The End of the World

by Rev. Victor C. Yakubu  |  11/17/2019  |  Weekly Reflection

Throughout the history of the world, humans have obsessed themselves with how the world will end. It is natural to ask whether the world we live in will end at some point in time. But let us pause a moment to ask equally whether humans truly understand the origins of human life? Indeed, scientists have developed many theories on the origins of human life. Credit must be given to them for the research theories such as the theory of evolution or the big band theory. All these theories and many unpopular ones only reflect our desire to understand where we came from and what will happen to us. In a way, this gives credit to the human desire to ask about how the end will be.

Answers to the question of the end of the world are based on human observation on factors such as wars, weather, migration, economic imbalances, or other natural forces. As long as the world exists, humans will keep speculating on how the world will end.

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In the religious sense, the end will surely come, but no one knows how this will be. The bible gives us verses and chapters of explanations, yet the exact period is not known. Nobody can put a date, or precise year the end will come. The words of Jesus in today's gospel give us an idea. 'When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.' The words are truly terrifying to know that this world we live in will disappear with us. Where do we go? What happens to us? The questions are endless, and the answers are short in supply.

Observing the world today makes us reconsider this quest on the end of the world. There are so many uprisings across the world, wars, migrations of peoples, and tremors of the earth. Are all these events speaking to us? We need to check what we can avert as humans. The case of natural disasters is beyond us to control. But cases of man-made disasters that decimate the populations of our world can lead to the end of humanity. Jesus gives us some golden advice when we face adversity as Christians. 'You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.' All these signs can be observed from the positions of governments through their policies to control faith-based institutions. Religious freedom is a divinely inspired right given by God to enable freedom of worship. When this is obstructed by policies and persecution, then we need to watch out about the end.

Imagine the picture of the end. Prophet Malachi says. 'Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all the evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch.' These words are terrifying. God wants us to live according to the spirit of love. The absence of love brings hatred perpetrated in various acts across the world today.

Hatred removes the humanness in us and creates little demons in us unleashing harm on others without feeling the guilt. The end of the world is a judgment on the human race based on the behaviors of humans and how they embrace others in the journey of life. The lesson is simple: refuse to live in hatred. Live in love of others without violence in your heart. Thomas Merton said, "When you expect the world to end at any moment, you know there is no need to hurry. You take your time; you do your work well." Keep praying!