As we approach the end of the liturgical year, our scriptural readings point towards the imminent arrival of end times. However, having gone through this cycle of readings for years, our waiting for the end can never be passive. Each year end moulds us to always be prepared. Countless false prophets and cultists have made numerous predictions of the doomed day but their sensational prophecy ended in vain. This tells us that there is the human longing for evil to end. Our longing as Catholics, however, is grounded in God Who transforms our view of a kingdom through the threshold of Jesus' birth, death and resurrection.

Jesus tells us very clearly in today's Gospel that no one knows the hour, He himself would not say it. He submits it to God the Father. Only God the Father knows when the end will come. In this manner, Jesus prepares His followers.

Even though many disastrous signs have appeared on earth and in the sky that seem to precede the end, the end will not shut us out from faith. Hence, we must be vigilant as the Gospel acclamation tells us, to stay awake and pray at all times for the confidence to stand before the Son of Man when that day comes.

Our focus is staying vigilant instead of being obsessed with the "when" and the "how". Blessed indeed are those of us who are found in prayer when that day comes.