The Gospel description of a fading moon, shaking powers and falling stars with the Archangel Michael separating the virtuous from the bad doesn't make for optimism. It sounds very threatening and difficult. It's as foreboding as the various media routinely bringing into today's homes, the disasters and violence and suffering of the whole world. To which people shake their heads and ask; "what's the world coming to."
A very good question. Still Jesus reminds that the timetable of the end of the world is not our concern. What matters is that we make each day count fully as servants of the kingdom of God. His focus is not on the impending disaster but on the new life that begins after - like the fig tree. As a shrub it does what is required of it - sheds leaves in winter and sprouts new fruit in spring.
There really are seasons of the human heart. Which one are you in? Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter. There may be many or few reasons for optimism in your life, but with God there is always a space for hope if we but look to the all-too ordinary signs of new life in our world.
"When elephants trample, it is the grass that suffers." (African proverb)
(Comments to Tom at tomascox@eircom.net )