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

 

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

 

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

 

- Matthew 24:32–44 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been teaching His disciples about the "end times" and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple to come (beginning in Saturday's reading).  Yesterday, He continued to prophesy about the times to come: "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.  for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.  Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  See, I have told you beforehand.  Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it.  For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.  Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the  powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.  And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

 

  "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  My study Bible explain that this generation refers to all believers at all times; that is, the generation of the Church, and not simply to those alive at the time of Christ.  

 

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."  My study Bible cites St. John Chrysostom's commentary, that Christ tells of the angels being unaware of the exact day of His return "so that men should not seek to learn what angels do not know," and to forbid them not only from learning the day, but even seeking to ask about it.  According to Mark 13:32, my study Bible continues, and in the St. Matthew text of St. Chrysostom, Jesus declares that even the Son does not know the day of His own return.  St. John Chrysostom says that this should not be understood literally.  Instead, it's a figure of speech to indicate that Christ, although He has revealed all the signs which will accompany His return, will not reveal the precise day to anyone, and that believers should not be so brazen as to inquire of Him.  

 

"But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood,  they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left."  My study Bible points out that the second coming of Christ will bring a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven, it says, and the other left for eternal condemnation.  This separation of the saints from the wicked will happen at the coming of the Son of Man, and not (as some teach today) at a certain time before His second coming.  

 

"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming  at an hour you do not expect."  My study Bible comments that Christ's purpose in giving this discourse isn't to make people experts on end-time prophesy.  Rather, it's so they may watch and be ready, continuing in virtue and obeying Christ's commandments.  This warning is illustrated in the parable Jesus tells here of the returning master of the house.  

 

 It's interesting that Jesus tells this short parable of the master of the house and what his behavior would have been had he known what hour the thief would come.  In it He likens His second coming to a thief breaking into the house.  St. Paul picks up on this image and restates it in his Letter to the Thessalonians:  "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape" (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).  St. Peter does the same:  "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up" (2 Peter 3:10).  In the Revelation we find the same imagery:  "Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you" (Revelation 3:3); "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame" (Revelation 16:15).  Why would this blessed, extraordinary event of Christ's return in all of His glory be so described for us in this negative term of a thief in the night?  It is clearly meant as a warning, to stir us to remember at all times what we are to be about.  It doubly enforces the notion that the purpose of these revelations and prophesy of things to come is not so we make timetables and seek to calculate when this will happen.  This "thief in the night" image is meant to teach us the surprising nature of Christ's return, and how human beings become complacent with daily life and the cares of this world, rather than focusing on being prepared at all times should this event take place.  Elsewhere Jesus emphasizes the surprising nature of His return:  "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:34-36).  Once again, the whole point of this language is so that we understand that while we live in this world our job is to be prepared for His return, watchful and focusing on the things that we need to do to follow His commands, practicing the virtue He teaches, enduring in our faith.  We aren't told that there is more to do than this; it is enough that we always keep Christ's return in our hearts and minds and live accordingly.  For this is the work of faith (see John 6:27-29).  We remain watchful for the opportunities God places before us, the ways we need to serve, to practice our faith, to endure in the participation in His life by the grace He's given us, to strengthen our faith and grow in its grace for us.  There are all kinds of ways for us to be distracted, and perhaps that is true now more than ever for all kinds of reasons.  And yet, we're warned to keep watch over ourselves, and to continue in readiness for His return.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it

 

 Now 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 as 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."

 

- Luke 17:20-37 

 

Yesterday we read that as Jesus went to Jerusalem He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well."

 

  Now 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."  Here my study Bible comments that the kingdom of God is a spiritual reality present within the Christian believer and within the community of the Church.  Within you can also be translated "among you" or "in your midst."  This double meaning is important.  In John 1:5, we read, "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."  In Greek, as in English, the word translated as "comprehend" means both to understand, and to take in.  Both meanings are implied and important to our understanding. So it is also here in this teaching.  Jesus implies both understandings about the kingdom of God.  It is at once "within" believers, and also "among" them and "in [their] midst."

