On the Judgment Day

Gospel          
29 November 2009 
First Sunday of Advent      
Lk. 21:25-28,34-36  
by:  Jean Lyka Francisco

A priest was once playing tennis with a friend. During the break, their talk shifted to a more serious vein with his partner asking, “Father, supposed the end of the world suddenly came and we were out there playing, what would you do? Get down your knees and pray?”

The priest paused for a moment and said, “I’d go right on playing.”

Every now and then people speculate and try to predict the end of the world. And the judgment day was described as a cosmic event characterized by the collision of the stars and planets. What the priest’s trying to say is that one should not worry about the end of the world. Worry rather on whether or not you are holding on to your faith or living as a Christian should, despite the harsh adversities.

The gospel this Sunday douses cold water on all predictions and prognostications. Listen to the words of Christ, “As for that day or hour nobody knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.” (Mk 13, 32). It will come, like a trap, unexpectedly.

Everything we do now has eternal consequences. Judgment will be nothing else but God’s confirmation of the choices, decisions or actions we have in life. What we sow now, we reap later.