And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!

 "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 these things happening, 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 in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!"

- Mark 13:28-37

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His prophecy and discourse on the destruction of the temple and the end times.  (For the beginning, see Saturday's reading).  Jesus taught, "So when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not" (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter 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.  For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.  And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.  Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, He is there!' do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.  But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of heaven."

 "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 these things happening, 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."  My study bible tells us that this generation refers to all believers at all times; that is, the generation of the Church.  Christ is not merely indicating those alive at that time.  It notes that Christ's prophecy is for the Church to continue to thrive until return, despite how desperate things sometimes may appear to be.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!"   According to the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, although Jesus says here that the Son does not know the day of His own return, this isn't necessarily to be taken literally, but as a figure of speech.  Rather, He simply will not reveal the precise day to anyone, and believers should not be forward enough to ask.   Jesus' emphasis here is that we do not know when this will happen, and our task is to be prepared for that day and that hour, to Take heed, watch and pray.  We are simply to Watch!

 Jesus' emphasis on the Father as the only one who knows the time of the Son's return is quite special in a particular way.  If we think of God the Father as the one in whose hands all time and all cosmic reality is eventually set, then we start to understand the great depth of mystery of the end of the age.  Christ's return, and the end of the age, would necessarily be the end of time as we know and understand it, a time of tremendous change and transformation of what we know as reality.   It is, in a sense, affirming to us that there is absolutely nothing that we can know or predict about it -- simply, we are assured that this will, indeed, take place.  In that context there is only one thing certain; and that is that we must watch and pray in the meantime.  We need to take heed and be alert to what it is we are about, because the time will come upon us suddenly.  Let us consider that the time of the Church, at this time, is approximately two thousand years after these words were spoken.  All of the generations that have passed in between that time have had these same words to consider, as do each of us now.  Our lifetimes in this world -- even if we are not living at the time of Christ's return -- do depend upon these words just the same.  For once we have passed then we also are reassured that our lives will continue in the presence of God, in that place where we are truly known and everything else falls away.  In Matthew's Gospel, Christ tells us, "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:26-27).  In other words, whether we are living in this world or not at the time of Christ's return, our job is still to "take heed, watch and pray."  Christ sets a deliberate impression with us of watchfulness, alertness -- and that the time of His return is simply a mystery we don't know and should not even be inquiring about.  Rather it is the practice of virtue that matters, being about the business of the Master, doing as He has taught us, living as we are taught to live.  These words to me, while they address the entire corporate body of believers, are extremely personal.  We watch and pray for one another.   These words in the Greek, translated as take heed and watch, mean to be looking out, and extremely alert, not sleeping and ready to act at any time.  His whole emphasis is on our consciousness of what we are supposed to be about.  To watch is to be alert to the tasks at hand -- vigilant to the possibility of His return at any time, and mindful of the things He has taught we are to care about.  We are to always be mindful of the things of God and following His commands.   Even through the night, the message seems to be, while others sleep, it is our duty to be alert to who we are and awaiting His Presence at all times.  Psalm 63:11 reads, "When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches."  Christ ends His prophecy with words suitable to those on guard through the night.  Let us always remind ourselves and one another to  "remember God"  and be alert even while others are sleeping.