But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly

 

 Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 

 

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the 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 21:29-36 

 

On Saturday, Jesus continued His discourse on the destruction of Jerusalem (and the temple) and the end times to His disciples:   "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.  And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear  and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

 

  Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."   We perhaps can take a double meaning to the phrase this generation.  The events of the destruction of the temple and the Siege of Jerusalem would come within one generation of the time that Jesus was speaking these words. But, perhaps more significantly, Jesus is giving a warning to all believers at all times, the generation of the Church (as my study Bible puts it), and not only to those alive at the time of Christ.

 

 "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the 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."   Jesus' emphasis, in all the warnings we have reported in the Gospels, is on the unknown time of His return, which will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.   His emphasis is repeatedly upon our own watchfulness, our understanding of the things we are to be about as His followers, and an awareness of the judgment to come at His return.

 

Jesus says, in His final words of warning in St. Luke's Gospel, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly."  We might think there's an exaggeration here, that such behaviors as He warns about would not apply to His disciples (carousing, drunkenness).  But note that He is speaking not of some terribly flagrant sins or extreme behavior.  Jesus is warning us of things that weigh down our hearts.  We need to consider carefully His words here, for He's not just speaking of violations of some code against sinning.  He's speaking of things we do in our lives that might seem good, or divert us to some kind of pleasure, or even the necessary things of this world with which we must concern ourselves.  He's talking about being burdened with things that are, in fact, not necessary to ourselves and should not be the focus of our lives, should not divert us from the life in the Kingdom we are meant to live and to pursue as the center of our lives.  The things that weigh us down are unnecessary burdens, even things we might think we need, but we don't.  It's important to note that He places the cares of this life in the same category of weighing down our hearts with carousing and drunkenness.  Are we over-consumed with worry about what we look like, what we'll wear, what house we have?  Do we think all the time about our work lives, or even what college our kids will get into?  While all of these things may be necessary, they are not all good to focus on with the kind of all-consuming intensity they can take on.  This is because, like carousing and drunkenness, they become diversions from the things which are really and truly important in Jesus' perspective, that involve the care of our soul.  For what is salvation?  Is it getting the best house, or keeping our reputation in the society?  Is it making sure we put on a good show, or obsessing over having "perfect" lives according to someone's image or theory they've put before us? (See Luke 12:22-34.)   The primary importance of the time of our lives, in Christ's view, is the life of the Kingdom that He has for us.  That is, living prayerfully, and always aware of where we are at, what we are dealing with, what choices we're making, and mindful of His return and living so as to be prepared for that.  Do we love those whom we need to love?  How are we judging ourselves and others?  Are we spreading false values we don't really believe in?  Most of all, are we caring for our hearts?  How do we relieve ourselves of the burdens that weigh us down, and find Christ's help to do so?  Are we aware of the spiritual life that permeates our world and our part in participating in that?  These are things that are weightier and far more important matters to concern ourselves with according to Christ and His teachings.  Do we remember who we are?  Do we remember God?  Do we cherish the gifts we're given by God?  What do we do with them?  All of these things matter to Christ, and not the things that would distract us from living the fullness of that life, our awareness of His Kingdom that lives in and through us, and the care and love of neighbor as ourselves.  Let us be consumed with love for Him and for the life He offers and invites us to live instead.  For this is truly the "work" He has for us to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 

"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."  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

 

- Luke 21:29-38 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus has been giving His discourse on the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, and on the end times, to His disciples.  Yesterday, we read that Jesus taught, "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.  And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." 

Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all 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 is a reference to all believers at all times.  It signifies the generation of the Church, and not merely those alive at the time of Christ.  

"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."  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.  Here is Christ's emphasis in His discourse, revealing that His aim is not to make people experts on end-time prophecy.  He calls us to take heed, to watch, and to pray always.  We are to continue in virtue, remaining alert and vigilant to the duties of being a follower of Christ, for that Day will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  To stand before the Son of Man is an indication of the judgment to come at that time for all. 

