Christmas Star 2020 & Christ's Second Coming

 

A rare occurrence signaling the second coming of Christ?
This was the Christmas Star of 2020, which also made appearance during Christ's birth.
Photo Credit: Dr. Gregorio S. Tan

Some pastor believes that the second coming of Christ is near, citing the recent conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter, which has been the closest in 800 years. The conjunction was so close, it appeared as though the two planets were a big, bright star.

It doesn't seem to be a mere coincidence, he believes, as the rare sight also appeared near Christ's birth around 6 B.C. He takes this as a sign that the messiah is set to set foot on earth once more.

Although the bible is clear that Christ will be back after several years, it is also explicit that nobody knows when that time will come, not even the angels nor even Jesus himself. Despite this, there have been several dates predicted for that --- one was even as early as 500 A.D. However, you will also read a bible verse saying that that appointed time is "near."

As to what "near" means, nobody has an idea at all. It has been two thousand years since the biblical times but planet earth has continued to revolve around the sun with no signs of stopping it.

This pastor, however, seemed so sure that the recent conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, which was most apparent last December 21st, or few days ago, was a sign that we are already very close to the end of the world.

This year has been very strange not only for the entire world but also for me personally. We are aware of the drastic changes the pandemic has brought us. We don't even know when this calamity will end, some saying it might go on forever, and we will be living with these restrictions for the rest of our lives.

The pandemic was not the only misfortune this year --- there were wildfires, successive typhoons within few days or weeks with each other, chaotic riots, and so many more.

These strange things coincided with the Christmas Star. Could all of these be something significant such that all these matters, when taken together, is a sign that the so-called rapture is within our very midst?

The calamities were not the only defining features of 2020, as well as the rare spectacle as the sighting of the Christmas Star, which somehow strangely coincided with the Winter Solstice just few days before Christmas.

My personal life has been so strange this year as well. It will be a very long story, though, that goes back to my date of birth 33 years ago. To prove this year's significance to my life, I have my previous blog articles to show that this was not an ordinary year at all.

Despite the pandemic posing as a grinch that would steal this year's Christmas spirit, I unexpectedly felt that this year's holiday season was the best since childhood.

I've made it a point to enjoy it no matter the circumstance. The expensive gifts I bought for my loved ones, the capturing of the beautiful decors, the playing of relaxing yuletide music --- all of these made this year's Christmas the most splendid in a very long time. It's as though there was no pandemic at all.

The joys I recently felt made me research intensively about Christmas, with specific questions on when Christ was actually born. Nobody knows for certain the exact date. The most researched experts only had guesses and circumstantial evidences. Nobody knows at all.

But we celebrate the big day every December 25th. Notably, however, if one has been reading the bible, one will discover that Christmas is so much more about the Second Coming of Christ than his birth.

Going back to the pastor's belief about the Christmas Star and Christ's second coming and all the other things I mentioned in this article, everything may be pieced in together as though they're random puzzle pieces that make up a significant conclusion --- could it really be that the Second Coming of Christ has arrived, on the very night the conjunction occurred?

Jesus explicitly mentioned that he will come like a thief in the night. No glorious arrival, and at a time nobody knows at all. Although he said that explicitly, he also didn't mention that there will be no clues somewhere. Could the Christmas Star of 2020 be a clue? As well as the horrendous events that took place this year, making it an unusually annus horribilis for so many things and aspects?

With all these information snowballing in my mind while urinating at the comfort room hours ago, I was like? What? Who cares? Who cares if Christ is already here hiding some where? Who cares?

And who cares about perpetual life and heavens? Who cares? A lot do. But would it matter to me, personally? I realized that the bible is not only meant for us to attain perpetual happiness. Maybe that's one of the most enticing reasons why we should read the scriptures.

But we have to know why God promises us these things. It is for us to have faith in him, to hope during bad times, to care, to love one another, and perhaps most importantly, to forgive others and ourselves as well. 

When we do all these, we will be happy. Because after all, these are good deeds that bring joy to us personally and to the rest of the world.

For happiness is not found in material things. It happens when we do good, when we do the holy will of our Heavenly Father.

When we do as He wished, our lives will be happy and contented. I guess that is all that matters, regardless of when the second coming will be...

This is all I had to say about this topic but, since this is the yuletide season, I wouldn't want to miss greeting you all...

A Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year! Cheers!