My soul magnifies the Lord

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord."

And Mary said:

"My soul magnifies the Lord,

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;

For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

For He who is mighty has done great things for me,

And holy is His name.

And His mercy is on those who fear Him

From generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His arm;

He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones,

And exalted the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

And the rich He has sent away empty.

He has helped His servant Israel,

In remembrance of His mercy,

As He spoke to our fathers,

To Abraham and to his seed forever."

And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

- Luke 1:39-56

In yesterday's reading, Luke's gospel told us the story of Gabriel's visit to Mary, the Annunciation. He told her: "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women!" She was troubled, and he continued: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS." Mary asked, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" Gabriel answered: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest will overshadow you, therefore, also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord." We remember that Mary has been told by Gabriel that Elizabeth is in her sixth month of pregnancy. John the Baptist leaps in the womb of Elizabeth his mother, because Jesus has come near. Elizabeth responds in the Spirit, and calls Mary "blessed," just as Gabriel did in yesterday's reading. She realizes her child has leaped for joy in the presence of "my Lord." In the phrase, "Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord," Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, repeats a theme running through these first readings in Luke. Through faith, we are aware of what is to unfold in relationship to God, an active fulfillment of promise. Acceptance of this relationship has meant an awareness and acceptance of things unfolding, being fulfilled, moving forward, things revealed in the visitation of the messenger: first to Zacharias (who hesitated) and then to Mary.

And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed." Here, Mary begins her own prayer from her heart, known in the West as the Magnificat, after its first word in its Latin form. This prayer is similar to the inspired prayer of Hannah found in 1 Samuel 2:1-10, which my study bible notes had been prayed by expectant Jewish mothers for centuries. "Henceforth all generations will call me blessed" is an inspired understanding of what to this day is true. What we read in the first words of this prayer is a clear sense of her depth of faith - a kind of oneness of Mary's own soul and spirit with Lord, God her Savior. Both titles will also be used for Christ, the son she bears. In the Eastern churches, she is known as "God-bearer."

"For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation." Again, we look to the future in this inspired prayer, and in that unfolding future is a story of faith, from generation to generation. It is a promise of mercy, a mercy that will unfold from generation to generation.

"He has shown strength with His arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever." Here the promise refers back in time, to the thread of God's mercy running through the whole history of Israel, the people of God, from Abraham their ancestor. God's mercy unfolds through time, God's promise is fulfilled "in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever." What we have, then, is a sense of God's unfolding promises through time, the patient witness even of the whole people, Israel, the fulfillment in the present moment in which this young woman has become "God-bearer" for all. My study bible adds, "The reign of God is over (a) our hearts, (b) kings and rulers, (c) the poor and the rich, and (d) the faithful of God."

So, in these unfolding stories from the first chapter of Luke, we begin to get a sense of time, the unfolding of God's promises and their fulfillment, and the necessary requirement of faith that we be prepared to keep God's promise in mind, to accept and abide, even with patience, as God's promises are fulfilled. In this case, Mary's pregnancy is an unfolding of a promise made centuries before, even to Abraham, and it will unfold as a promise of generations to come: henceforth all generations will call me blessed. When we think of faith, and of examples of our faith, this is what we must bear in mind. It is a kind of abiding, a trust, a knowledge that the promise that we await unfolds, through time, becomes fulfilled. The faith and hope we hold in our hearts is that of a trust in God's love, and a sense in which God uses time as a part of that mercy, to unfold, build and grow a relationship of faith in us, and with us. What we keep in our hearts becomes a sense of God's love, God's help with us, not an immediate demand for fulfillment of what we may expect or desire. It is rather an unfolding blessing, a deepening of relationship, a promise fulfilled in and through time. Can we hold on to that love in our hearts? Can we consider ourselves blessed, as she did? These two women, in their great love for one another, hold fast to that promise in the Spirit -- in Gabriel's words, "for with God nothing will be impossible." Let the love of the Spirit fill us, and give us love and strength and hope, as the promise is from generation to generation. May our souls, likewise, magnify the Lord, as our spirits have rejoiced in God our Savior.

Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women!" But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will rein over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end."

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?"

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest will overshadow you, therefore, also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

- Luke 1:26-38

In yesterday's reading, we began at the beginning of Luke's gospel. It told the story of Zacharias and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist. Both are of a priestly lineage, and we start when it is Zacharias' time for service in the temple. His lot is to light the incense. Many people were praying outside at the time of the incense. When Zacharias was at the altar, an angel stood next to him. Zacharias was troubled, and afraid. The angel told him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John." The angel said, "He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Zacharias replied to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." The people outside waited for Zacharias, and when he finally came out of the temple he couldn't speak -- and all the people understood he had seen a vision. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. Elizabeth is now six months with child -- John the Baptist, her son, will be called the Forerunner, the one who comes announcing the good news of the Lord, and preparing the people for His coming. While Zacharias and Elizabeth were of priestly lineage, we read here that Joseph is of the house of David, a royal lineage.

The virgin's name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women!" But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Mary means, "exalted one." "Highly favored" can also be translated "full of grace." Mary's humility is evident in her response to such an extraordinary greeting of great praise.

Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will rein over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." As Zacharias as prepared for the birth of John the Baptist, who will be "in the spirit and power of Elijah," so Mary is prepared for her Son. This is, indeed, an extraordinary description. Again, the angel says to Mary, as was said to Zacharias, "Do not be afraid."

Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" Luke's emphasis is very clear, elaborated, and precise. Twice we have been told she is a virgin, and here she asks distinctly the question that must be asked!

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest will overshadow you, therefore, also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." My study bible points out that here, again, we have a repetition for emphasis: Holy Spirit and the power of the Highest are synonymous. The Son of God indicates a divine title for this child. What becomes clear in this verse is a blending of the divine and the human, beautifully composed here by the evangelist, in the poetry of the gospel. The child will be born through the interaction of the divine and human. Hidden here in this verse is also the power of the Trinity: The Holy Spirit, the Son of God, and the Highest (God the Father). While the message is clear, we don't know exactly how this happens, just the mystery of this intersection of both. The way the description reads, that the Holy Spirit will come upon her and the power of the Highest will overshadow her, reminds me of Moses being overshadowed by the cloud on Mt. Sinai.

Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." Again, we have emphasis. Mary is told that barren Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age -- the power of God is at work in the lives of human beings, great things are happening. "For with God nothing will be impossible." In yesterday's reading, Gabriel chastised Zacharias for his failure to receive the grace given him, the good news. He said, "You did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." Here we have a future tense again, a sense of events that are about to begin and will be continually unfolding: "For with God nothing will be impossible." There in these words is the implication of faith, and patience, and abiding, as things will be fulfilled in their own time, and with God nothing will be impossible.

Then Mary said, "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. Mary's response once again exemplifies her humility before God; she accepts the grace that has come to her. My study bible points out that Mary is honored not only because she was chosen by God to bear the Son, but also because she herself responded to grace with faith. Without such response with faith, this story could not unfold as it has. We have both the interaction of the divine and human at work, and for this reason, Mary is honored among human beings. My study bible says, "The Incarnation of the Son of God is not only the work of the Trinity, but also the work of the will and the faith of the Virgin."

Let us consider Mary's faithful response, and ponder what it is to be offered such grace. Human beings must accept. The contrast in both stories of Zacharias and Mary give us this truth. We form a synergy in faith, an active working hand in hand with God, with the divine. Grace also asks of us our "yes" to its working in us and through us. We must accept. Let Mary be the model, then, for all of us. She is the human being who accepted, with grace, with humility, with faith, the great mystery of what she is called into here. One cannot imagine the pain of what she will go through as the events of Jesus' life and Passion unfold, nor the extraordinary and overwhelming joy she will find in her Son. Let us remember her love, inseparable from her faith. We, the faithful, also share in that love, that she bore first, and for all of us. Without her yes, we don't know what would have happened. With Mary, let us accept that "with God, nothing will be impossible." She is our shining and stunning example of a human being receiving grace with faith: "Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word." She echoes the words of the Old Testament figures, "Here I am, Lord!"

Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zecharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall rink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.

Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people."

- Luke 1:1-25

As we move closer to Christmas, the readings shift. In the gospel of Matthew, we have reached the point (in Saturday's reading) in which Jesus prepares His disciples for the time in which we now live, the time in which we await His return. He has promised the disciples that He will return. He has told several parables, teaching them watchfulness, expectation, and what it is to be good servants in the Master's absence. In Saturday's reading, He spoke not another parable, but of the Judgment that will happen upon His return. Like sheep and goats, all will be separated -- to His right hand and left. What is the criterion? "I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me." Then the righteous will ask, "When did we do these things?" And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me."

Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. Today the lectionary takes us to the beginning of Luke's gospel. Luke makes it clear that His intent is to write down the things heard directly from eyewitnesses and ministers of the word as they were delivered "to us" -- to those in the early Church. Theophilus was a prominent Gentile who had received Christian instruction. Luke's gospel is therefore a "testimony to the testimony" of the eyewitnesses, the disciples who had known Jesus directly.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. Luke, making a complete record, is the only evangelist who teaches us about the birth of John the Baptist. We note that both Zacharias and Elizabeth come from the lineage of the priests of Israel. They are both "blameless" and "righteous" people. However, they suffer socially: Elizabeth is barren. Over and over again, the Old Testament tells us of such women, who become the mothers of great holy figures: Sarah, Rebekah, Hannah, and others. Their advanced age, their state of righteousness despite social "reproach," is a testimony to their faith.

So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. My study bible notes: "Each priest was assigned to a division. There were 24 divisions in all, each serving a week at a time by rotation. [Zacharias is of the division of Abijah.] The responsibilities of the priests in the division were decided by lot."

And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zecharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall rink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." The first thing we notice is that "fear fell upon Zacharias" and the angel told him, "Do not be afraid." This will be important to note a little further along in this story. From the angel's words, we understand that Zacharias has prayed for a son. The name John means "the grace of God." John will be a special child, set apart for the Lord. He will become a prophet like the great prophets of the Old Testament. Jesus will call him the greatest among the prophets. He has a mission, to prepare the people for the Lord. As my study bible notes, "Elijah, one of the greatest prophets of Israel, was expected to reappear from heaven in order to anoint the Messiah."

