Jesus is world's light-John -1

For Christians, these lights have a deeper meaning.  The night is far spent, the day is at hand.  At the moment when darkness of human society is at its deepest, the Light of the World will come.

So it is a waste of our time to get educated and employed?  Should we just spend our days praying, reading the Bible, and trying to predict dates for the Return of the King?

St. Paul sharply rebuked some for taking this approach.  As focused as Paul was on the age to come, he was thoroughly engaged in this one.  Besides his profound life of prayer and preaching, he labored with his hands to the point of exhaustion so as not be a burden on anyone, and have something to give to the needy.  He said that those that refuse to work should not eat (2 Thes 3:6-13).  The Second Vatican Council said that living for the future world should make us more, not less, committed to improving this one (Gaudium et Spes 37).

So what do we do about His Coming?  Very simple.  By the power of his grace, let’s make sure that when the Light arrives that it won’t for us be a cruel light.  Are there things in your life that you’d rather not be seen by God and everyone else?  Then you’d best get busy rooting them out of your life.  Because the Light will reveal all.

Besides, the Lord clearly says that his Second and final coming will be at the time we least expect it (Mat 24:44).  If God is purposely designing it to be a surprise, I don’t think there is much hope of outsmarting Him.