Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?

 

 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard men, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

 

- Luke 18:1–8 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left.  And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together." 

 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard men, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily."  My study Bible sets this parable in the context of the teachings in yesterday's reading (see above).  Jesus has just finished teaching the disciples about the "end times" to come; that is, the whole of the period from the time of the Incarnation (and when He will no longer be with the disciples after His Ascension), until the present day.  ("The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.")  It is a time of tribulation that He described in yesterday's reading (Luke 17:22-37; see also 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).  The remedy for such a time, Jesus teaches in today's parable, is persistent and faithful prayer.

 

"Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"  My study Bible comments that Christ often uses this form of question when speaking of characteristics that are rarely found (see Luke 11:11; 12:42). 

In Matthew's chapter 24, Jesus teaches the disciples about the end times, as in the reading from yesterday.  The entire chapter is taken up with this same subject.  In the midst of the chapter, and speaking about the tribulation the Church will experience, He says, "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" (verses 12-14).  To endure, then, becomes the byword in all the warnings we're given from Jesus for the end times, and especially for the times of tribulation that might come to the ranks of the faithful in the Church.   What does it mean to endure?  Surely the picture of persistence is in endurance, just as it is in the parable we're given today.  In the story of the Persistent Widow, Jesus speaks of a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  This is a person unpersuaded by God or man.  But simply through her persistence, she would effectively get to him in a way that nothing else could, from his fear of being wearied by her.  Comparing God to this judge, Jesus suggests that if even such an unmovable judge, with disregard for both God and man, could be persuaded by persistence, just imagine how God will respond, who loves God's own elect,  who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them.  This suggestion of the word "avenge" by Jesus indicates that this isn't just about prayers on our part like a laundry list of things we'd like to have, but a response to genuine pleas for justice, responding to the tribulations that come, from harm to the innocent, and endured for the sake of our faith.  This picture of persistence and endurance is one of forbearance and unflagging faith that sparks continual effort and prayer.  Perhaps what we need to remember in the light of Christ's parable is that this era of "end times" followed the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and is all about preparation for judgment which will occur at Christ's return.  Jesus taught the disciples at the Last Supper, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.  And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:  of sin, because they do not believe in Me;  of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged" (John 16:7-11).  This era of end times in which we live is one in which the Spirit is at work discerning sin, righteousness, and judgment:  ultimately those acts of injustice and tribulation which fall into the desires of "the ruler of this world," the devil, become the things about which we pray for justice, for the vengeance that is God's (Deuteronomy 32:35; Romans 12:19; Hebrews 10:30).  There are so many ways we look for justice in the world, but let us not forget Christ's words about endurance, persistence, and faith.  Let us remember whose justice we pray for, and the one place true justice is found. Many will say in exasperation that this challenge is hard, and the bar is set high.  Still others will ridicule, and say that it makes no sense.  Perhaps knowing this, Jesus asks, "Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"  Let us endeavor to endure, and persist, and be present in our faith at His return.  For we each have a cross to bear, and we follow Him.

 

 

 

 

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

 

 "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 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."

 

- Matthew 24:15-31 

 

Yesterday we read that, after His disputes with the religious leaders during what we know as Holy Week, 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."

 

  "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."  Here Jesus warns the disciples about events that would come to happen in Jerusalem.  He cites the prophecy of Daniel regarding the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11).  According to my study Bible, this prophecy was fulfilled in AD 70, when the Roman General Titus entered the Most Holy Place and had a statue of himself erected in the temple, before having the temple destroyed.  Christ's phrase used here, "when you see," is an indication that many of the disciples would still be living at that time.  Matthew inserts the words, "whoever reads, let him understand" as a way to encourage those early Christians who may have witnessed the catastrophic event.  

"But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!"   This woe is given to warn women who are pregnant or nursing of the terrible pain in seeing their children suffering under such desperate circumstances as will be engendered by the Siege of Jerusalem.  My study Bible cites St. John Chrysostom's commentary on the similar passage in Luke 23:29:  "Mothers are held by the tie of feeling for their children, but cannot save them.  How can one escape the bonds of nature?  How can she who nurses ever overlook the one she has borne?"

 

 "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 days will be shortened."  My study Bible comments that the severity of winter weather or respect for the Sabbath would prevent many faithful from fleeing quickly in a time of desperation.  There is also a spiritual interpretation found in Patristic commentary given, in which the Sabbath is seen as symbolizing idleness regarding virtue -- and winter as fruitlessness with regard to charity.  So, therefore, the person who departs worldly life in this spiritual state will suffer judgment.  