And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time." And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. My study bible notes, "Zacharias' question indicates a lack of complete faith in God's promise. Compare this with Abram's response when he was promised a son" 'he believed in the Lord" (Gen. 15:3-6). . . . Losing his speech serves both as discipline for Zacharias's unbelief and as a sign of the truth of Gabriel's announcement." What we note in Zacharias's fearful and troubled approach is a hint of something we commented on in the readings from last week: the fearful servant who his his talents instead of expanding them and creating yield from them. So much of the stories in both Old and New Testaments are illustrations about faith, and especially our capacity for faith. Human beings are not perfect -- rather it is a capacity for a faith relationship with God that seems to bear out the holy figures that shape this religious history. Often, the figures of the Bible bear out the growth of such faith and the relationship to God. The failure to receive such grace may spur a rebuke, correction, or temporary setback, if only to work to instruct and build this relationship. Gabriel "stands in the presence of God." Therefore His message is God's word to Zacharias. "Angel" means messenger in the Greek. John the Baptist will also be a messenger (in icons of the Eastern Church, he is often depicted with wings to denote this identity). And so, of course, is this gospel, a testimony to the word of the messengers who were the apostles.

Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people." Elizabeth is thus blessed, and her "reproach among people" is taken away. We are careful to note that faith does not depend upon outcomes, and the opinions "among people." John the Baptist is a blessing (as we may consider all children), born by the grace of God.

God's love transcends all things, and so, as in this story, what God has given us may also be consecrated back to God. John the Baptist is truly a firstborn, one who will be in fact "set apart" for the things of God. He will be the greatest among the prophets, and come "in the spirit and power of Elijah" to prepare the people for the Lord. He will be a towering figure among his own people and in his own time, widely revered as a holy man. But he will also suffer for the Lord. As we begin these readings leading to the day we celebrate the birth of Christ, let us consider today the announcement of Gabriel, the good news of the gospel. Let us remember all the "ministers of the word" that has been delivered to us, and think of the message of John the Baptist. Before his birth, the great announcement came, directly from the extraordinary messenger, Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. He brings Zacharias "glad tidings" and was sent (the root meaning of the word "apostle") for this purpose. So over and over again, the gospels bear witness to this message, these glad tidings, as we begin over again the story of Christ's birth. In the Greek, there is one word Gabriel uses to describe his mission: "evangelizo" (εὐαγγελίζω) -- to bring good news. Let us remember the roots of the gospel, as we live again the report, direct from the one who stands in the presence of God, of the glad tidings we celebrate this week. As Elizabeth and Zacharias, can we grasp the blessing given to each of us?

Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

- Matthew 25:31-46

In the past several readings, Jesus has been teaching His disciples first about what is to come in Jerusalem (including the destruction of the temple), and also His Second Coming (beginning here). Mostly, He has been continually instructing them in matters of leadership/servanthood, His concept of what it is to be great in His Church, in the Kingdom, and therefore how they are to conduct themselves in His absence and in preparation as they await His return. That hour we do not know, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, and not Christ Himself, only the Father. So, His emphasis has been on preparedness, watchfulness, wakefulness, mindfulness of that day and His return. He has given us several parables in this context. In yesterday's reading, we read of the servants who were each given a sum of talents to care for while the master is gone. Two of them invest and trade and create produce and yield from what is given to them. The third fears his master, and calls him a hard man, who reaps where he doesn't sow. This servant in his fear hides his sum in the ground, taking it out when the master returns. While the master rewards the first two, the third he chastises. "'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away." See And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left." Today, Jesus gives us not a parable, but a vision of the Judgment that will accompany His return. This return is not as He came, in humility as the man Jesus, but in "glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory." This is an unimaginable pageant, a mystery of awesome glory, in which "all the nations will be gathered before Him." It is also a picture of separation: as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. One will be on His right hand (the sheep, fit for consecration to God), and the other on the left. We are reminded of the parable of the wheat and the tares, given in Matthew chapter 13 (see the parable and Jesus' explanation). In that parable, both tares and wheat are allowed to grow together until the end of the age, lest the good wheat be uprooted with the tares. But here is Judgment, together with the angels, whom Jesus explained were the reapers in the parable of the wheat and the tares. So this harvest is a picture of separation, and it is a picture of separation which will not happen until such time of harvest or Judgment.

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' " We note that He speaks to the sheep. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, and so the sheep in this fold are those who are His followers, the ones who follow His leadership. And what we must note about their conduct is its personal contact with others, the response to need. I see more in this than our conventional notions of charity, although of course charity as we think of it is a great element here. But charity involves more than donation; this passage speaks of kindness, and the kindness involved in a sort of personal relationship, even perhaps with a stranger. The element of the personal here is kindness and compassion. And it is a giving not only of resources but of time, all touch somehow upon the personal and even the intimate. So, I think it's more than a statement or list of good works, but even of virtues, of personal character.

"Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' " Here, Jesus exemplifies His notion of servant-leadership, a concept He has worked so hard in so much of His teaching in Matthew's gospel to instill in His disciples. He has said repeatedly that he who would be greatest among them, must be servant of all. There is a peculiar question here about "my brethren" and what it means. I think we can liken it to the parable of the Good Samaritan, found in Luke's gospel, in which Jesus is asked, "Who is my neighbor?" The answer is that a neighbor is one who acts like a neighbor. To be one of His brethren then seems to follow this conditional response, and everyone is called to be one of these brethren. But that rests with the Judgment. My study bible says, "Jesus identifies Himself with the poor and the outcast and invites to brotherhood all who are kindled with love for others (1 John 4:20). These are crowned with grace." We also recall Jesus' words in the Beatitudes, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Jesus' teachings are filled with conditional statements of reciprocity, that depend on our own initiative in relatedness to others. To my mind, they are all statements that emphasize the personal, the virtues of character, the heart.

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Again, Jesus' emphasis is on "the least of these." And we really have to think about "the least of these" in our lives. I take this beyond a social call on a grand social scale, but deeply into the personal, because Jesus' emphasis in teaching the disciples about servanthood has also been on the personal, on "the least of these" in their midst. I don't think this is only about the type of anonymous charity we can think of today on a grand social scale (although of course, all charity is good). But I also think of it on the personal level, where "the least of these" may be the most powerless person in a group, the meekest in the church, the ones anywhere who may be overlooked and left out, those who are easily dismissed. Christ is the knower-of-hearts, and so much of the gospel is taken up with an understanding of the most intimate knowledge of who we are in our hearts, our very thoughts. Therefore, the cultivation of this kind of virtue calls us out of ourselves, and into a kind of way of being in the world, a way of thinking about those who cannot pay us back, give us favor, even make us appear virtuous -- but rather those who are truly "the least of these." So many of Jesus' teachings have emphasized what "the Father sees in secret," especially when it comes to doing for others. Let us remember that when we read this passage.

So let us think, then, of the cultivation of the qualities of kindness and compassion, a personal sense of what charity truly is. St. Paul speaks precisely on the subjects of today's reading when he says, in 1 Corinthians 13:12-13, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." Of course, the word translated as charity in the King James Bible is agape in the Greek, which simply means love. And love is the word used in more modern translations. Jesus has taught that where our treasure is, there our heart will be also, and that is also a picture of agape, of love. What do we love? How do we love? What is in our hearts -- what do we most treasure? The virtues of charity exemplified and spelled out here by Jesus are the virtues of love: kindness, compassion, gentleness, charity, sympathy, wanting what is good for others. We can extend these qualities to include encouragement, giving hope, even letting others know simply that they are not alone, praying for one another. There are endless examples. But, for me, they all call upon the personal, and hence touch upon just exactly where our faith is. How are you called to this today? There are so many ways to express it, so many ways to give it, whether or not we have money or material resources. Do we have time? A kind word? A glance of compassion? A prayer? This charity that we are called to is something we all have the means to give! But it takes true mindfulness to do so. Sometimes, if we're really paying attention, Christ may be calling us to this mindfulness in any situation, just so that we may respond.

And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and had his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' His lord said, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

- Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus has been teaching His disciples about what is to come in Jerusalem (including the destruction of the temple) and also about His Second Coming and the end of the age. This discourse began with a question from His disciples: see Take heed that no one deceives you. In yesterday's reading, Jesus elaborated on His teachings about leadership, specifically leadership in the time when He is away, the time we are in today, as we await His return. He has been teaching in parables, and in the reading from yesterday, He gave another: Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of these were wise, and five were foolish. The wise virgins prepared oil for their lamps. The foolish did not. But then the bridegroom was delayed! So they all rested and slept. At midnight, the bridegroom was coming. The foolish asked the wise for some oil for their own lamps. But the wise said they must buy their own, otherwise there may not be enough for both. Those with oil went into the wedding, and the door was shut. Jesus said, "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey." In this parable, we have a story of a master who invests in His servants. Talents were a very large sum of money. Our modern understanding of the term "talent" actually derives its meaning from this parable in the Bible. Each is given a sum of money, in effect, "according to his own ability."

"Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and had his lord's money." It's an interesting comparison here: two servants do something with this money, they trade with it. They make shrewd investments that give a yield. But the third hides the talent. I think we can compare this again to something from yesterday's commentary. In yesterday's parable, Jesus' story of the wise and foolish virgins with their lamps "reflected" upon an earlier teaching to His disciples: "You are the light of the world." Earlier in Matthew's gospel, He taught: "A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." But here, we have the opposite in this servant given the one talent. He hides what he is given. It does not show before men, and he does nothing with it. If we can compare analogies between the talents and the light from the lamp, we can see a common idea in that the third servant hides what he is given, he buries it. There is no yield, nothing "shines forth."

"After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' His lord said, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' He also who had received two talents came and said, 'Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.' " Here we have a picture of a harmonious relationship and order in a household. Even when the master is away, the servants are "good and faithful." They have done what was expected of them. Surely, they were prepared beforehand to serve properly, and they understood their master before he left. They are rewarded with yet more investment in them, more trust, and more responsibility. Let us remember the conversations with His disciples before coming to Jerusalem: repeatedly, the disciples asked for positions of greatness in the kingdom, and Jesus' response was that leadership in His kingdom must be a form of servanthood. He who would be greatest among them must be servant of all.

