Do you know that Jesus is coming soon?

I can imagine your reaction: “Yes, of course I know. Christmas is less than three weeks away!”

I’m not referring to Christ’s birth (well, not yet). I’m referring to His Second Coming. We hear a great deal about this event in Scripture. In the Gospel reading for this past Sunday, the Lord describes what it will be like when He comes again.

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:25-28).

Jesus provides these details because He’s trying to prepare us, not to scare us. He tells us what will take place, but He doesn’t tell us when.

“But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come” (Mark 13:32-33).

We don’t know when Christ will return and this world will pass away; it may happen in our lifetime, our children’s or our grandchildren’s…

We do know that the world is in a state of moral disarray. What is in fact good and virtuous is currently being disregarded – for example, chastity. What is in fact evil and disordered is currently being accepted – for example, abortion. This moral confusion is greatly harming society and many souls.

What if Jesus were to come today and you were to see Him face-to-face? Do you ever contemplate this possibility?

There’s a saying related to the Second Coming: “Jesus is coming. Look busy!” There’s some value in this; however, we shouldn’t pretend to be busy or be busy doing just anything.

We must focus on being “busy” serving God and following the path He set out for us. For Catholics, this means following all of the teachings of the Church (yes, all of them). These teachings include:

• Daily prayer
• Mass every Sunday and on Holy Days
• Reconciliation with God through the Church, i.e. Confession
• Works of mercy
• Purity of thoughts, words, actions, and desires
• Respect for human life from conception to natural death
• Sexual love expressed within marriage only

Be Careful

Some believe that life on earth is all there is and nothing exists beyond what they can see. This notion is completely false. Our bodies are slowly passing away, but our souls will live forever.

It’s easy to get mixed-up in the ways of the world and lose sight of the goal (heaven). The devil uses many distractions, temptations and lies to try and lead us down a path of destruction and darkness. The devil wants to lead souls astray and prevent them from spending eternity with the Lord.

We are pilgrims on earth; our home is in heaven. We must always remain fixed on heaven and remember that God created each of us to live with Him forever.

Do not live as if there is nothing beyond this world. Do not seek fleeting, temporal pleasures and ignore the impact this has on your soul. Do not be lukewarm and indifferent towards the Lord and His commands. Be on guard at all times and fight against evil.

“But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:34-36).

The Point

I’m telling you this to prepare you, not to scare you. I care about you and the state of your soul! I want you to know the truth and be as ready as possible when you see Jesus face-to-face, whenever that may be. (I pray I will also be ready!) I want us to rejoice in heaven with the Blessed Mother, the angels and the saints forever.

We do not know when our time on earth will end or when the Lord will return. Let us live in such a way that if we were to see Christ today, He would say to each of us:

“…Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21).

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay every one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” ~ Jesus (Revelation 22:12-13)