"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."  My study Bible asks, in what manner will Christ return?  Here, Jesus states quite clearly that this event will be unmistakable to the whole world.  If there is any question or doubt, my study Bible notes, then that alone is evidence that He has not returned.  Since He states that His return will shine from the east, in the Orthodox Church Christ is worshiped facing eastward whenever possible, in symbolic hope and anticipation of His second and glorious coming.  

 

"For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together."  My study Bible comments on the similar passage in Luke's Gospel ("Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together" - Luke 17:37) that the body (carcass) refers to Christ, while the eagles are a reference to the angels and the saints.  

"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."  According to Patristic commentary, the sun will not be destroyed, but rather darkened in relation to the glory of Christ.  So, my study Bible explains, the sun will appear to be dark by comparison when Christ returns in the fullness of His true splendor.   

 

 "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."  The sign of the Son of Man is the Cross, my study Bible explains, which will be revealed as the standard for Christ's impending judgment.  At His first coming, He came in humility and mortality.  But the second coming is entirely different, when He will be revealed in power and great glory.  Christ fully shares in the divinity of the Father, and this will be part of the tremendous revelation at that time.   Commenting on Christ's teaching, "they will gather," my study Bible refers us to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.  

It's remarkable to consider that at Christ's return His glory will outshine every source of natural light we know, even our sun and the stars.  It tells us something as a kind of portent of the much greater life that awaits us in the kingdom of God, at the end of this present era.  We cannot truly separate these "end time" events from either the judgment Christ has taught will come, or from the great wedding feast of Christ the Bridegroom and His Bride, the Church.  For all of these events will come together, marking the end of our present age, and the beginning of a new age we cannot predict.  What we can know is that -- like the Incarnate Christ -- this new age will be marked by the union of Christ and His people, a world transfigured through the beauty of God, held strikingly in our understanding of a glory that outshines the sun and stars.  It tells us -- despite the dire predictions and upheavals we read about the end times -- about the ultimate fulfillment of Christ's mission in our world at His Incarnation.  We are all going somewhere, and it's important to know where we are headed.  The great upheavals and tribulation that Christ prophesies -- even the ferocious and uncontrolled destruction of Jerusalem that was to come so soon after Jesus left this world in the flesh -- are all a part of the journey toward that final fulfillment of His mission and ministry.  For those things which are both seen and unseen and oppose Christ will also have their way, and also work into this journey of salvation and redemption of the world.  We can't have one without the other.  We cannot have Christ and His mission and ministry in the world without His exposure of the things that oppose Him, the spirit of the Antichrist (1 John 4:3).    In his podcasts, Father Stephen De Young has often spoken about the Cross as not simply that which happened at one time as a historical event, but rather that which always reveals the truth of all things; that is, things as they truly are.  And as the sign of the Son of Man, we can know that the Cross -- in fulfillment of its true purpose and meaning -- is always revealing all things that are true.  This holds whether or not something is revealed to be true and beautiful and good, or false and evil or in error.  Thus we have side-by-side great beauty, tremendous glory and promise, and also at the same time the resultant horrors and violence of a world that rejects Christ.   So, in some sense, Jesus sends us all out on a mission as His followers, for we are the ones who make a difference in this struggle and engagement for the life of the world.  We are the ones who choose to become temples of God in this world, or not; we are the ones who need to be engaged in worship and prayer to continue to bring His love and hope and glory into the world, or to neglect this privilege to serve the highest good.  We are the ones who may deepen our communion with God and our brothers and sisters in faith, both those who live in this world and who live to Christ (Matthew 22:32); or we may choose simply to neglect and ignore this great cloud of witnesses in which we may participate and gather.  It is the time of our lives that is tinged with this deepened and heightened meaning and potential, or sadly made of little worth or fruitful value in the spiritual sight of God (see the parable of the Talents).  For these are not far away events being prophesied, nor are they far away events foretold and passed in history centuries ago, but this challenge of the Cross always lives, and it is within us and with us always.  It will continue to play itself out in our world and our history, but do we have the spiritual eyes and ears to understand, and to deepen the power of our faith in this world? 

 

 

 

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

 

 "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 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."

 

- Matthew 24:15–31 

 

In our current readings, it is Holy Week, the final week of Christ's earthly life.  On Saturday, we read that Jesus went out and departed from the temple after disputing with the religious leaders, 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 will 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."  My study Bible reminds us that Daniels' prophecy of the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:27, 11:31, 12:11) was fulfilled in AD 70.  This was when, during the Roman Siege of Jerusalem, the Roman general Titus entered the Most Holy Place.  He had a statue of himself erected in the temple, and the temple was destroyed in subsequent fighting.  Only one retaining wall remained standing of what was one of the great architectural wonders of the world.  The Lord's phrase when you see is an indication that many of the disciples would still be alive at that time.  My study Bible adds that the words whoever reads, let him understand are commonly understood as inserted by Matthew into Christ's address as an encouragement to the early Christian flock who may have witnessed this event.  