"Then he who had received the one talent came and said, 'Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.' " Here, we have a completely changed and different relationship in the household with this particular servant. Unlike the first two, this one understands his master in a completely different sense than do the first two. It is a very "worldly" sense. There is just fear here, not trust. This servant knows his master as a "hard man." Moreover, he sees the yield produced by the other servants as a form of hardness on the part of the master: in this servant's point of view, the master simply reaps where he hasn't sown, and gathers where he scattered no seed. These words are a part of another teaching found in John's gospel. Jesus taught: "For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors." He was speaking of the harvest for the kingdom, for which He sends out His apostles. But the perspective of this servant is a narrow, limited point of view on the running of this household, and a narrow and frightened point of view on the power and persona of the master. It is one without capacity for faith, for trust. It is a kind of fear that is without the awe implied in the "fear of God," and rather denoted by cynicism -- servility rather than servanthood. When Jesus told His first parable in Matthew's gospel, it was about the Sower -- and here we have echoes of the Sower, yet seen in a false light. In the words of the false servant here, his master "reaps where He hasn't sown, and gathers where he hasn't scattered seed." This is a limited "worldly" understanding, confusing the disciples with the master, from whom all things come to begin with: seed and sowing.

"But his lord answered and said to him, 'You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.'" Here the lord turns the tables on the servant, using the servant's own words to characterize the master. Even by the standards the servant believes to be true of the master, the servant has failed. He has done nothing with what was entrusted to him, invested in him. At the very least, he could have given it to others who would invest for him and produce a yield. He has failed even by his own set of standards; his behavior is characterized by neglect. Neither is there a sense of brotherhood with his fellow servants, upon whom he could have called for counsel.

"'Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'" The ending to this parable is similar to an earlier one, which we read about in Wednesday's reading. It was also a parable about servants. Jesus said then of the one who misbehaved, abusing his fellow servants, that the returning master would "appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." In Matthew 13, after Jesus gives the crowds the parable of the Sower, He explained to His disciples why He spoke in parables. He said, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

So, from my perspective, the parable we read today gives us a picture of relatedness, relationship in faith that Christ seeks with His disciples. It is one of love and trust. When we confuse the "fear of God" with one that lacks the ability to trust, then we do not enter into the kind of discipleship He seeks. Jesus seeks an expansion of the kingdom, an expansiveness in us that becomes "profitable." The Spirit will teach us to use our talents, whatever has been invested in us, in the ways that the Lord desires. In this way, the kingdom is like the tiny mustard seed, that sprouts into a sturdy shrub that even holds the birds of the air. But without love and trust, how does such expansion succeed? In a cynical, servile, and untrusting relationship, how do we go forward as Christ asks us to? We can see echoes of this lack of capacity for real faith in the earliest stories of the bible, in Cain's response to the favor of his brother's sacrifice -- and his fear that God's response to murder is meant to simply destroy him (Genesis 4:1-15). Today's teaching is not only about what we do with our lives and the things God has given us, but also the kind of relationship God seeks with us, in order that we may be able to fulfill these expectations, to produce fruits worthy of the harvest, to be the people He calls us to become.

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

- Matthew 25:1-13

In the past several readings, Jesus has been talking about the destruction that is to come in Jerusalem (which will include the destruction of the temple), and also the time of His Second Coming, the end of the age. This discussion began with a question from His disciples. In yesterday's reading, Jesus returned to the themes of leadership that He has emphasized throughout the chapters of Matthew's gospel that follow the apostles' confession of faith. He who would be greatest among them must be a servant to all, especially in this period in which we await His return. Jesus asked, "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?" The servant shall be rewarded who feeds the household and takes good care of it while the master is away, and upon his return finds it so. "But," Jesus said, "if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom." Jesus begins a parable about this time in which we await our Bridegroom and His return. Of course, the Church has often been likened to a bride. My study bible says, "The Old Testament prophets portray the covenant between God and Israel as a marriage covenant. The marriage will finally be consummated when the Bridegroom returns at the end of the age and the righteous form a wedding party to go forth to meet Him. The Bridegroom represents Christ in His Passion, who dies out of love for His Church (Eph. 5:25-27)."

"Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps." For modern readers, it may be necessary to understand the kind of lamp Jesus is talking about. It is an oil lamp, in which a wick would float. The flame would then burn the fuel of the oil, staying lit atop the oil in the lamp. Traditionally, these lamps are filled with olive oil, and to this day one can still see devotional lamps in Orthodox and other churches, and also burning in home altars before icons. The word for oil here in the text means "olive oil." But in sound, it is almost identical to the word for "mercy." So, there is a context here for the parable, and it is the mercy we receive as we show mercy. What is the fuel with which we keep our own spiritual lamps burning in preparation for the wedding feast, and for our bridegroom? Olive oil is also an anointing oil, Christ the Anointed One, and the mercy poured out upon us by the Spirit likened to this anointing oil.

"But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept." My study bible has an interesting note on this verse: "That the wise virgins also slumbered and slept suggests that once prepared, a person rests as needed."

"And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'" My study bible says that this part of the story illustrates the fact that "spiritual preparedness cannot be conveniently given or borrowed." I think it also tells us about the things that come first, the things we must not neglect nor delay in our lives. Rest is essential, but first things come first. We keep our lamps burning through a constant contact with the pool of mercy, so to speak -- through prayer, through the seeking of God's grace and will for us, and the practice of mercy and love in our lives.

