Fr. Mike Schmitz

And indeed, you do love all the brethren throughout Macedonia.

But we exhort you, brethren, to do so more and more, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands as we charged you, so that you may command the respect of outsiders and be dependent on nobody.

the coming of the Lord.

But we would not have you ignorant, brethren, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

For this we declare to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God.

And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

And so we shall always be with the Lord.

Therefore comfort one another with these words.

5.

But as to the times and seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you.

For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

When people say, There is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape.

But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief.

6.

For you are all sons of light and sons of the day.

We are not of the night or of darkness.

So then, let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.