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 giving 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 our current readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem.  It is Holy Week, the last week of Jesus' earthly life.  In recent readings, Jesus has begun explaining to the disciples His prophecy of the destruction of the temple, the war to come in Jerusalem, and the end times.  In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught them, "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 light 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 days 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." 

 "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."  Jesus gives us an incentive for doing as He teaches before His return:  that we remain alert and awake for the times.  He also makes a solemn promise that His prophesy is good and true.  My study bible tells us that this generation refers to all believers at all times, the generation of the Church, and not merely to those alive at the time of Christ.   The generation of Christ's first disciples did heed His word, and the Church was able to escape the devastation in Jerusalem.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."  My study bible cites St. John Chrysostom's commentary here.  St. Chrysostom says that Christ tells of the angels being unaware of the exact day of His return "so that men should not seek to learn what angels do not know."   Christ's followers are forbidden not only from learning the day, but even inquiring about it.    My study bible adds that according to Mark 13:32, and in Chrysostom's Matthew text, Jesus declares also that the Son does not know the day of His own return.  Chrysostom teaches that this isn't to be understood literally, but rather is a figure of speech meaning that Christ, although He revealed all the signs that will accompany His return, won't reveal the exact day to anyone, and that believers should not be so brazen as to inquire it of Him.

"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 giving 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."  Jesus' second coming will involve a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left for eternal condemnation.  The separation of the saints from the wicked will occur at the coming of the Son of Man, and is concurrent with that event.

"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."  My study bible notes that Christ's purpose in this discourse isn't to make people experts in end time prophecy.  Instead, His purpose it to teach that we all watch and be ready, continuing in virtue and obeying His commandments.  This warning is illustrated in the parable that will follow in tomorrow's reading.

Jesus' warnings to His followers emphasize our watchfulness and preparedness for His Return, His Second Coming.  What is striking is His promise that "the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  It's a kind of tantalizing statement that teaches us just how important it is that we take on our own responsibility for watchfulness.   What do we expect that watchfulness entails?  Certainly it involves being responsible for following His teachings and His commandments.  After all, He's the Master who's simply gone away for awhile, leaving His servants in charge of His household, to watch after all His affairs and especially all of His people.  The commandments He has given us are to be good to one another, summed up in the one new commandment He tells His disciples at the Last Supper:  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another"  (John 13:34).   He has taught these disciples that those who would be great among them must be servants of all, and that the first among them must be slave of all (see this reading).  He has taught them to care for the littlest ones among them, as doing so is an act identical to serving Him (10:40-42, 18:5,10).   Watchfulness and preparedness includes following all of these commands, as His good and trustworthy servants who will always keep in mind that He will return at an hour we don't expect.  How do you meet these commands?  How do you remember to treat the littlest and humblest among us as if we were receiving Him?  Do we find ways to serve?  Service, in the right context, can be an act of grace that imitates His sacrifice, in ways that help to redeem the world.  It is a powerful and profound teaching to us just what we are capable of doing as His servants.  But we have to live the life to believe and learn; we experience the power of His grace and surely find the worthiness of all of His commands.