"And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." Ultimately, the parable illustrates the urgency of practicing what He has taught, fulfilling His commands, seeking out God's grace and mercy through the Spirit, as the "first things" we keep in mind in our lives. Again, as with so many of His warnings in these recent readings, the bywords are watchfulness, mindfulness, awareness of what we are to be about.

We must be prepared for the return of our Bridegroom. Again, Jesus repeats, "You know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." There is an urgency here, we must not delay nor put off that which we can do today. We need mindfulness to seek out God's pool of mercy and grace and to share that in the world. This comes especially through prayer. It is this with which our lamps are lit and burn brightly. Earlier in Matthew's gospel, Jesus made an analogy between His followers and the light of a burning lamp. He said, "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." In this parable, we are taught about the fuel in the lamp. We are to engage with the Spirit, the grace of God's mercy poured out for us all. In this way we prepare for His Second Coming. We seek that grace and mercy for ourselves, and we share it with the world as the Lord leads us to do. In the Eastern Church, God is compared to the sun in God's essence, and grace as the energy of God, showing forth as the rays of light the sun gives. Jesus also teaches us to cast light to others by keeping our lamps burning. Let us never forget the fuel for our flame, the connection we need to grace and mercy, and its source the Spirit we seek in relationship and prayer, to be at work in us and through us. Let us keep first things first!

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

- Matthew 24:45-51

Jesus has been giving warnings to His disciples, both about the destruction that is to come in Jerusalem at the hands of the Romans, including the loss of the temple, and about Jesus' own return, His Second Coming. This discourse began with a question from His disciples in Saturday's reading. In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught the parable of the fig tree and the summertime: when they see the things He's taught them about, the time is near. He then went on to teach more about His Second Coming, saying, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only." He says that it will be like the days of Noah -- everyone will be going about their work, living their lives, and this will happen in an instant. The important warning He gives to His disciples is that they must be prepared for this time. "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make ruler over all his goods." How shall Jesus' disciples await His Return? What does it mean to be a "faithful and wise servant" and "to give them food in due season?" What Jesus expects is for His disciples to discharge their duties to the flock, as He has taught. The analogy to giving food can be made for the spiritual work of giving spiritual food to those in this "house." We are now in the territory of what it is to be good servants while the master is gone, as we await His return in the period of time in which we currently dwell, and upon our ability to do so, Judgment takes place. We have responsibilities to discharge to the others of the house. The rewards will be great for those servants who faithfully discharge their duties.

"But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." And here is the warning, about hypocrisy, those who call themselves His servants and fail to do their duties to the household. Here this "evil servant" mistreats and beats his fellow servants, abusing his power. This is a servant who eats and drinks with drunkards: people who are perpetually intoxicated, forgetful, surfeited with the things of this world -- and prone to violence and anger. It is a person who forgets all the responsibilities with which the master has charged him, all of the teachings of Jesus about servanthood and leadership. Then judgment will fall on that servant, who is not a servant at all but one who abuses His position. So, here is a deep warning to His followers -- and a further commentary on leadership and servanthood in His Church, in the period of time in which we now dwell, as we await His return.

It is a crucial part of this teaching that we remain awake (not drunken) and alert to the possibility that the Master may return at any time. We must think doubly strongly now about Jesus' teachings on leadership, and what it is to be a servant in His Church. That is because the warnings about judgment and the swiftness of His return -- without warning -- come now as Jesus prepares them for His Passion, death and Resurrection. In yesterday's reading, we remarked on Jesus' warning about watchfulness. We must be prepared for His return at any and all times. Here, there is yet another emphatic component to the need for watchfulness. As we conduct ourselves in this period of awaiting His return, so will His judgment be of His servants. It gives us a kind of double warning: not only do we not know the time of His return, but the God who sees all, who is the knower-of-hearts, will judge His servants by their conduct while He is away. So, in today's reading there is added emphasis on the need to be mindful, to remain aware of His teachings about what it is to be faithful and wise servants -- especially how we live in relation to the other servants and practice His form of servant-leadership, or whether we live in forgetfulness, and lawlessness in the form of forgetting His teachings in our own conduct. Here, the lessons of leadership Jesus has taught them since Peter's confession of faith come into play. He who would be great among them must be the servant of all, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many." Who then is a faithful and wise servant?

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect

"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

- Matthew 24:32-44

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His preparation of the disciples for what is to come. He speaks now of the siege of Jerusalem, which will mean the destruction of the temple, and also the time of His return, the end of the age. He was asked about the signs and times of both by His disciples in Saturday's reading. Jesus continued in yesterday's passage, telling His disciples of the abomination of desolation (as prophesied by Daniel), and that this will be a sign for them to leave Jerusalem. It will be fulfilled in A.D. 70, when the Roman General Titus walked in the Most Holy Place, thus defiling the sanctuary. His watchwords begin, "Take heed that no one deceives you." Jesus warns His disciples not to believe those who tell them that Christ is here or there, because it will not be so, and many false prophets will arise. He says, "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." He continued, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

"Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." To me, this seems like a continuation of His warning about what is to come in Jerusalem, which will indeed happen before "this generation" passes away (in A.D. 70). His warning about the end of the age -- and in particular the Second Coming -- is made so that they do not confuse these two events. When He returns, it will be "as lightning comes from the east and flashes in the west" -- sudden, and unmistakable. It will not be hidden from anyone; this is why they are not to be deceived by those who will claim false christs in the desert or in an inner room during the time of tribulation in Jerusalem that is soon to come, within this generation. The parable of the summer and the fig tree is told for them to keep watch, especially for the sign given of the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy of the abomination of desolation. This did indeed take place just before the orders were given to burn the temple. However, another traditional interpretation of these words here in these verses is rather to take "this generation" as implying the new race of Christians. My study bible says, "The end is always near, just ahead of us. The unexpected suddenness of Christ's coming will catch people unaware and engaged in earthly pursuits, just as in the days of Noah." This note applies to the verses that are to follow. Whatever their meaning and intent, the early church at Jerusalem was saved due to Jesus' warnings, and escaped the city before destruction during the Roman siege. The ending statement, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away," is an assurance beyond all assurance that His words are true and good, on which we can count as true promise.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left." Here, Jesus' words clearly return to themes of the Second Coming. Even the angels in heaven don't know when this will be, in strong contrast to the warnings about the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. But the main point here is about preparation: we don't know what day and hour this will happen. Even He does not know! Only His Father in heaven knows this. His intention and warning here is something different from the warnings about war in Jerusalem: it is a warning to be prepared, not to forget, taken up with all the things of daily life -- because it will be just like Noah and the flood. It will come swiftly, suddenly, without preparation at all. He gives us vivid images of two men working in a field, two women grinding at the mill. Some are taken and others are not, just as with those who went with Noah. It is a warning not to be forgetful and complacent, but to know that this hour will catch everyone at just a moment.

"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." And here is the point: we are to watch. We do not know the hour He is coming, we must not be forgetful of this event and our expectation of it. The byword here is to watch, to be prepared, to be ready for that time. We must be mindful of our Lord and His return; this is the clear intent of His words. In the verses that come in the following readings, Jesus will be give us parables illustrating what it is to be prepared, to be watchful, and mindful of His return.

In yesterday's commentary, I asked what it is that Christ's assurance of His return does for us. We know His promise, it will come -- He will return and all will know when this happens. In today's readings, Jesus teaches us about preparedness for that day and hour. His emphasis is on the fact that no one -- not even the angels, nor Himself -- knows when this will be. Our preparation, therefore, is not in prophecy nor prediction of dates, but in our own preparedness for this event. Our mindfulness, our awareness, watchfulness, is what counts. We remember Him, we remember all His teachings, His love, our relationship to Him. We remember His promise. In so many ways, each day and each moment may be a preparation for the moment none of us knows, the time of His promised return. Are you ready? What do you do, now and here, to be prepared, to be watchful? How do you remember God in your daily life?

As the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be

"Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those says will be shortened. Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, he is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

- Matthew 24:15-31

In our last reading, Jesus was warning His disciples of what is to come in Jerusalem. They are looking at the great temple, with its massive stones, and tremendous array of architectural wonders. Jesus warns them: "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Later, as they sat together on the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem, His disciples asked Jesus about the end of the age, the signs of His second coming, the destruction of the temple He predicted to them. He said, "Take heed that no one deceives you." Jesus warns them that there will be wars and rumors of wars, hardship and devastation. Further, they themselves will be persecuted, hated by all nations, "and then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. False prophets will deceive many people. "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."

"Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath." Jesus speaks here of the "abomination of desolation" as prophesied by Daniel. Daniel's prophesy was fulfilled during the siege of Jerusalem, in A.D. 70. The Roman General Titus, before ordering the temple burned, entered the Most Holy Place, and therefore defiled the temple. My study bible says, "Jesus quotes this prophecy so that the disciples might know these things will happen while most of them are still alive. Whoever reads, let him understand are code words from the author to early Christians about the known meaning of what is written."

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those says will be shortened. Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, he is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together." Here Jesus continues His warnings about the fall of Jerusalem and at the same time begins speaking about the end of the age and His return. It is impossible, in my mind, to separate the destruction of the temple from the initiation of the end of the age -- that is, the end that began with this period and will lead to Judgment, the time in which we live in expectation of His return. Jesus is warning them once more, as in Saturday's reading, not to be deceived by rumors and false christs and false prophets. His return, when it happens, will be swift and known by all.

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Jesus gives His disciples (and us) further understanding of what His return will be like. Nobody will miss this! The sign of the Son of Man is perhaps a Cross -- as my study bible puts it, "the memorial of His Passion." At least, this is what many have thought. My study bible notes, "His power and great glory will be brighter than the sun, which will be darkened. The Lord Jesus will come from heaven in the same way the Apostles saw Him ascend to heaven (Acts 1:11)."

