Come, Lord Jesus!

Come, Lord Jesus!
“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these (2Timothy 3:1-5).
Saint Paul tells Timothy and each of us that the years leading up to Christ’s return will be difficult. Because of man’s ongoing rebellion against the Lord, ungodliness will continue to increase. In our culture, we see opposition to Jesus growing daily. Many sins, once condemned, are gaining acceptance. Many people have bought into Satan’s lie that we can live without the Lord and still find happiness, prosperity, and peace in our lives. The enemy tempted Eve to believe she could find satisfaction outside of God’s will, and he does the same with us today. This prophetic passage lists many traits that will be common before Christ’s return:
Lovers of self. Self-centeredness (placing a priority on what will profit us most) and selfishness (wanting to keep what we have) will be rampant. Lovers of money. The acquisition of wealth to pursue pleasures, provide security, or gain possessions will be ever-increasing.
Boastful. Pride caused Satan to be cast from heaven, and it still prevents people from submitting to Jesus’ authority today. Arrogance, which harms relationships and damages many areas of life, will dominate society. This passage also describes other characteristics of this coming age. These will include abusive behaviors, unforgiving attitudes, a lack of self-control, and many other forms of ungodliness. We are warned to avoid such men as these!
It’s easy to see the striking similarities between our world today and Paul’s description of the years before Christ’s return. While discouraging, these prophetic signs are precursors of our Saviors return to set things right. Friends, our only hope is to rest in the promises of Jesus, not the promises of elected officials or the conclusion of this global crisis surrounding us today. Place your hope in the Good Shepherd; for only He can restore our souls.    
Grace and peace always,
Fr. Greg

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