The following is a reflection of Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, entitled ‘We Must Be Ready’ Published on November 16th, it is from Cardinal Dolan’s blog available on his website:
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We Must Be Ready
Is the end of the world coming?
Yes…
When? Beats me…
Jesus was blunt about the end of the world, and that He would come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. That we know.
He was not blunt about when this was going to happen. In fact, He confessed that even He did not know! Such knowledge belongs only to His Father in heaven, He informed us.
Yes, as God’s Word teaches us, as proclaimed in our readings at Mass these days of November, there would be “signs” of the end of the world. But, the ones He lists – war, earthquakes, famines, calamities – apply to almost every era in human history.
So, we do know that that end of the world is coming, but we don’t know when. What we do know for sure is that we must be ready!
You know, because you’ve been confronted by them, that other religions do interpret the exhortations of Jesus about the final days with much more precision. Books and movies always find this bantering about the end-times very fascinating.
We Catholics figure there’s not much use trying to calculate the calendar, and can better use our times being prepared.
A woman I know tells me she approaches ever day as if it could be her last. She makes sure she is at peace with God, in the state of grace, has forgiven anyone who has offended her, asked pardon from those she may have hurt, including the Lord, and “is ready.” She is wise, as she knows Jesus could call her personally, or the entire world, at any time.
I learned in second grade a prayer Sister recommended to us before we fall asleep: “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, assist me in my last agony! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, may I breathe forth my soul in peace with you. Amen.”
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Link to Original Blog post: http://cardinaldolan.org/index.php/we-must-be-ready/