Jesus' final warnings set us in a place where our orientation is toward watchfulness.  This is an important state of mind for one who would be a follower of Christ.  In monastic tradition, it forms the core of what is called spiritual battle, or unseen warfare.  For it is in practicing the virtues, watching our own thoughts, and being aware of where temptation lies (and where we're vulnerable) that forms the core of doing our part to anchor Christ's kingdom in this world.  Jesus emphasizes such practice in the Sermon on the Mount, when He examines the Law and magnifies a deeper layer to its true practice.  He urges us to undertake a spiritual obedience, not merely an outward observance, watching our rage and anger, our tongues, our covetousness, envy, etc.  We're not just outward projections of something designed to be "perfect," far from it.  We're people -- human beings -- in a constant state of energy at work.  We're faced with temptations all the time, we have flaws, faults, vulnerability, yet we are capable of great spiritual beauty.  We have trauma that makes us susceptible to the false lure of evil, and we're easily fooled when it comes to our own blindness to our flaws.  Watchfulness includes constant prayer ("pray always") and avoiding the pitfalls that make us insensible to the realities of the things we need to be about ("take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life").  We should be sure to note that Jesus includes not just carousing and drunkenness (surely shorthand for anything in which we might lose ourselves in forgetfulness) but also the cares of this life among the things that weigh down our hearts.  So often we might think of ourselves as simply being responsible by worrying or taking on the duties of work, property, social concerns, etc.  But Jesus is clearly saying we can lose ourselves in that "responsible" living as well.  He warns of this in the parable of the Sower, too (Matthew 13:22).  As we head into the Christmas season, let us keep this in mind, and focus on our prayer and spiritual discipline.   It's a time to honor the One who came to us as one of us, not to lose ourselves through by being over-involved in the cares of this life.  That would include the frantic scramble for all manner of ways to celebrate, family pressures, and other demands of the season -- a season that can include the hurt that comes to those who feel left out or neglected.   Sometimes less really is more.  The Orthodox have a saying, "Remember God."  Make time to withdraw and pray, as Jesus always did, even in the midst of a whole host of demands from those who sought Him (Luke 5:16).  Perhaps we'd best honor Him by remembering that Christ left us with one new commandment, to love one another as He has loved us (John 13:34).  

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

 

 Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you will see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  

"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.  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

 

- Luke 21:29-38 

 

Yesterday we read Jesus' continuation of His prophecy on end times and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple:  "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.  And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." 

 

Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you will see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  Jesus gives the image of a fig tree, and all the trees, as a metaphor for how we are to look at our world.  When we see things beginning to bud, we know that summer -- meaning the time of fruit -- is near.  So when we observe these things about our world, we are to know that the kingdom of God is near.  The words this generation make it clear that those among His disciples would see the terrible destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple in their lifetimes, and the things He describes as end times would begin soon after His Ascension, including, conflict and persecution.  That heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away is a solemn assertion of His promise.  St. Cyprian of Carthage, in the 3rd century, noting the wars, natural disasters, and increasing adversity already evident in his time, wrote, "Since the things that were foretold are happening, whatever he promises will also follow. The Lord himself promises, 'When you shall see these things come to pass, know that the kingdom of God is at hand.' The kingdom of God, beloved brothers and sisters, has drawn near. The reward of life, the joy of eternal salvation, the perpetual happiness and the possession of paradise once lost are now coming as the world passes away."

 

 "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.  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him."  Finally, we're given a warning.  It's quite similar to the parable of the Sower, in that He teaches us we can be so distracted by the things of the world that we're unprepared for His return, that Day.  In the parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-15), Jesus taught that some seed (meaning the word of God) "fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it."  He later explained to the disciples that "the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity."  This is what He warns us of when He speaks about the surprise of that Day coming as a snare.  Our own forgetfulness in pleasures, evasion of life, and immersion by the cares of this life can keep us from remembering His word and keeping it, and producing the spiritual fruits He asks of us.

It's so interesting to consider Jesus' repeated metaphors about gardening or agriculture, the natural world of growth and produce.  They produce so many images for us to consider about how we live our lives.  In today's reading, He speaks of the fig tree as an image through which we might view the world.  If we look at the natural world and how things grow, that they first produce flowers, and then later the fruits of summer, we may contemplate Christ's words about the buds on the fig tree.  That is, the tiny beginnings of flowers, indicating the hints about the things He describes about the end times:  persecutions, strife, adversity, conflict, plagues, and natural disasters of many kinds.  These are the "buds" that should remind us of what comes with the full fruits, and then in particular, at the harvest.  The harvest to come we may easily see as the final judgment that will accompany His return, "the Day" as He phrases it.  In Jesus' teaching here, it is those "buds" that are meant to remind us of the harvest, of what is coming, so that we are prepared for it for ourselves.  How do we do that preparation?  What is it that the buds are meant to remind us to be about?  What work is it that we're supposed to be doing, instead of being occupied with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life?  Jesus indicates here that being one of His followers is not something we decide one day and then forget about while we get on with life.  He suggests that it is, in fact, the cares of life, and our ways of avoiding them in one form or another, that can stand in the way of living the life He asks us to.  We can become forgetful of what it is that He asks us to be doing instead, how we are to live our lives.  If each "bud" of the things He describes should remind us of what we are to be about, what might be the best way to bring back true mindfulness that He asks of us?  As we observed in yesterday's reading and commentary, St. Paul seems to address such issues in his Letter to the Thessalonians.   He refers to the Day that comes like a snare; or as Jesus has described His return elsewhere, like a thief in the night.  He speaks of remembrance and watchfulness, telling them, "You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.  But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation."   In what is perhaps the best advice for what we can do to practice mindfulness, he writes, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (see 1 Thessalonians 5).  There are so many ways to forget who we are as followers of Christ, to lose ourselves in the world, in drunkenness or other forms of intoxication, or being overwhelmed with the cares of life, or simply avoiding life in a figurative sleep of forgetfulness.  But we're meant to be awake to the reality of the truth that informs and inspires, alert to the reality of the world Jesus opens to our eyes, and also to the ways in which we can follow and practice His teachings.  Let us remember St. Paul's advice for coming to remembrance, and know that the kingdom of God is near.

