Keep awake - watch and pray

‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’

- Mark 13:28-37

Jesus continues his discourse on his Second Coming and the end of the age. This particular talk to his disciples has continued through the previous two readings (see Saturday and Monday). It has (as in other gospels) mingled discussion of the destruction of the temple with the end of the age and the Second Coming.

In this particular selection for today's reading, Jesus gives us the parable of the fig tree. He has described the events to come including the desolation of the temple, and the eventual second coming in the earlier parts of this discourse. In this parable of the fig tree, he teaches us about being watchful and alert. We are to watch for the signs he has described. He gives a certain guarantee that this will indeed come to be: 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.'

Jesus continues, 'But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.' This event is so magnificent an occurrence, so tremendous, that Jesus signifies to us that only the First Person is aware of when it will happen. Church fathers have disagreed over what this signifies about the omniscience of Christ, and his role as Son, both human and divine. But clearly, Jesus gives to us the message that this event is of the most tremendous mystery, involving Judgment. It is of a kind of depth of mystery that we cannot be privy to. Significantly, he continues with another parable about how we are to await this great event.

'It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.'

We are to remember that while our master is away he expects us to fulfil our duties and do our work. Each of us has something to do. We have been taught what that is, we know what his teachings are. We are to seek God's love, to worship, to pray, to share the gifts of the spirit and especially to practice mercy, to grow in love. To seek the wisdom and discernment as to how best to do all of this work we are left to do. Here, he takes it another step forward as well - we are to watch. (The original Greek of the gospel says that we are to "watch and pray.") We must keep awake and alert, to await this great event. In expectation, we continue to practice what we have been taught. We don't know when the master will return, but we keep watch, we pray, and we remember.

On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.

- Psalm 63