Amid the turmoil of global convulsions, the harbingers of regional conflicts gradually escalating into a world war is visible in the horizon. Then it would be pleasant to hear something about peace and security. The United Nations has done exactly what humanity wants at this point of time. They have declared the year 2025 the YEAR OF PEACE AND TRUST.
If you are wondering what prompted the UN to dedicate the coming year for peace and trust, its answer will come from the Holy Bible.
Paul the apostle has prophesied about a time ‘when they say, “There is peace and security.’ (1 Thes 5:3). Unfortunately the second part of this prophecy is not that pleasant to read. It says: ‘Then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape’ (1 Thes 5:3). Paul’s prophecy is perfectly in accord with what our Lord said when he equated the end time to the days of Noah. There, all but Noah and his immediate family members were busy buying and selling, marrying and giving in marriage. For that generation everything was going as usual.They did not suspect anything bad and a flood was not there even in their wildest dreams. But it happened and it caught them unawares.
On another occasion Jesus equated the end times with the days of Lot. There too the people were busy enjoying their life, least concerned about the fire from heaven that they invited by their own deeds.
In both the cases, the people were driven by the delusion that nothing untoward would visit them. They were deceived by the apparent tranquility of the world which they took as a sign of good days.
Now the global elites assure us that the coming year will bring good news for the world. In spite of ominous signs coming from across the globe, they try to make us believe that everything is going well, so that we could go as usual. It is an open invitation to enjoy life, because we are going to have a period of peace and trust!
It is a patent deception. It is hard for any person to paint a rosy picture of the immediate future, because the signs of the times are too much to be ignored.
Jesus warned us to be vigilant. In fact he hinted at three things that would distract us from being vigilant. They are dissipation, drunkenness, and the worries of this life ( Lk 21:34).
What do the global elites want to highlight when they assert that the coming year will be one of peace and security? They are telling us not to worry about anything. They are telling us to celebrate life as it comes and without any concern for the future.
But the Scripture is very clear, that the Master will return at an hour least expected. We have been warned enough in advance so that he may find us awake when he comes.
As for peace, Paul writes: ”He is our peace'(Eph 2:14). Yes Jesus Christ is our peace.
And the Church teaches : ‘The Antichrist’s deception already begins to take shape in the world every time the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgment’ (CCC 676).
What we need is absolute peace and absolute security which is possible through Christ only. But a time will come before this messianic hope is realized, when people will be lured to find comfort in a pseudo peace and pseudo security offered by the powers of this world.
This calls for wisdom, for destruction is to happen when ‘they’ say that a time of peace and trust is at hand. For us who know prophecies, this is not the time to relax, but to accelerate the pace of our preparations to welcome the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness is at home, in accordance with our Lord’s promise’ ( 2 Pet 3:13).
May the Good Lord give us the grace to discern the signs of the times.