 

 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."  Here Jesus clearly teaches the disciples that they should not be dissuaded or distracted by those who preach another Messiah.  This is made clear when He says that "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."  In other words, the return of Christ will be obvious to all, and immediate as a lightning flash.  But first, they must know that in their lifetimes, 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 as 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."  My study Bible notes that the warning not to be preoccupied with worldly matters applies both to believers and to parishes.  Additionally, it reinforces the idea that the Second Coming will be sudden and unexpected when it occurs.

"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."  My study Bible comments that Christ's second coming will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left for eternal condemnation.  The separation of the saints from the wicked will occur on "the day when the Son of man is revealed" (see the verse previous to this section), and not, as some speculate, at an event that occurs before His return.

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."  My study Bible explains that the body refers to Christ, while the eagles refer to the angels and the saints.  

Jesus gives us a certainty that He will return, and He also gives us other certainties about that return.  One thing of which we are to be certain is that it will happen suddenly, and all at once.  It will be unmistakable to all.  Both St. Peter and St. Paul tell us that that "day of the Lord" will come upon us as "a thief in the night" (2 Peter 3:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-8).  There is an intriguing statement in today's reading, in which Jesus tells us in the middle of this teaching, "Remember Lot's wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it."  This seems to be a message to us not to resist this process of judgment that will come, not to look back.  We are meant to keep in mind the kingdom of God that is within us and among us, and that we carry this kingdom within us and in our communities.  We don't want to look back on the things that we are meant to leave behind, but forward to the life worth saving -- the new life in Christ.  It is parallel teaching to that in which Christ tells us to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23), and the teaching of St. Paul when he writes, "I die daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31).  Perhaps relevant to these warnings is the understanding of precisely where the kingdom of God is to be found.  I recently heard a saying by St. Jerome:  "The graves of the martyrs are altars to Christ."   This speaks at once to looking forward toward the way of the kingdom of God, remembering Lot's wife, and to the way in which we do not seek to save our lives but instead to lose them to Christ.  This is symbolically found in the vision and prophecy of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37), in which Ezekiel is told to prophecy to the "breath of life."  Dry bones appeared to him, as symbols of the deadened state of Israel, and the Lord said to Israel, "I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live."  It may all seem like paradoxical language, but it is directly related to the understanding that the kingdom of God both within us and among us.  For if the kingdom of God is where the Holy Spirit dwells, then we have an understanding of St. Jerome's statement, in addition to the ancient practice of the relics of saints in the earliest Christian churches and specifically in altars.  This is because they are where the Holy Spirit has dwelt, particularly in those who have been martyred for their faith, following the example of the Lord.  It is the Holy Spirit who dwelt in the tabernacle with Israel, the Holy Spirit in the faith of the martyrs and their sacrifice, the Holy Spirit that makes the statement possible that the kingdom of God is both within us and among us.  Without the Holy Spirit, Ezekiel's Israel had no life.  And indeed, it is the Holy Spirit, given to us through the saving mission of Christ, whose ongoing work in this world lead us to that day of His return and revelation.  Just as the Holy Spirit made possible Christ's birth to the Virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-38), and the Holy Spirit who led Christ into the wilderness to be tempted on the eve of His public ministry (Luke 4:1-2), so it is the Holy Spirit that brings the kingdom of God within and among us.  We, like the tabernacle of Israel in the wilderness, like the saints before us, carry that Kingdom through our faith, and today's reading teaches us what to go forward to, and also what not to cling to even as we go forward in faith.  For, just as Jesus speaks of that day to come, so we accept this truth.  The world, Jesus implies, continues and will continue just as it always has -- with so many people completely unaware of this reality.  And so it is today.  Let us, however, be those who don't look back but accept this mission of the Kingdom within us and among us, and trust in His promise.

 

 

 

 

Remember Lot's wife

 

 Now 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."

 

- Luke 17:20-37 

 

Yesterday we read that as He went to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!"  So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests."  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?"  And He said to him, "Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well."

 

 Now 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; now will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!'  For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."  My study Bible comments that the kingdom of God is a spiritual reality which is present within the Christian believer and within the community of the Church.  Within you, it says, can also be translated "among you" or "in your midst."

 

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."   Jesus emphasizes the suddenness and completeness of the day of His return, even as He is warning the disciples of His coming Passion and rejection.

"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."  My study Bible comments that this warning not to be preoccupied with worldly matters applies both to believers and to parishes.  