 

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

 

Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

 

 "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."  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

 

- Luke 21:29–38 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus taught the disciples, "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.   And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.  And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

 

Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."   Jesus speaks a vow here that is as solemn as it gets:  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  He is absolutely assuring His audience of disciples that this will come to pass, and that they must pay attention to the signs around them.  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.  Certain His warnings about Jerusalem and the coming siege and destruction were meant for His listeners who would still be alive at that time; but the rest of the warnings about the fullness of time and His second coming are meant for all of us.

 "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."  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.  Jesus warns of the time of His return in "power and great glory" (see yesterday's reading above).  He says, in another vivid image given to us, that this Day will come unexpectedly.  In fact, it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  A "snare" is a trap, one made typically for catching animals unaware.  It usually consists of a type of noose which is triggered by the animal's footsteps, and hidden in bushes or other ground cover.  It is designed to catch while the animal is unaware and going about its normal business, so to speak.  And so Jesus depicts the Day of His second coming as the same for us, if we have forgotten about what we are to be about.  This is a warning to His disciples about mindfulness, about living their faith and the gospel message.  He gives a profound warning about judgment, implying that we are to be mindful through prayer if we are to escape the "snares" of this world and their threat t our faith before His return, and also to stand before Him afterward.

It strikes me as interesting that the last few lines of today's reading speak broadly of the people.  Jesus says that His Return will come "as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth."   With His words, He then "picks out," so to speak, those who may be counted worthy to escape that snare, those who will escape all these things that will come to pass, and worthy to stand before the Son of Man.  "All these things that will come to pass" must surely mean the calamities of the world, the frightful things He has described, and as such He implies that they are the things that will try to snatch us away from our faith, from remembering who we are, from being those who will find occasion to give testimony in persecution (see Saturday's reading), and endure all the things that would derail us from our faith in whatever time we live, including wars and other disasters of this world.  But then the Gospel goes back again to words about the people.  We're told, "And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him."  It's a kind of poetic irony, because even as He's warning that His return will come as a snare to all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth, He is with those people in His own earthly life and just at that moment.  He goes and stays on Mt. Olivet, together with the rest of the pilgrims who come to Jerusalem and have no other place to stay for the Passover.  And then all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him as He teaches in the daytime in the temple.  Even as He warns of the snare to come upon all the people of the world, as Teacher and Son of Man He is with the people and they are with Him.  He is not hidden somewhere with elites or out of the way, but rather is not simply openly with the people, but by His own preference He remains with the pilgrims and the common people who all wish to hear Him.  What we might infer by all of this is that while in this world, Christ's work is to call and to approach those who might be the ones counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.  It is a reminder of the parable of the Sower, in which Christ is the Sower who scatters the seed of His word, of His gospel, to all the world.  In that parable (see this reading), Jesus gives images of seed that falls by the wayside, and then was trampled down.  Of seed devoured by the birds of the air, and seed falling on rock which springs up but withers away without moisture.  Then there is seed that falls among thorns, and when a crop springs up so do those thorns, and they choke the seed.  Yet there are still other seeds that fall on good ground, spring up, and yield a crop a hundredfold.  When Jesus speaks of the things of this world that will come to pass, and that we must pray to remain alert in our faith, and to be counted worthy to escape all of these things and to stand before Him, He is reminding us of this parable of the Sower and His warnings about all the things of this world that seek to make our faith impossible, that will fight the fruitfulness of that seed every step of the way.  In the telling of the parable, He explains His teaching as indicating those by the wayside are the ones who hear -- just like those who come to hear Him in the temple.  But the devil will come to some and take away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  The ones on the rock are those who receive the word with joy when they hear it; but without root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Those who fall among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out but are "choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life" and they therefore bring no fruit to maturity.  These things are the snares of life in this world, the things which keep us from rootedness in our faith.   But in the parable, Jesus says,  "The ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."  His teachings about end times remind us that the calamities, difficulties, persecutions, wars, natural disasters, and all manner of problems of the age in which we live are those things we are to endure.  They are those things about which He has warned us.  He preaches to all the people, He stays with the pilgrims.  He is with us and among us, as is His Kingdom presently with us and among us.  But at some point it remains up to us to guard our faith in our hearts, to take care and nurture the seeds He planted, to make sure they have proper moisture, and that their meager and small beginnings of fruitfulness are not choked by the cares of the world, overburdened or focused on riches, nor lost in the pursuit of the pleasures of life.  For those of us caught up in modern life, we might add specifically the false lure of "fame" in image on social media, and the delusion of seeking to keep up with what we think we see.  Let us be those among all the people to whom He scatters and sows His seeds who may endure to be counted worthy of escaping all the things which will come to pass and to stand before Him.  But we can't do it without being aware that His return will surely come, that there will be an end to the things we know, and that there is truly a great thing to be cherished in being one who may stand before Him.  All the rest of our lives may conspire for us to forget that and to lose ourselves in the life of this world -- either too weighed down by it to remember what is important, or lost in finding ways to simply forget our troubles.  We can see such alternatives and the wreckage they leave behind all around us.  Let us instead find refuge in Him and His grace, the life He offers, the peace "without understanding" He gives, the grace and love and tender mercies of His Kingdom.  For they are real and they call to us, His seed awaits our good faith, and His hand is out in offer of His grace and communion instead.  Jesus stays with the people in humility, and it is there our most potent weapon lies for remembering who we truly are and where our home is -- with the One who loves us best and in whom we may place our trust.

