Maranatha - Lord come soon!

In Paris and Brussels, everywhere in the near East – hardly a day passes without hearing about some or other terrorist attack or suicide assassination. The closer it gets to us, the more agitated the masses become. At a distance, we have gotten used to it and quickly return to our daily routine. Now and then we take a sharp breath when we hear that a Christian was yet again the target of an attack.

When one looks across the world today, one notices that it is not much different now to what it was with the first Christians. Whoever holds to his faith – and in particular in those countries where other beliefs rule, lives dangerously. It's not just under Islamism, but also under Buddhism and Hinduism that one lives in an insecure state. Christians are yet again the group who suffer most under persecution.

Yet, although the persecution of Christians have occurred since the beginning, the manner has changed. In the Gospel according to John we read in today's scripture: “the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” It has nothing to do with the fear of the Messiah as King of the world taking power from others as it was then. Today it is about a fanatical faith to kill and destroy those who do not share that faith. A suicide assassin who blows himself up with Christians expects to immediately go to heaven to his god. As reward for his deed, he will, over and above, also receive 72 virgins to sweeten the deal.

And even when we mourn every one of our brothers and sisters in Christ who sacrificed their lives for Christ, we needn't wonder why it is happening. It was prophesied a long time ago. Not only this, but many other things which are happening in the world at the moment shows that we are living in end times.

Thus, I want to proclaim my wish in union with the first Christians:

Maranatha – Lord come soon!

Rainer Gigerich