I waited as long as possible (to allow for mathematical error)… but it appears that we have all survived the end of the world. For those of you who don't know what I am talking about:
A radical right-wing Christian group predicted that last weekend would be the Second Coming and the end of the world. Billboards all over Chicago (and perhaps other places) read '5/21/11- Christ Returns' and 'The End is 5/21/11.' The group claimed to have based their prediction on 'mathematical equations' (three holy numbers multiplied together and added to the date of the crucifixion). Earthquakes were supposed to begin at 6pm in New Zealand and then slowly destroy the world…. I think we are safe.
I personally believe that when Matthew 25:13 says that we will "know neither the day nor the hour"… it means that we will know neither the day nor the hour.
Many groups predict the end of the world. I equate this with telling people that they have cancer so that they repent and get their spiritual life in order… and then revealing that they don't really have cancer once they have gotten on the right path.
Perhaps more important than knowing when the world will end is knowing that each of us has an end.
But God doesn't want faith motivated by terror…. our God is a God of Love. The occasional reminder that each of us has an end can be helpful, lest we become complacent and lose sight of our end goal… but this is nothing to be terrified about.
Regardless of the individual plan that God has called us to…. and regardless of whatever time he plans to call each of us home… we have been given a daily call to grow in holiness (and I personally believe that we have also been called to be insanely joyful!).
If each of us can remember our call to holiness and do something (however small it may seem) to achieve it each day, we have nothing to worry about in terms of the end…. whether it is our personal end or the end of the whole world.
Also, Jesus was a pretty cool dude…. no reason to think he still wont be cool when we meet him again!
Peace turtles! I wish you all insane joy!
