Unfortunately, many now think that Christianty exists for the sake of bettering this world, for the sake of helping the poor man and promoting kindness….God did not give us the commandments for this reason!

St Ephraim the Syrian, in expecting the second coming of Christ, sang:

“Having called to remembrance that awesome coming, shudder in body and soul, and with heartfelt agony say to yourself: What sort of person will I, a sinner, show myself to be at that terrible hour? How will I stand before the throne of the awesome Judge? How could I who am dissolute have a place among those who are perfect? Or how could I, who am a goat, stand among the sheep at Christ’s right hand? Or how could I, who am fruitless, be numbered among the saints, who have here brought forth the fruits of truth?

The martyrs will show their torments, the ascetics their good works; but what will I have to show but my apathy and my incessant indulgence?

O sinful soul, shameless soul, O soul which has always hated the God-pleasing way of life! How long will you delight in your wretched addiction to evil thoughts? What do you wait for in your apathy?

Do you think that the Judge will be late in coming? He will not tarry; rather, His coming will be like terrible lightning from the heavens.

Try to be prepared for that terrible hour, that you might not then weep unto the ages.”

Comment:
The normal disposition of a Christian, according to Fr Seraphim Rose, as well as according to the Saints of all times, is to expect and prepare for the Second Coming of Christ – every day.

But how? Many people see the signs, but do not know what to do with this information….

The Christian is obligated to expect the end of the world while fulfilling the commandments of Christ conscientiously, and while living in the Body of Christ, that is, His Holy, Orthodox Church.

Without the commandments, and without the Holy Mysteries that the Church only can give, a studying of the signs of the times is fruitless…and will only buy the soul – eternal torment! The Holy Fathers, from every time in history, expected the coming of Christ, and simultaneously, expected that their deeds might not be sufficient, that their sins might require additional repentance….

Christ is not late.

But for the unprepared soul, His coming will always be unexpected.