Moment of Meditation: Signs of the Coming (Matthew 24:3-8)

''As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered them, "See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains" (Matthew 24:3-8).''

As Jesus is on his way back to Bethany, He stops at the Mount of Olives to teach His disciples about the end of the world. And He gives very generic signs. Signs that have happened ever since the world fell into sin. Wars. Famines. Earthquakes. Wars have happened around the world ever since Cain and Abel. Famines are constant in many places. Earthquakes shake the earth all the time. None of these can be pointed to as the one that will bring about the end of the world.

Jesus says, "These are but the beginning of the birth pains." St. Paul says, "For we know that the entire creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now" (Romans 8:22). The pains of childbirth will continue until the day of the heavenly childbirth. The Last Day when our mortal bodies put on immortality and we live forever with Jesus in Heaven. Until then, we suffer along with the rest of the creation until Jesus returns to make everything "very good" (Genesis 1:31) once again. Amen.