"But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!"  In Luke's version of this prophecy, Jesus speaks of a blessing on the barren women (Luke 23:29), which my study Bible calls an acknowledgement of the overwhelming pain a mother endures seeing her children suffer (illustrated by the use of the word woe here).  It quotes St. John Chrysostom:  "Mothers are held by the tie of feeling for their children, but cannot save them.  How can one escape the bonds of nature?  How can she who nurses ever overlook the one she has borne?"

"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 days will be shortened."  My study Bible says that  the severity of winter weather or respect for the Sabbath would prevent many faithful from fleeing quickly in a time of real desperation, as is indicated by Christ's words here.  One spiritual interpretation given in patristic commentary views these words as applying to the entire period of the Church, in which the Sabbath symbolizes idleness with regard to virtue, and winter meaning fruitlessness regarding charity.  So, a person who departs earthly life in such a state will suffer judgment.

"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."  Once again, as in Saturday's reading (above), Jesus warns of false christs and false prophets.   Here, in order to prepare believers, He teaches about the manner in which He will return.  My study Bible comments that this event will be unmistakable to the whole world.  It says that if there is any question or doubt, that by itself is evidence that Christ has not returned.  As His return will shine from the east, my study Bible tells us, so Orthodox Christians whenever possible worship facing eastward in symbolic hope and anticipation of His second and glorious coming.  

"For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together."  In Luke's Gospel, this prophecy reads, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together" (Luke 17:37).  The words translated as carcass and body are two different Greek words.  My study Bible comments that the body  refers to Christ, while the eagles refer to the angels and the saints.   St. Jerome comments on the use of the word for carcass, which has its roots in a word meaning "fallen."  He writes, "We can understand this body to refer to the Passion of Christ because wherever Scripture says that we are gathered together, it is for the purpose of coming to the Word of God."   A repeated theme stresses that this phrase is meant to compare the capacity for gathering to that of eagles who gather from long distances.

"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."  My study again cites patristic commentary, which teaches that the sun will not be destroyed, but rather darkened in relation to the glory of Christ.  What this means is that the sun will seem to be dark by comparison when Christ returns in the fullness of His splendor.

"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."  My study Bible explains that the sign of the Son of Man is the Cross.  This is in keeping with the idea of the "body" or the "carcass" referring to the Passion of Christ.  But moreover, my study Bible comments that the Cross will be revealed as the standard for Christ's impending judgment.  At His first coming, it explains, Jesus came in humility and mortality.  But at His second coming, He will be revealed in power and great glory.  This is the power and great glory Christ shares with God the Father which will be revealed to us.  

 

"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."   My study Bible cites  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 as one of the clearest New Testament passages on the Second Coming of Christ.  The first-century teaching document, The Didache (called the teaching of the apostles), lists three signs marking the return of Christ.  1)  "The sign spread out in the heavens" -- Christ and His angels; 2) "the sign of the trumpet"; and 3) "the resurrection of the dead" (His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other).  For the righteous, my study Bible says, the return of Christ is a comfort, not a threat.

 

 Perhaps it seems a bit strange to reflect upon Christ's words on the end times, and the culmination of the age at His Second Coming, at this time in Advent when we are approaching the celebration of His Nativity.  But Christ's birth and a rebirth associated with the Resurrection and His Return are not really so strange.  It is of the same nature as the Passion, the event of Christ's suffering and death, which is irretrievably correlated with His Resurrection on the third day.  In Christianity, we cannot therefore separate death from rebirth, for Christ is always there with us.  Birth and death, in other words, are always mingled; there will always be a birth in Christ as a response to any form of death.  The key to this, of course, is faith, and a faithfully lived life.  In that context, it may help illumine our minds to follow up on some of the patristic understanding of Christ's mysterious words about the eagles gathering where the body is.  St. Apollinaris writes that there are those who explain this concept of a "fallen" body as meaning that all the elect (the eagles) will leave paradise behind, and in a rebirth of the world, gather to the place where the fall of Adam occurred -- where he violated the commandment and through his disobedience fell into sin.  Then the "fall" of the world will be undone in rebirth at the great Resurrection, the union of heaven and earth.  Revelation 21 speaks of a new heaven and a new earth, after the first heaven and first earth pass away (Revelation 21:1-2).  So then, as we look toward the light, toward the East, from where Christ comes as does the light of dawn, we can look toward Resurrection and renewal, even of the whole of Creation, made possible through the Passion of our Lord.  Let us look to Nativity and ponder with gratitude befitting God's grace.

