Today’s reading comes from the book of Revelations which has inspired the imaginations of countless generations. The question, “Are these the last days?,” has been asked by everyone in every civilization in some form or another. We wonder about the question of death. Everyone wants to know the answer for several reasons. Is there something we can do to avoid it? If not, how should we live our final days? Each religion has a version of the last days and a description of how we should respond. John’s writings offer hope that God will come, not for some future generation, but for the Jews of that era. We need to live like these are our last days by being in harmony with the divine will and have a positive Christian presence. A different response is being made by groups like ISIS/ISIL. Theology matters if we are to understand our world today. Each person’s view of the future determines how they live in the present.