Take heed, watch and pray

 

 "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 lectionary reading, Jesus warned His disciples:   "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 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."  Once again, the two events of the destruction of the temple at the Siege of Jerusalem and the tribulation through the entire period of history to follow seem to be mixed here.  My study Bible says that this generation refers to all believers at all times (i.e., it is the generation of the Church), and not simply those who were alive at the time of Christ.  His prophecy is that the Church will continue to thrive until His return, regardless of how desperate things might sometimes appear.

 

"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!"   Although Jesus declares that the Son does not know the day of His own return. my study Bible says that St. Chrysostom teaches that this is not to be understood literally, but rather as a figure of speech.  The meaning here is that Christ won't reveal the exact day to anyone, and that believers should not be so brazen as to ask it of Him.

 

 As my study Bible emphasizes in its comments, the real byword in Jesus' warnings about end times is His final word here:  "Watch!"  The command to "Take heed, watch and pray" gives us a picture of the condition in which He leaves us.  These are the things He tells us to do, the attitude He wants us to have in His absence, and until His return.  The warning in the parable of the fig tree is clear:  we're supposed to keep our eyes open for the unfolding of these events and the signs He's given that they are coming.  This clearly applies to the people to whom He's directly speaking, as the "abomination of desolation" or the defilement of the Holy of Holies in the temple was something they would understand.  But it also applies to us ("And what I say to you, I say to all"), as we're told of deceivers who come in His name, of "wars and rumors of wars," of natural disasters such as "earthquakes in various places," and "famines and troubles," and that these are but "the beginnings of sorrows" (see Saturday's reading).  He also prophesies persecutions, tribulation, and betrayal by even believers' closest family members.  We can think of worldwide catastrophic events in which all of these things are present, including the persecutions and betrayals of events in recent history such as revolutions and the rise to power of those who would persecute the Church on both far right and far left.  But what Jesus essentially teaches us is that it is our job not to put on rose-colored glasses but always to be aware of our surroundings and to note the events that we see happening.  We are not to live in denial of the reality and possibility of all of these things, but rather to watch for them and be alert to them.  He teaches us to "watch out for yourselves."  Moreover, Jesus also emphasizes our preparedness for the day of His return, also known as the Second Coming.  We're to remember what it is we are supposed to be about as servants and disciples who follow His commands.  He's the Master who leaves the house for a long journey, and expects those whom He's instructed to follow His commands while He's gone, and to find them watchful upon His return -- no matter what unexpected time that occurs.  Our whole attitude is supposed to be one of watchfulness, and to take heed, watch and pray.  This is an effort He asks of us, and one that asks for constant vigilance, not forgetting who we are and what we're to be about, and for Whom we await while we knowingly go about the business of discipleship.  We're to put energy and effort into keeping our Master's house in order the way He wants it to be, our lives working at the things that He's told us are important, caring for the way in which our household runs and the ways in which we treat one another according to His expressed desires.  This attitude of watchfulness extends to mindfulness in prayer and awareness of our surroundings and situations.  In short, He gives us a life plan, a concept for living in these times as He's leaving the world, and we are preparing for His return.  In Luke's Gospel, Christ characterizes the day of His return as one that "will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth" (Luke 21:35).  As He indicates, we each have our work we're given, and He doesn't want to find us sleeping on our watch.