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?

 

 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His wn elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

 

- Luke 18:1-8 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; now will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together." 

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart . . .  My study Bible comments that persistent and faithful prayer, as is exemplified in the parable that follows this statement, is the remedy for the tribulation just described (see yesterday's reading, above).  See also 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

. . . saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"  Of Christ's final question here, "Will He really find faith on the earth?" my study Bible says that the Lord often uses this form of question when speaking of characteristics that are rarely found (see Luke 11:11; 12:42).  Note the emphasis on both persistence and faith in prayer, as we "cry out day and night" to God through prayer, and His emphasis on the faith He hopes to find at His Second Coming.

The Persistent Widow is a story, as the Gospel tells us, which is meant to convey that we always ought to pray and not lose heart.  To modern ears, perhaps, we hear this story of a widow pleading persistently with a judge, and maybe we wonder what that has to do with praying -- and specifically with our praying, our particular prayers.  Are we pleading with God for revenge against someone who's harmed us?  But didn't Christ teach us not to seek vengeance (Matthew 5:38-42), and to love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48)?  Why are we hearing a story about a tough judge, with no fear of God or regard for human beings?  Well, the whole point of this parable is about the effectiveness and power of prayer.  Jesus has just taught about the "end times" and the difficulties and tribulations which are coming (in yesterday's reading; see above).  Essentially, He is preparing the disciples -- and us, the future members of His Church -- for the difficulties ahead.  That is, the end times that begin after His Ascension and as we await His Second Coming.  He knows our faith will be a spiritual struggle, and He likens us to a widow, who feels she has no power and authority, nothing with which to persuade the judge, no clout nor material power, and no coercion to use to her advantage.  She has only the judge to rely upon, so she turns to what she has available to her:  she is capable of being persistent and pleading before the judge.  And this is where we are when we pray.  This doesn't necessarily mean that when we pray we are simply asking for things we want, or complaining about our lives, or any of the sort of demands we might think of in a courtroom.  But as analogy, this is a different kind of a courtroom.  This is a courtroom (and a Judge) where our souls are in the balance, and the care of our spiritual lives in this world.  Do we go through difficulties that challenge our faith?  Is life a struggle in which we seem to be scarce of resources for our own resilience or security?  Do we struggle against our own difficulties or personal weaknesses and flaws?  The real answer to all of these questions is in prayer, for Christ's purpose in telling this parable is simply to remind us of the power that is persistence itself -- in the frequent, daily, regular engagement in prayer before our Father the ultimate judge.  This "unjust judge" is not an image of God -- but if even an unjust judge will rule in one's favor because of persistence, how much more do we think God hears us and hears our prayers?  It is an assurance that in this communion, we are heard, but that we need to do our part by being persistent, enduring in the practices of our faith and especially in regular prayer.  To engage in prayer is to come before God, to participate in the life of God, to be engaged in that courtroom, so to speak, in the place where God hears.  In practicing regular prayers, like, for example, the practice of the Jesus Prayer, of using regular prayer rules like Prayer of the Hours, we spend time before God just like the persistent widow.  We become regularly engaged in this place that sustains us and gives us hope -- and will respond with what we need.  Often, I find, prayers are answered seemingly indirectly, through inspiration, an idea we hadn't thought of, a strength we suddenly find, a way of going forward.  But regularly remembrance of, and engagement with God through prayer is essential, especially during periods of difficulty or darkness in our lives.  Let us be persistent and endure in our faith, as He teaches.

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?

 

 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'   And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

 

- Luke 18:1–8 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  Then He said to the disciples, "The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

 

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'   And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"  Of Christ's parable, my study Bible says that persistent and faithful prayer is the remedy for the tribulation which was just described by Jesus (Luke 17:22-37 included in yesterday's reading, above).  My study Bible also refers us to the words of St. Paul:  "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).  Regarding Christ's final question ("Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"), it says that the Lord often uses this form of question when speaking of characteristics that are rarely found (see Luke 11:11, 12:42).  

