THE END OF TIME

For all those who were disappointed by the failure of The End to take place this past weekend, and for all those somehow still thinking that the new date (21 Oct) is less likely to disappoint, perhaps a primer from Jesus' words in St Mark's Gospel (chapter 13) might be of help:

See that no one deceives you.  Many will come in my name saying, 'I am he,' and they will deceive many.  When you hear of wars and reports of wars do not be alarmed; such things must happen, but it will not yet be the end.

False messiahs and false prophets will arise...in order to mislead, if that were possible, even the elect.

But of that day or hour, no one knows...

Be watchful!  Be alert!  You do not know when the time will come.

What I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!

Taking a cue from C. S. Lewis, I interpret Jesus' discourse above very simply: 

1.  There will be an End.
2.  You cannot possibly know when.
3.  Therefore, be prepared.
4.  "Prepared" means being a person of prayer and active love of others.

Doing this, we will be ready for any "End" or "Rapture" that would come from our Lord.  And if we are "left behind" while being this kind of disciple, then is where the others are going really where we'd want to go, anyway?!

Still, there is a certain attractiveness (and perhaps also fearful resignation) in the idea of the End of Time, especially as it must have been experienced by those in the POW and concentration camps of Nazi Germany.  One such person (who survived) was the French composer Olivier Messiaen.  While in Gorlitz camp he wrote his Quatuor pour la Fin du Temps,  or Quarter for the end of Time.  Attached here is the sublime final movement, entitled Louange a l'immortalite de Jesus ("Praise to the Immortality of Jesus")...