"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."  This latter statement is one which we read many times from Christ in various forms.  In teaching about who will enter the Kingdom, He said, "There are last who will be first and first who will be last" (Luke 13:30).  When He taught that each must take up one's own cross, Jesus said, "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it" (see Luke 9:23-26 for context).  Here, His teaching reflects this similar idea that our lives must be led by our faith in God, and a willingness to let go of what stands in the way of where our faith would lead us, even to our ideas of who we are or who we must be.  Hence, the example of Lot's wife (see Genesis 19:15-26), which is tied to the judgment of God.

"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."   My study Bible comments that Christ's second coming will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left for eternal condemnation.  The separation of the saints from the wicked will occur on "the day when the Son of Man is revealed" (verse 30, above) and not, as some speculate, at an event that occurs before this return.

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."  My study Bible tells us that the body refers to Christ, while the eagles refer to the angels and the saints.

Christ uses this memorable phrase in today's reading, "Remember Lot's wife" (referring to the story of Lot's wife who looked back, and became a pillar of salt; see Genesis 19:15-26).  According to St. Cyril of Alexandria, "To resist the temptation to look back is what it means to lose your life in order to save it."  There's another phrase to which St. Cyril refers us in commentary on this passage, asking us to remember that Christ also said, "No one that puts his hand to the plough and turns back is fit also for the kingdom of heaven" (Luke 9:62).  St. Cyril comments, "It is our duty to maintain our religious exertions without wavering and to persevere in them with undaunted wills or else we may suffer the kind of fate that befell the woman at Sodom."   St. Cyril was Patriarch of Alexandria in the fifth century (from 412 to 444), a time when the city was at its height and power of influence within the Roman Empire.  He played a decisive role in many controversies of the time, which continue to be studied.  But it seems to me that it is important that we look at his commentary and think about how it applies to us today.  What does it mean to put our hand to the plow, and not to look back?  What are the ways in which we might place our faith and trust in Christ, but then be tempted to turn away, to look back, to see things in our earlier lives which we have discarded in following the path of Christ and wistfully turn to what we left behind?  Some early commentators suggest that what is left behind and looked back upon are possessions we may have given away in the spirit of charity, for example.  Perhaps, in terms of today's phrases and concerns, we might have left a particular element of a "lifestyle" behind us.  Perhaps we seek to be less materialistic than we used to be, or we've changed our goals in life to reflect less of a concern with what everybody is doing, or what everybody else thinks of us, and more of a concern with where God seems to want us to go instead.  It seems to be clear that in the midst of all of this discussion of the end times, of Christ's second coming and sudden judgment, Christ is asking us once again to be prepared to pay the price, but with a deeper sense of conviction than before.  He seems to be suggesting that for every generation and every believer, these questions and challenges will come upon us, but we must be prepared to stay the course, and to remember how important that is, and how much depends upon it for our lives and our salvation.  There's another interesting commentary on this passage by St. Ambrose, in which he points out that Christ says He will return at night:  "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."  St. Ambrose explains this by suggesting that Christ's return will happen "at night" as it will be the time of darkness because of the Antichrist.  We contrast with the various times Jesus refers to His return as "the day."  This is particularly true of Christ's statement, "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." The brilliance of this flash of lightning shining out of one part under heaven to the other part is a sign of the illumination which Christ brings, and that He is, in fact, the Light (see John 1:5, 9).   In this perspective, just as John has written that Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness but the darkness did not comprehend it, so Christ's return will be the sudden illumination and flashing of that light shining in the darkness for all, at once, and for the fullness of time.  But for now, we must again return to our present circumstances:  where we are, what our own lives are about, where we find our current struggle for faith.  As we once again keep in mind that, at this stage in Luke's Gospel, Christ is now firmly on His way to the Cross, bound toward Jerusalem.  With that understanding, these issues take on even starker juxtaposition.  Christ will be judge of all; He is in fact the Light, that true light that will shine for all -- but for now we may find the darkness at times daunts us and shakes our faith, and so we need to remember and to consider His words.  Whether we are St. Cyril in Alexandria of the fifth century, or St. Ambrose in the smaller and less influential Milan of the fourth, or we find ourselves in our own particular kind of struggle with the darkness we find in our own times and places, let us remember Who is the true light, and Who tells us -- warns us -- to remember Lots' wife, and not to look back but forward, despite the struggle.  Let us remember who we are, and Whose we are.

