The Scriptures today address a subject that may not be on the minds of a whole lot of people, but some may be curious about trying to time the end time or when do we think death will happen. For the early Christians this was a real concern. The asked, when could we expect Jesus to return, the Second coming and judge us? They wanted to know to be prepared. Both Scripture readings today contribute some helpful thoughts on this subject.
Because this was a concern with early Christians, they looked for signs about when Jesus would come again and judge us and right the wrongs. There are still people today who are looking for signs. Some believe we are in the end times whereas others are inclined ignore such concerns.
One way to talk about the future is to draw comparisons between what we think the future will hold and what we have already experienced. Jesus did that in the gospel. He talked about Noah, Lot, two people being in bed, one taken, the other allowed to continue to live.
In the examples he used people were interrupted as they were completing ordinary tasks like sleeping or grinding flour. But he made the point that despite the suddenness of that day people can be prepared. This is still the case. Anyone of us today can give examples such as the examples that Jesus gave.
The reading from Wisdom addresses being prepared. It contrasted people who are foolish and those who are wise. The reading from the Book of Wisdom depicts fools as people who do not know God although they enjoy all that the world has to offer, all of creation, its beauty - yet they are unable to figure out that God the Father is the author of it all and behind it all. Instead, people confuse fire, water, and wind with being God.
The wise are those who confess to know God and his ways and seek to follow it, people who are willing to lose their lives by following the example of Jesus, who was willing to suffer for others.
To those who would object, "we could prepare ourselves better if we knew exactly when the end was coming," Jesus would probably tell us that if we prepare ourselves daily reflecting and praying about the inevitability of death, the timing of the end won’t matter.
