Today is the last day of the Church year. Tomorrow is the First Sunday of Advent. As the General Norms for the Liturgical Year (n.39) tell us "Advent helps us to prepare for Christmas when Christ's first coming is remembered. Advent also directs the mind and heart to await Christ's Second Coming at the end of time."

Jesus' coming "at the end of time", as it is presented in some Biblical passages, causes great anxiety in some people due to the terrifying images used to describe it. We are not accustomed to such language and we don't know how to interpret it. In fact, today's reading from Daniel is about the trials Christians will have to face in their actual lives before Christ's second coming. In fact the passage ends on a reassuring note. Nevertheless the fear, unfortunately and mistakenly connected with "the end of time" will probably flare up in the minds of some again when they read the undeniably graphic passage.

In comments on today's Gospel William Barclay counsels us to avoid useless arguments and speculation about the Second Coming. He tells us that for believers history is going somewhere with Christ and that we too can be a part of that movement. When the journey ends is irrelevant. In the Gospel Jesus tells us not to be diverted from our journey with him by self indulgence or by the anxiety occasioned by the probelms of daily life.