I personally find Christ's final question extremely poignant.  Here Christ has come into the world on this tremendous mission of salvation, preaching the kingdom of God whose access is through prayer and worship.  On this, His final journey toward Jerusalem and the Cross, He asks if, when He returns, "will He really find faith on the earth?"  It gives us a sense of the struggle of this world, how troublesome and difficult our faith can sometimes be.  We're told repeatedly that the prince of this world is the evil one, and that our struggles are against "principalities and powers."  St. Paul writes, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12).  The struggle for faith is real, as every form of heresy or discouragement seems to come our way at times.  There are also the false expectations about faith.  People seem to think that leading a good life means one will never be troubled, or down, or face particular hardships.  But that's not really the experience of the Church, nor is it the picture that Christ is painting for us.  We will face all kinds of temptations, for example, and temptations are not the stuff of cartoon imagery or a list of sins of which we need to beware.  Temptations are the things that trip us up because they are the places we're vulnerable, our cherished wishes and desires, the things we wish were true, the shortcuts we'd like to take.  These are not easy nor simple things.  Life is complicated in a grownup struggle against one's own weaknesses, or ignorance, or lack of experience with something.  Our greatest weapon in this struggle is prayer, as Christ indicates in the parable we're given.  And He teaches us that we must be prepared to be persistent.  This is not going to be easy or simple, or a one-off request.  This is a life of effort -- and faith, He implies, is worth it.  It's possibly the most precious thing that we have.  After all, it is those with faith for whom He will return.  He seeks us out.  Let us justify the faith He places in us.

Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?

 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily.  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"

- Luke 18:1-8

Yesterday we read that when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  Then He said to the disciples, 'The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.  And they will say to you, 'Look here!' or 'Look there!'  Do not go after them or follow them.  For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day.  But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.  And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:  They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.  Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot:  They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.  Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.  In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed:  the one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together:  the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field:  the one will be taken and the other left."  And they answered and said to Him, "Where, Lord?"  So He said to them, "Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart . . .  We recall here that Jesus has just taught the disciples about the time of His return, the Second Coming (see yesterday's reading, above).  But in the meantime, life will go on as it has, but they will long to see Him in the flesh.  Here is the requisite "posture" for His followers in this time in which we now live, while we await His return, and those with faith encounter struggle and difficulty.  We always ought to pray and not lose heart.

. . . saying:  "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.  Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, 'Get justice for me from my adversary.'  And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, 'Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'"  Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily."   This widow is an image of the Christian who struggles only through faith, and without necessarily worldly stature or support.  My study bible says that persistent and faithful prayer is the remedy for the tribulation described in yesterday's reading, above (17:22-37).  He has also warned the disciples that in this time after His Ascension they will "long to see one of the days of the Son of Man," and they will not see it.  The widow's constant and persistent pleas before the judge are an image for us of our own persistent and faithful prayer.  My study bible reminds us of St. Paul's words to us:  "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). 

"Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?"  My study bible says that Christ often uses this form of question when speaking of characteristics that are rarely found (see 11:11; 12:42). 

Christ asks if, at His return, will He really find faith on the earth?  He uses the term Son of Man to denote His presence in the flesh, as Jesus, and the fullness and presence of His Person in the world, similarly to His Incarnate life.  But His own plaintive question here is one that is stirring, because it tells us about His fondest hope and wish and also the rarity of that faith.  In the modern West, we might perhaps live in a time and place where we find it startling to wonder if there are those remaining for Him to find on the earth who have faith in His Gospel.  But Jesus, as always, tells us the startling and vivid truth with this question.  Faith is rare and difficult.  It will require of us a struggle.  We will face adversity, coming both from within ourselves and from the world.  It is simply in the nature of things as they are, the world as it is, and forces that remain beyond our control.  And perhaps here is one key to today's reading.  There are so many things that are beyond our control.  We can't necessarily control other people at all.  We might not even find we can control ourselves or our impulses, the things that give us pain and heartache, the sadnesses, anger, rejection, and the myriad other struggles we encounter in our lives.  And so, Jesus gives us the image of a widow, one who is without worldly support, without others to advocate for her and protect her.  In the ancient world, justice systems -- while they were recognized as necessary and developing -- frequently required or relied upon assistance of family or clan for a favorable outcome.  Even today, with systems of justice created with the best of intentions, we are all aware of the need for good advocacy, which comes with a price, and good public relations and community ties.  Perhaps we are all too sadly aware of what it is to seek appropriate attention to a complaint if one is alone or isolated or without stature and funds.  In the image of this widow, we are given the appropriate understanding of our place before God:  we are to be persistent and faithful in our prayer, in our pleas before God.  Whatever it is and whoever we are, this posture is the one that is appropriate for a follower of Christ.  It is not simply a necessary part of our faith, but faith itself is that strength that develops from a more fully developed reliance upon God than we considered we had yesterday.  In other words, if I may be so bold as to consider Christ's words here in their fullness, what He asks of us is a faith that grows through the daily and even constant practice of prayer.  In this is our reliance and our real strength.  Everyone, sooner or later, faces adversity.  If we seek to follow Him, we might face more than most.  But the true and central ingredient in life, especially for those circumstances which are beyond our control, is faith, a reliance on God.  Jesus says, "Hear what the unjust judge said.  And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?  I tell you that He will avenge them speedily."    In the Greek, the word "avenge" also means to justify or vindicate, to execute justice.  We don't always know what form God's justice will take, but what we may find is that through faith, life works out in particular ways on a deeper and grander scale than what human justice would dictate.  We may suffer in a present and particular circumstance, but a life lived in faith has a way of teaching us something and giving us growth for the long run, wisdom through our experience coupled with prayer, insight not available to those who live on the surface and trust only in the worldly.  With Christ, we get down to what is truly real, and find the justice of the heart, and the long way round of working out what we see and hear in this world.  We may find, as does this persistent widow, that a deeper sense of justice than is understood otherwise may come to us with our faith.  But, oh how rare that faith might really be!

