulness and my "End", there was the temptation to think about, "what am I going to eat when I break my fast at 2:00 pm ..." or, "man, I really love this mechanical pencil ... I wonder what makes it so good ..."
With so much noise and distractions outside of the walls of silence, it's no wonder we have less and less people answering God's call. "Get a good job ... drive a nice car ... find the spouse of your dreams ... I AM HE ... / don't tell me you're going to take that driver just cutting you off like that ... they'll think you're stupid for trying to live according to the Church's ways ... who are you to give correction ... THE TIME HAS COME ..."
On December 10th, 2010, I will celebrate one year after being saved by Our Lord when I was hit by a car when I was riding my bike. The driver told me a month later that if had been a split second sooner, I would have been before my "End". What would He have said to me? Well done, good and faithful servant, or depart from me? I do know, but I do know this: when I am called, I pray that I will be in the best "spiritual" shape of my life.
Take care and God Bless.
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