The imagery of darkness, falling celestial bodies and the heavens shaking is disturbing to the modern mind – as it doubtless was in Jesus’ time, even if the language was more familiar then. Such events, we are told, will precede the glorious appearance of the Son of Man who will come, with his angelic cohort to the earth. When this will happen no one knows (except the Father) – but happen it will! There is a tendency to relegate this vital truth of our faith to the back of our minds. We may think of such language and sentiment as archaic, and find it hard to see it as an essential teaching of our faith.
We need to be wary of those who purport fantastic theories and predictions about the end of the world and return of Christ. However, we need to balance our caution with desire to renew our faith in the blessed hope of the Church, the return of Jesus. The renewal of this hope sharpens our desire to live by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we pray in our hearts, ‘Come, Lord Jesus,’ a desire for the Second Coming is awoken within us. This living hope can strengthen and fortify us as we seek to live in the power of the Spirit.