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

 "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." 

- Matthew 24:15-31

In our recent readings, Jesus has been in Jerusalem.  It is the final week of His human life, known to us as Holy Week.  He has cleansed the temple, and disputed with the leadership as well.  On Saturday, we read that 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."

 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand) . . .."  My study bible tells us that Daniel's prophecy of the abomination of desolation (Daniel 9:21-27, 11:31, 12:11) was fulfilled in AD 70, when the Roman general Titus entered the Most Holy Place and had a statue of himself erected in the temple before having the temple destroyed.    The fact that Jesus uses the phrase when you see indicates that many of the disciples would still be alive at that time.   The words whoever reads, let him understand are commonly understood to be inserted by Matthew into Christ's address as an encouragement to his early Christian flock, who may have witnessed this event. 

". . . 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."   Either the severity of the winter weather or respect for the Sabbath would prevent many faithful from fleeing quickly in a time of desperation.  One patristic spiritual interpretation sees the Sabbath as symbolizing idleness with regard to virtue, my study bible says, and winter as indicating fruitlessness with regard to charity.  Therefore, the person who departs this life in such a spiritual state will suffer judgment. 

"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."    Jesus describes the manner in which He will return.  This is an event that will be unmistakable to the entire world.  If there is any question or doubt at all,  that in itself is evidence that He has not returned.  Christ says His return will shine from the east.   For ancient Christians, and even today in Orthodox Churches, the faithful whenever possible worship facing eastward in symbolic hope and anticipation of His second and glorious coming. 

"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."   According to patristic interpretation, the sun will not be destroyed, but rather darkened in relation to the glory of Christ.  In other words, the sun will appear to be dark by comparison to Christ who returns in the fullness of His splendor. 

 Jesus continues to address His followers, prophesying what is to come.  This is anything but what we would call a rosy picture.  There will be tribulation, wars, false christs, all kinds of disasters (both man-made and natural), and fears abounding, betrayals, and love grown cold.  Through all of this we are told that "he who endures to the end shall be saved" (see yesterday's reading, above).    We are told that great signs will happen, the darkening of the sun -- or perhaps it will simply seem dark by comparison to Christ's glory -- and signs in the heavens.  Its very powers will be shaken.  This is a picture of a tremendous change, a kind of transition that involves the whole of the universe.  Then the Son of Man will return with power and great glory, His elect gathered together.  There is no way we can imagine any of this.  But what we can marvel at is the promise that is here.  There is nothing that is flattering to us, nothing cajoling, nothing that tells us that we have a great material benefit nor a promise of bounty we don't have now.  Instead, we're challenged to be strong in our faith, to withstand tremendous difficulties and challenges.  We are used to advertising, to being coerced into believing something, being given easy promises.   But Jesus does none of that.  Instead, He invites us into something worth fighting for, a struggle in which He is the leader, for which He will go to the Cross,  and in which we may participate with Him.  We are taught the value of service and endurance, something quite different from the popular picture of what appeals in sales, an easy life with even easier access to wealth.  So how are we to step into this challenge?  How are modern minds to think about it?  Perhaps what we have to conclude is the tremendous faith that Christ Himself places in His followers to truly follow where He leads.  He calls on us to meet life with great courage, with faith, with endurance, and with the strength that comes from grace -- to meet the joy and peace that come unexpectedly and through His divine power.  This is the promise we're given, and we go forward understanding the power we are capable of sharing in, the struggle we're equipped to be a part of, the mystery into which He initiates us with His astounding words. 

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

 "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 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 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."

- Matthew 24:15-31

In our current readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem, and it is Holy Week.  He has made His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, cleansed the temple, and engaged in confrontation, questioning, and testing by the various parties of the  leadership, with His own challenging responses.  (See the readings from Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.)   Still in the temple, Jesus' then made His final public sermon, an indictment of hypocritical practices of the leadership, ending with a lament over Jerusalem (see readings of Monday,  Tuesday and Wednesday).   Yesterday, we read that 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."