Jesus' predictions of the destruction of the temple -- echoing the prophecy of Daniel -- are dire and strong. Because of this, the early church was able to escape the devastation of Jerusalem and heeded His warning. The destruction of the temple is inseparable from a discussion of the end of the age and His return. One thing is very clear from this reading: when He returns, it will be unmistakable. And again, He repeats from His previous warnings, that they are not to be deceived. False christs and false prophets will arise, false predictions of His appearance in various places. Again, as in Saturday's reading, the emphasis is on endurance and discernment. But here the statement is even more powerful, as it is given greater and decisive weight in His prediction about His return. Nobody will miss it. It will be "as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west." What does this knowledge do for us, today? How is it powerful to our own understanding that when this happens, it will be unmistakable? As we await His return, we have His words, and His promise. He will return. And we are not to be deceived. We must endure. There will be tribulations and persecutions, and for Christians in some parts of the world this continues to be true today. Our job is to endure even through hardship, not to be deceived, and to remain watchful as we await in hope for His coming in glory.

Take heed that no one deceives you

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them, "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."

- Matthew 24:1-14

Jesus has been in the temple in Jerusalem over the past few readings, disputing with those who put questions to Him, to test and trap Him. In yesterday's reading, He continued with His critique of the Pharisees and scribes. His most scathing criticism is of their hypocrisy in the ways in which they practice their faith, and contrasts the type of leadership and authority He wants to see among His own disciples. In yesterday's reading, He said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness." Jesus said that while they tell one another they would not have been among those who stoned and killed the prophets of the past, they are witnesses to themselves as to whose children they are -- because Jesus will send them "prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city." The measure of this rejection -- from times past to times future -- will have its full effect in this generation. He said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." One really must consider the majesty and beauty of the temple to get an idea of the extraordinary thing that Jesus is predicting here. It was an immense project, rebuilt by Herod the Great to include colonnades, porticoes, and marvels of architectural beauty. Its stones were immense. But in its destruction in A.D. 70, only a fragment of one retaining wall remained, known today as the Wailing Wall. It was rumored that there was gold between the stones, and so Jesus' prediction that "not one stone shall be left here upon another" is a vivid picture of the actual search for plunder that took place in its destruction. The disciples marvel at the temple's extraordinary grandeur. I think that what was to come would have been barely imaginable to them.

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" Sitting on the Mount of Olives, Jesus and His disciples would have a vantage point overlooking the city of Jerusalem. In the context of Matthew's gospel, there is a dramatic shift here. Jesus has been focusing on issues of leadership and authority up until this point, but now the question shifts to the end of the age. Implicit here are questions about the coming Kingdom.

And Jesus answered and said to them, "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." My study bible points out that "the disciples dream of the hoped-for earthly kingdom, which they expect to appear almost immediately." But Jesus is preparing them for what is to come in Jerusalem, the great destruction and calamity that will be experienced. Through His warning, the early church at Jerusalem did indeed watch for the signs, and escaped this destruction. While discussion of the end of the age is tied in with the destruction of the temple, here Jesus' immediate reference is about what is to come in Jerusalem, a warning for them. But note that His very first -- His primary -- note of warning is not of the destruction, but of the false prophets who will come in His name to mislead them. There is also a preparation here that they must endure, and not be dismayed or lose heart by what they are to experience and witness in the events to come.

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." The difficulties for the Church will abound. There will be terrible persecutions, leading to betrayals and falling away from the Church. Because of false prophets, leading some astray, there will be those who lose faith. But above all, Jesus preaches endurance and discernment. That which survives all these tragedies and tribulation will spread -- the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations. The times of the end of the age will come after that. In the readings that follow, we will see the attitude with which Jesus says we are to remain prepared for this future and His Second Coming. His warning about what is to come in Jerusalem will also be emphasized for them.

What a dark and difficult prediction this is! What a time in which He is making it. They have just come to Jerusalem, with great crowds welcoming Jesus with shouts fit to welcome a Messiah. In His disputes in the temple with those who seek to trap Him, Jesus emerges victorious -- silencing His critics and delighting the crowds. But here, the warning comes loud and fast and strong about what they must expect, the times they will endure. Not only will there come the terrible destruction of the extraordinary temple and this beloved holy city, but even among themselves there will be persecution, betrayal, false prophets, lawlessness. I doubt that any could comprehend these words and teachings, when they have expectations of the manifestation of the Kingdom. But these words are secret to the disciples, to those who will follow and be sent out as apostles, who will be martyred. And in this secret and private warning there is a deeper secret of discipleship hinted at: endurance. Matthew's gospel has focused on leadership and authority for quite a few chapters. Jesus has repeatedly taught about servanthood and humility before God, extending to one another. Here He gives them more virtues of those who will be truly faithful and exhibit leadership: endurance and discernment. They are not to be afraid of what is to come. Nothing must dismay them. And they are secretly and privately warned beforehand of what is to come, what they must expect. The courage, strength and endurance they will exhibit, the heeding of these warnings about false prophets, and about Jerusalem's destruction, all will serve the survival of the Church and its spread to the world. This handful of people can't possibly understand what all this implies in this moment. But Jesus' warning and His example still serves us today, and teaches us what our attitudes should be in difficulty we encounter for the gospel of the Kingdom. We endure. We have His words of warning, His love. We keep watch and keep aware that there may be false prophets in His name who lead people astray, and we know the destructive consequences to the Church. But let us take heart in the strength and courage, patience and endurance He counsels. Let us continue to trust in His words, as did they. "Take heed that no one deceives you" can include for us a warning not to be deceived by our own fears amidst calamity, and difficulty and tribulation. Through all things, we await His promise.