It's December, 2012, y'all!

End Times

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and waves.”

                                                         Luke 21:25

Well, we're finally here! It's December, 2012, the month in which, according to some, the world will end. Actually, the Mayan calendar that was found in Guatemala, and so grossly misinterpreted, was not intended to be prophetic at all. According to Marcello A. Canuto, of Tulane University's Middle American Research Institute, who translated the hieroglyphs on the Mayan Calendar, it was the attempt of an ancient Mayan ruler to thrust his ailing reign into an eternal setting. It was meant to promote continuity and stability and not to predict apocalypse.

But what are we to make of today's lectionary reading from Luke? Especially given the fact that later on in the chapter, Jesus is quoted as saying, “Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.” (21:32) Certainly is confusing, isn't it? Here's the deal, though, in the year 70, the Romans utterly destroyed Jerusalem, rendered the temple a pile of rocks, and decimated the rebel Jews. Could Jesus have been referring to this coming historical event as the end? And, there's the off chance that he believed that he would come again in glory within a few short years—kind of like the Terminator's, “I'll be back!” We don't know. What we do know is that we're still here, and we're not likely to go away any time soon.

Here's the question—how would you live differently if you knew your end-time was near? What would you do that you're not doing now? What would be important to you if you knew that on Dec. 21, 2012, the world would simply blink off? I'll bet we wouldn't find you shopping at the Mall. Or sweating in the gym. Or having your hair dyed at the beauty parlor. Or getting that pre-holiday-party botox update.

No, I'll bet you would be with the people you love. And you would be telling them how much you love and appreciate them. Right? So what's stopping you from living as though the end is near? It could be. And even if it isn't, the world would be better served if we believed, and lived from the belief, that every day might be our last.

                                                  In the spirit,

                                                        Jane