 "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 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!"  Jesus refers to the prophecy of Daniel of the abomination of desolation (see Daniel 11:31, 12:11; also Daniel's vision at 9:21-27).  This was fulfilled in AD 70, during the Siege of Jerusalem, when the Roman General Titus entered the Most Holy Place and had a statue of himself erected in the temple, and later had the temple destroyed.  My study bible tells us that the phrase when you see indicates that many of the disciples would still be living at this time.  My study bible also says that the parenthetical statement whoever reads, let him understand is commonly understood to be inserted by Matthew as encouragement to the early Christian flock, who may have witnessed this event.  Again Jesus uses vivid imagery to portray the urgency with which people must evacuate the city to avoid perishing in its destruction.

"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 days will be shortened."  My study bible says that the severity in winter weather or respect for the Sabbath would prevent many faithful from fleeing quickly at a time of desperation.  It also notes a spiritual interpretation that has been given for this passage:  the Sabbath may symbolize idleness with regard to virtue, and winter can symbolize fruitlessness with regard to charity.  A person departing earthly life in such a spiritual state will suffer judgment.  It is noteworthy that here there are mingled elements of both end times and the destruction of Jerusalem.  Tribulation, for example, is not limited to only the time of the destruction of the temple, but rather is a condition of the age.

"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."  Jesus warns against false reports of His return, and that false christs and false prophets will arise (as did happen after His death).  But this is mingled with talk of His return, which will be evident to all people.  My study bible says that if there is any question or doubt, then that alone is evidence that He has not returned.   The last statement here is a puzzling one, but one interpretation is that the body refers to Christ, while the eagles refer to the angels and the saints. 

"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."  Commentary by Church Fathers holds that the glory of Christ will be so bright that by comparison the sun appears darkened.  My study bible says that the sign of the Son of Man is the Cross, revealed as the standard for Christ's impending judgment.  In His first coming, the Incarnation, Christ came in humility and mortality, as a human being subject to the influences of the world.  But at His second coming, He will be revealed in power and great glory.  What is perhaps most striking is that all His elect will be gathered together, from one end of heaven to the other.

We await Jesus' return at the end of the age, but there is no real timetable for us.  We don't know when that is going to be.  From the way Jesus teaches His disciples, the word that He gives to us, we are not supposed to know that time.  As the world changes, we look around ourselves and wonder if the signs He's given are happening before us.  Certainly we can see a globalized world, with instantaneous telecommunications and information that gives us news from everywhere, and all the time, 24 hours a day.  It's a "networked" world, where events that happen in one place are bound to have effects on another, perhaps around the world.  Economic crises can become worldwide, to one extent and another, because of a crisis in one country that will in turn affect exchange rates and currencies and stock markets elsewhere.  We live in a time of continental shifts in terms of migration and warfare and populations that are no longer reflecting traditional demographics and communities.  And there are wars and rumors of war, and it seems that the love of many has grown cold.  In other ways, it seems that lawlessness abounds.  These are all signs of this age that Jesus has described.  In today's reading, Jesus gives the signs in Jerusalem -- and a clear warning about what is to come and when -- to His disciples.  The events of the destruction of the temple and of Jerusalem were, in a sense, "inaugural" events of the end time; that is, the time in which we live  now and have been living since His death and Resurrection.  It is the time in which we await His return.  We are witnesses to His prophesies, and from what we see, He surely was correct.  But the crucial thing we need to cling to, as those who will endure to the end, as He has taught, are His teachings for us.  That is, the ways in which He has taught us to endure, following His commandments, knowing His love, living as His friends, followers, brothers and sisters, children.  That's where we find our true home and our identity, the one thing we know is true if all else fails and leads us wrong.  In a time of darkness, the light just becomes that much more important.  Like the time of His return, it's His truth and glory that outshine everything else as the one thing necessary.  Let us remember and live and put our trust where it belongs.

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

 "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 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."

- Matthew 24:15-31

In Saturday's reading, Jesus had finished His finial public sermon (see readings from Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday).   He then 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."

 "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand) . . .   The "abomination of desolation" is from the vision of the prophet Daniel (see Daniel 9:20-27).  In AD 70, during the Roman Siege of Jerusalem, the Roman general Titus entered the Most Holy Place of the temple.  My study bible tells us that he had a statue of himself erected within the temple (intentions were to rededicate the magnificent temple to the Roman pantheon); but before the end of the siege the temple would be completely destroyed, mostly by fire.   Jesus' words "when you see" indicate that many of those disciples with Him would be alive at that time.  My study bible adds that the assertion "(whoever reads, let him understand)" was inserted by Matthew into Christ's speech in order to give encouragement to the early Christians who may have witnessed this horrific event.

