The wife and I have decided to stay home today.
Both of us feel under the weather, and we attribute this to our age, as well as to changes in the atmosphere — the usual heat interspersed with sudden downpours.
This, after all, is the tail end of the year which draws heavy rains and storms along with it.
Thinking of which reminds me of the drama of the last days, the upheavals and cataclysms that will signal the end of the world.
I find myself especially reflecting on these words of Jesus as reported by Luke in his Gospel:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
“People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon 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.
“But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”
I think of typhoons and sea surges and earthquakes, and of a phenomenon like that which happened in Fatima, Portugal, about a hundred years ago, during the last of the apparitions of Our Lady, when the sun seemed to rock and fall.
Will these things really happen?
Only the unveiling of the events can tell.
Because Jesus might have used the images figuratively to drive home his message — faithfulness to his words, perseverance in faith in him, patient and joyful waiting for his return, which is certain, and which might well be accompanied by great spectacles and turmoil.
The words of Jesus do recall a tradition of the use of apocalyptic language in the Old Testament.
For instance, Isaiah writes about the fall of Babylon: “Therefore, I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place, at the wrath of the Lord of hosts in the day of his fierce anger.”
And Ezekiel on the destruction of Egypt: “When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens, and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light.”
I remember the earthquake that hit these parts not too long ago.
It was a morning such as this.
The wife and I chose to unwind and put our feet up.
We were just resting after our breakfast when the ground began to move with a crunching sound.
We rushed outside and held on to our swaying car, all but shouting our prayers for help to the heavens.
But if, as Jesus said, we were ready for his coming, which we should be every day, we should have nothing to fear no matter if the world was crumbling.
We would have kept our balance on the shifting ground and raised our heads, knowing that our redemption was at hand.