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“But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on Earth?”

This is the question that today’s Gospel leaves us to reflect on. Jesus being Jesus, He knows if there will be faith on Earth when He returns. He knows everything. As mere mortals, we don’t. So, this question hits us with two realizations; 1. The fact that the way our world is headed, our faith may be in question. 2. The way each of our own lives are headed, our faith may be in question.

At work the other day, there were a lot of people out sick or away on work and we were joking around, saying, “What if the rapture happened and this is who is left?” Some were quick to defend themselves with a list of reasons as if they had already written an article on the subject. (Don’t we all have a laminated copy of our own, handwritten Top Twenty Reasons Why I Would Be Raptured And You Wouldn’t in our desk drawer?) Others half laughed and got a bit paranoid, pulling out their phone and checking out a news website to double check, “Just in case.”

The event clearly had some weight to it because later in the day, I needed to microwave my food and my coworker told me that I could go first. He then followed up with, “This counts as a good deed, right? I thought about it and I gotta be more ready for the rapture, haha.”

Man, don’t we all? I mean, I believe that we should live our lives with the love and dignity that Jesus died to give us, but a little bit of fear of God and the rapture wouldn’t hurt anyone. If anything, it should remind us of our reason to live, our mission as a people.

So now that we have been given our warning question, will we change our acts accordingly? We must be faithful people every day in order to be faithful when Jesus returns. This is how our faith becomes a part of who we are and not just a show we put on for others.

So let’s say the Rosary on your way into work. Pray for each person that upsets you throughout the day. Thank God for every hardship as an opportunity and every easy task as a gift. Be fully aware and active in Mass. Sing openly and honestly to our God. Share welcome words with your fellow parishioners after Mass. Take those feelings of joy and redemption with you out of Mass and into the world.

This is how He will find faith on earth.

Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.