A cartoon showed a tall, robed and bearded man carrying a sign that read: "The End Is Near." The next frame showed a short, robed and bearded man carrying an unexpected sign that read: "The End."
When John the Baptist appeared preaching in the desert saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"; he meant business. He was right then, and he is still right for us today: The end is near, and before we know it, it will be upon us.
Despite the warnings, we put off making any changes in our lives. This is the moment! Now is the time! Advent especially reminds us to examine our lives and renew our commitment to Christ. As John the Baptist put it, we are called to "produce good fruit as evidence" of our repentance. Only a truthful heart, responsive to God's grace in sincere repentance, will be blessed with God's gift of salvation.
