“Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near.” Mark 13:28 As human beings, we are naturally curious about the future, and we often seek signs in this world to guide us. We analyze political trends to predict elections. If you’ve ever followed an election closely, you’ll know how, at times, the winner is announced before a single vote is officially counted in a state. The signs are so clear that the counting becomes a mere formality. Similarly, we study financial markets to increase our wealth or determine the best time to make major purchases, like buying a home. In our daily lives, we read subtle cues to gauge moods and decide when it’s best to speak to someone. We are constantly seeking to predict and control our future, striving to ensure everything goes well for us.
But in our preoccupation with earthly matters, we risk overlooking the signs that truly matter. This world, as we know it, is passing away. Everything we cling to here is destined for eventual destruction. And yet, this truth is not something to fear or mourn. Just as the death of Christ brought forth new and eternal life, so too will the end of this world bring about something far greater—a rebirth into a new and perfect creation, one freed forever from death and decay.
This reality calls us to refocus our lives. If this is our ultimate future, then our hopes and efforts must be oriented toward that moment when the whole world will be renewed in Christ. We must look for Christ’s return, which will bring definitive and lasting freedom. The signs of his coming are all around us. When we see the hungry, we are reminded that Christ is hungry and calls us to feed him. When we encounter the sorrowful, we see Christ in their grief and are called to comfort him. When we meet those bowed down by heavy burdens, we see Christ burdened, inviting us to take up the cross with him.
Every suffering in this world is a cry to heaven—a call for the Redeemer to come and set creation free. Each instance of pain and struggle is a sign, urging us to respond with authentic charity. Through selfless love, we make Christ present in the world here and now, even as we await his return.
One day, Christ will come again and complete the work he has begun in us. Until that day, we are called to persevere in hope and love, reminding the world that even greater things are yet to come. Let us take heart and live in the assurance that the future is in God’s hands, and his promise is one of eternal joy and renewal.