Keep Calm and carry on

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Over the last number of years there are have been many rumours about the end of the world. These predictions have even given us times and dates about when it may be. It seems to me that these ideas are crazy for Jesus himself said that we do not know the time or the hour, so, how on earth can anyone else? 

The Readings today give us a terrible vision of what these end times will be like. It gives the image of cosmic fireworks where everything will pass. Mark writes his gospel in the midst of the persecution in Rome of the Christian community. The community must have felt very frightened and unsure of how it was going to turn out. Mark chapter 13 in which this gospel lies in is a vision of hope after hearing the gospel you may feel that I have gone slightly mad. For it does not look a very appealing place to be. But if you look beyond this age of oppression and violence to a time after this age to a time of peace beyond the suffering and this is what Mark refers too.

We also see that the Word of God is something that will carry on through these dark times and too the times of peace. It is hard to see where this peace comes from especially when there seems to be so much war and destruction. But, although there seems a lot going on in the world we also need to focus on the psalm that is on this week’s reading “Preserve me God I take refuge in you” In the Lord we find our peace and our joy. In him we take refuge but also there is a responsibility from us to stay awake to live each day to the full and not to waste opportunities especially when it comes to relationships with others and ourselves. 

To finish with I read a sandwich board once and it said on the front " The End of the World is Nigh" on the back there was an advert for life Insurance. Don't worry, be calm and carry on trying our best to live the Christian way of life. 

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