Reading the Signs of the Times

 

                                                          The Aftermath of Flooding in Spain 

When [Jesus] was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”  Jesus answered them, “Beware that no one leads you astray.  For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray.  And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.  For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines  and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.

Matthew 24: 3-8 NRSVue

More news from Spain about torrential rains and floods sweeping through towns creating havoc. It was only a couple of weeks ago that massive flooding in the Valencia area killed more than 200 people, including eight in a garage where they were likely preparing to flee in their vehicles. It was terrible to see the outcome yet not surprising given the frequency of weather related catastrophes these days. 

In the aftermath of the earlier flooding the king and queen of Spain along with the Prime Minister and other government officials visited the region to offer support. They were met by angry people who had lost everything and who hurled insults and mud at the usually popular monarch and the officials, saying that the dangers of climate change were being ignored. They were whisked away but later King Felipe expressed that he understood why these area residents were so angry in light of what they had suffered. 

King Felipe of Spain

For decades now we've been told that climate-change accelerated weather would create extremes, whether heat and fire, or unprecedented rainfall. The only thing climate scientists have got wrong is that this is happening faster than they predicted and that the change is becoming a runaway train. Government officials in jurisdictions around the planet offer "thoughts and prayers" and make lame promises to rebuild better than before. This just doesn't happen. There are plenty of reports of communities devastated by weather events that are limping back to everyday life, far behind schedule. 

In North Carolina, hard hit by Hurricane Helene there are still people who haven't had basic services restored despite a massive response in what is the wealthiest country in the world. As I write, another huge fire rages in California, a state with the population of Canada. Many have been evacuated or lost their homes because the flames are unstoppable. 

I figure that there will be increasing outrage in response to events such as these and that civil unrest related to climate chaos will become more of a security threat. It will go beyond flinging mud at a figure-head monarch and government spokespeople. Why can't elected leaders grasp thh magnitude of the threat to our social stability? 

There are Christians who are fascinated by the promise of the return of Christ and dine out on ominous scripture passages about the "signs of the times." Often these same people are climate-change deniers, ignoring the apocalyptic indicators all around us. If we believe in a Creator God and an Incarnational God, in the person of Jesus, why wouldn't we humbly see and hear what is right before us? 

Perhaps it's simpler to subscribe to a "beam me up Jesus" theology and to worship false Messiahs of prosperity rather than to do the humbling and hard work of charting a new course for humanity. In the Little Apocalypse of Matthew Jesus paints a grim picture yet encourages his disciples to be alert and ready and hopeful. Can we hear that today?