 . . . "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."   These words give us a sense of the catastrophe that was the siege and destruction of Jerusalem (including the temple) by the Romans.  According to some accounts over a million Jews were killed, and nearly 100,000 made slaves.  Jesus' warning to the early church leaves no doubt of the necessity for immediate flight.  At the time of the siege there were many factions of zealots engaged in struggle against the Roman army, but also against one another.  Pilgrims had been allowed into the city for Passover, but not allowed out, so demand for food and water were used against the population by the Romans laying siege.  Time after time, varied attempted negotiations failed.  Ultimately the destruction was extraordinary.

"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."   The "times of the end" and the time of the destruction of the temple are mixed in Jesus' statements to us.  If we are truly to understand Scripture, Jesus' Incarnation inaugurated the time of the end, which is the entire age in which we live now --  and which will culminate in Christ's return.  Jesus warns His listeners at the time, and we ourselves, about "false christs."    Overall the message is stressed that at the true time of His return, it will be apparent and immediate, unmistakable and known to the whole world.  My study bible says, "If there is any question or doubt, that alone is evidence that He has not returned."  Many of His early followers expected His imminent return, as evidenced through various Epistles.  His return will be "as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west."  Many churches construct the altar on the east side of the church, so that parishioners worship facing east - symbolically awaiting in hope and anticipation of His second coming. 

"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."   Church Fathers write that the darkening of the sun is simply the sun's brightness in comparison with the extraordinary brilliance of the appearance of Christ in the fullness of splendor, or great glory.  My study bible says that the sign of the Son of Man is the Cross, revealed as the standard for the impending judgment of Christ.  His initial appearance to us was in humility and mortality, as incarnate human being.  His second coming, here described, is entirely the opposite.  In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, St. Paul writes of the signs of the Second Coming.  In the first century document called the Didache ("Teaching"), said to be the teachings of the apostles, there are three signs listed:  "the sign spread out in the heavens" which is Christ and His hosts, the "sign of the trumpet" which we read here, and "the resurrection of the dead,"

It's important that we understand, I think, the tie between the destruction of the temple and the "time of the end" that was initiated with the Incarnation.  These things are not really as separate from themselves as discussion or thinking about them seem to imply.  Events have a kind of rhythm and also a meaning to them; they're part of something greater, an unfolding history or even a journey.  The "anointing" of the world with the Holy Spirit has a great deal to do with this too, and is inseparable from the Incarnation as well as these events, as we are in a time -- an age, as Jesus calls it -- in which the Spirit tests out everything.  Judgment would not be possible without this.  The age we're in culminates when this work is done, when the gospel has gone everywhere -- a time we're not to know until it happens.  All of this is part of a whole, and we see through vivid signs which act as symbols of the stunning reality of change and of God's work, intervening in the "time" of man.  Time seems to us like many moments strung together.  We have time to repent, to think, to revisit our own behaviors, assumptions, mistakes, and to change ourselves.  We're on a journey toward something which has to do with this fulfillment of time, but not in the way that we usually think about.  The journey itself is meant to be a process, and time as we experience it is part of that process, part of what makes it possible and facilitates growth in the Spirit and in the work of the Spirit.  A journey of life through time is one of connected moments, but each moment gives an opportunity for something more.  The Kingdom intervenes in our lives; it's present to us.  It is an eternal kingdom which intervenes in worldly time:  when we pray, when we worship in liturgical practices, when we understand that living saints also intercede even as we ask for prayers, when we understand the work of the Spirit which is eternal and yet intersects our lives.  All of this teaches us about the Incarnation, in which the eternal God becomes mortal human, the Kingdom breaking into our world and present to us, to remain with us and within us, as He has said explicitly in conjunction with a similar statement made in today's reading:  "When He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20-21 NKJV).  The times of the world, as the times of our own individual lives, are really about a greater process going on than what we see in front of us, a bigger story.  The "end times" are not times to think about as a set of timetables, or even catastrophic events.  Rather, what should concern us is the focus Christ gives us, on the eternity that is ever-present to us in the Kingdom, within us waiting for our own attention and our willingness to live as part of it while we live our lives in the world.  His word is present to us, present in the Scripture and also in the work of the Spirit.  If we see things the way that Scripture does, we may come to understand events in our lives as "signs" which teach us something about what kind of attention we're paying, where we need help or work, where our blind spots are, and maybe most importantly of all, where we need to make a change for the next time the same issue or challenge comes around.  Through all of it, we need God's help and we remember what we are supposed to be all about, as He's taught us.  Sometimes all we need is a warning to know where it's time to refocus.  The Kingdom is always at hand, and in that eternal present the moment is always right now.