During the last period of the year and the beginning of Advent, the liturgy is filled with a warning about the end times and words to be awake and wait. Jesus' words about the end times, which are often exploited by followers of pseudo-religions, sometimes come as a chilling surprise. Still, they contain a message of hope that if we wait patiently during tribulation, there is hope for change. "So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near the door." (Mark 13:29)
The church has interpreted Jesus' words about the disasters of the last days not only as something that will happen at the end times but also as something that is happening in our lives right now: the death of an individual, the sentence of a limited life span due to illness, or, more generally, the various trials and crises we experience in our lives that are traumatic.
The characteristic of a crisis is that it destroys the life we've lived. When life built up over time collapses instantly, we lose our direction, become confused, find ourselves in despair, and cry in a heap of ashes.
However, the Lord's words: "Know that the Son of Man is near the door"— are not just a promise but a source of hope. They remind us that even in the face of great tribulations, it's not the end but a new beginning. These moments of tribulation are a call to prepare for His coming, a reminder not to be shaken by anxiety or discouragement but to be patient, gain strength, and use it as a time of waiting to meet Him.
If we think about it, aren't the moments of crisis when our lives fall apart moments telling us that we will have to leave everything behind someday? The things we own and enjoy are precious, so we collect and accumulate many things as we live. Ultimately, we will go empty-handed, so aren't moments of crisis a time of preparation to shake them off and leave when the Lord comes?
In a sense, we need moments when the things we have accumulated fall apart. Though shocking and painful, these moments are necessary for us to realize that we must leave and practice letting go. How could we ever understand the importance of letting go without such moments?
Moving can be a huge burden to those with a lot of stuff, but when we move, we organize and throw away many things and reflect on the things we have accumulated.
If we were to compare this to a tree, wouldn't it be 'letting go', and isn't this one of the most necessary words to hear during Advent? In the fall, trees shed their leaves and prepare for winter. The prolonged summer heat has been so intense this year that the leaves have fallen quite late. The ginkgo tree on the school road usually sheds its leaves in early November. Still, the period of leaf shedding has continued until early December. It is said that this is not good for the health of the trees, as they have less time to receive water and nutrients during the winter.
The moments of crisis and collapse were times when we had to strip ourselves of much. Advent urges us to strip off again and fill ourselves with the Lord's poor and humble heart. There is no time to waste. Christmas, the coming of the Lord, is near. We must prepare ourselves now.
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