By Obed Kankiriho
The Bishop of Kabale Catholic Diocese, Rt Rev Callist Rubaramira, has called on Christians to live in constant spiritual readiness as they await the second coming of Jesus Christ, warning that the moment will arrive without warning.
Preaching at the climax of the Jubilee Year 2025 celebrations at Our Lady of Good Shepherd – Rushoroza Cathedral in Kabale Municipality, Bishop Rubaramira drew from the biblical account of Noah’s time, when people carried on with ordinary life eating, drinking, and marrying until the flood overtook them.
He said this reminder underscores how easily people can become consumed by worldly concerns and neglect their spiritual lives, leaving them unprepared for Christ’s return.
The Bishop emphasized Jesus’s instruction to “stay awake,” clarifying that it does not involve literal sleeplessness, but living each day with spiritual alertness and fidelity. Readiness, he noted, is not achieved through dramatic rituals or chasing sensational prophecies, but by faithfully following the teachings of Christ.
Bishop Rubaramira urged Christians to lead productive and righteous lives, serving as witnesses of the Gospel in their homes, workplaces, and communities. He noted that the timing of Christ’s return remains a divine mystery known only to God the Father.
Reflecting on the scripture that “one will be taken and one left,” he said this highlights the moment of separation between those who choose a life of faith and those who do not.
He encouraged believers not to postpone their commitment to God, urging them to deepen their prayer lives, strengthen their moral conduct, and support one another in faith so that they are ready whenever the Lord returns.
The Jubilee Year 2025, declared by Pope Francis under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” calls on the faithful to bring hope to a world troubled by conflict and crisis. It is marked as a period of personal conversion, reconciliation, and acts of charity, inviting Christians to be signs of hope in their daily lives and stewards of creation.
