It may have been a relief to human race that various predictions on when the world will end have kept on failing. But it should still be a wake up call for people to prepare, according to a ranking official of the Church.

Msgr. Joselito Asis, secretary general of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said more than the scare that the Mayan prediction of dooms day last December 12 (12-12-12) or on Friday, December 21 (12-21-12), it should call the faithful to repent for their sins as preparation for the Judgment Day.

“Only God knows when the world will end. Nobody knows the exact time and day when it will happen. But these predictions should serve as a wake up call for us to be always prepared for it,” he said.

Asis said the end of the world might come to some people by way of death, not necessarily the dooms day projected in fiction novels and movies.

“If you are meeting your Creator, why would you be afraid? If you are a righteous person, you would always be ready to face God,” he said.

“But others would say they still don’t have the guts to face God because of their various sins,” he added.

Asis advised the lay faithful to undergo the sacrament of confession and repent for their sins as a way of preparing not only for the Judgment Day, but also Christ’s second coming.

“Advent should not always be the season we prepare for Christ’s coming. Everyday we are being called to repentance and conversion,” he added.

Earlier, Asis reminded the Catholic Faithful that “Christ’s Second Coming” on “Judgment Day” is a “certain uncertainty.”

“Prediction on the end of the world dates back to the early Christian communities because of their anticipation of Christ’s second coming and the final judgment day. It will surely happen but only God knows when,” he said.