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only

 

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

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

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

 

- Matthew 24:32-51 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued telling the disciples His prophesy of what was to come in Jerusalem, and also speaking of end times:   "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." 

"Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near - at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  My study Bible comments that this generation refers to all believers at all times, the generation of the Church, and not merely to those alive at the time of Christ.  

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."  My study Bible cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who says that Christ tells of the angels being unaware of the exact day of His return "so that men should not seek to learn what angels do not know," and to forbid them not only from learning the day, but from even asking Him about it.  According to Mark 13:32, and the in the Matthew text of Chrysostom, Jesus declares that the Son also doe snot know the day of His own return.  St. John Chrysostom teaches this is not to be understood literally, but rather it is a figure of speech which indicates that Christ, although He revealed all the signs that will accompany His return, will not reveal the exact day to anyone, and that no believer should be so brazen as to inquire of Him.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left."  Christ's second coming will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left for eternal condemnation, my study Bible explains.  This separation of the saints from the wicked will occur at the coming of the Son of Man, and not (as some teach today) at a certain time before His second coming.

"Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  Christ's purpose in teaching the disciples (and us) about the end times is not to make people experts in end-time prophecy.  My study Bible points out that it is rather to teach people to watch and be ready.  This means to continue in virtue and in obeying Christ's commandments.  

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to given them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."  This parable is given in illustration of Christ's teaching to "watch therefore," and to "be ready" (in the verses just prior to the parable).  The emphasis is on service and following the commands of the master (Christ) while he is away.  Note that to be disobedient and doing what is improper is to be abusive of fellow servants and forgetful of duties and loyalty.  To be appointed a portion with the hypocrites is to be condemned and exiled from the master's presence  (There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth).

So what is the purpose of Jesus' teaching of end times prophesy to His disciples?  It is not merely to answer their anxious questions, but more to prepare them, and us, for the time in which we live now.  That is, the time in which we await the return of Christ, the Master.  And how is it we are taught to behave?  What's our proper "posture" (so to speak) as we live in this time of waiting and expectation?  We are to follow His commands and to be faithful servants, doing as He has taught.  In the period just prior to Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem, the disciples display in various ways their concern for their positions in what they seem to presume is the worldly kingdom He will come into imminently.  Each time He responds to them, His emphasis is on service and humility, and most importantly, the care of the "little cones" (see Matthew 18; 20:20-28).  That is, of those with less power in the Church, while they will lead.  Here again, in the final parable in today's reading, the emphasis is the same:  on the responsibility for the care of fellow servants, and remembering and being aware of duty.  The servant who fails in the parable is the one who beats his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunkards.  To be apportioned a place with the hypocrites clearly evokes Christ's final sermon in the Temple, a sermon of woes directed at the scribes and Pharisees.  While Jesus gives indications of events and circumstances that surround His return, He's very careful to emphasize that no one knows when that will happen -- and even to imply that He Himself does not know.  This refraining from giving dates and chronology only highlights the importance of knowing that our duty is to watch and to be ready.  We're not to "eat and drink with the drunkards" because to do so is to be forgetful and not alert to the signs of the times.  To "watch" is to be aware of our circumstances and our duties.  Does someone need care?  Are we cleaning up our own act, and staying away from what's not good for us?  Are we aware of the duties of righteousness and the ways in which we serve God, relate to neighbor and to our world, and how we use and care for the resources we have?  One can't be drunk and forgetful and know what one is about, nor careful of how one treats the "little ones" in the Church, and one's fellow servants of Christ.  This is important because it tells us what our disposition is to be in this time, what He expects us to be doing and how He expects us to be living without His immediate presence as Son of Man.  He remains the Master, and we know what He expects of us until His return.  He doesn't give us a date intentionally, so that He emphasizes our state of alertness, watchfulness, readiness.  Jesus says, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only," giving us not only a sense that He will not reveal a time or date, but also a poignant testimony to His own humility and service to the Father.  Just as He follows such authority, so we should follow His example.  He reminds us that "a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master" (Matthew 10:24), and therefore gives a deepened emphasis on gracious service in imitation of Him as we await His Second Coming.