 

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?

 "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 give 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 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

We have been reading Jesus' prophecy of end times, and what is to come in Jerusalem regarding the destruction of the temple and the Siege of Jerusalem (beginning with Thursday's reading).  Yesterday we read that Jesus told the disciples:  "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 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 tells us 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.  Although we should keep in mind that the Siege of Jerusalem would come in their lifetimes, within roughly a generation from the time He speaks (forty years).  But His general warnings and discussion apply to the entire Christian era, for the whole of it is the time of the "end."

 "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 inquiring about it.  According to Mark 13:32, and the Matthew text of St. Chrysostom, Jesus declares also that the Son does not know the day of His own return (as implied here when Christ says "My Father only" knows).  St. Chrysostom says that this is not to be understood literally.  It is rather a figure of speech which means that Christ, although revealing all the signs that 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."  This second coming of Christ, my study bible comments, will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left.  The separation of the saints from the wicked, it says, will occur at the coming of the Son of Man, as Christ's words indicate here, and not at a certain time before His second 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."  Jesus uses intentional language to emphasize that our job is to be ready for this time, and that His return will happen "at an hour you do not expect."  We must watch and be ready -- in other words, continuing in virtue and obeying His commandments. 

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give 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 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 meant to illustrate His warnings, that to be ready for His return is to be a faithful and wise servant, who keeps a household with good rule, and feeds the members of the master's house in due season.   But to abuse one's position, to abuse our fellow servants, and forget our duties to Christ and His commandments is to risk forfeiture of everything, even life itself.  If we do so, we join with the hypocrites. 

Jesus gives us a way to prepare for His return:  we are to keep busy as good servants, following His commands, keeping His house in order, and that includes caring for the members of the house -- and as Jesus puts it, that means "to give them food in due season."  A house, in the image which Christ gives us, was more than just a dwelling structure or a home.  A house was a lineage, a group identity, a dynasty for a royal family, or more commonly, it was an entire estate which included properties, crops, animals, foodstuffs.  In Greek, the root of this word for "household" is οικος, meaning "house" and pronounced "ecos."   It's the root for words like economy and ecology. In fact, the word economy comes from the Greek for "steward" (οικονομος/economos), as in the teaching that we are to be good stewards (1 Peter 4:10), or managers of an estate.  And so, if we are all servants in this household, Jesus is speaking of the household of His Church.  That is, the "home" which bears His name, and houses so many other servants.  As we are all members of that household, we bear His name and identity, and the Master of the house has ordered that we follow particular commandments and treat one another in a particular way -- and this is how we are to busy ourselves as we await His return.  It is only in this way that we will, in fact, be really prepared for His return.  It is when we forget the things that we are to be about that we are unprepared, and might be caught as in a snare (Luke 21:35).  So let us consider how we treat one another, how we feed one another "in due season."  How do we practice Christ's commandment that we love one another, as He has loved us?  Let us also keep in mind that Jesus is preparing the stewards and shepherds of His house, His disciples who will become the bishops of His Church, and so this language is particularly directed to those in position of leadership.  But in Christ's church, His house, each one of us bears a unique responsibility for our talents, and therefore a capacity for leadership.  Each one may edify with a word (and hence "feed"), each is responsible for a way to maintain right relations and good order, each follows the commands of the Master in his or her own life, and bears His image.  Hence, in this identity of our household, we all have loyalties and duties, and it is when we forget that this is what we are to be about that we lose even what we have.  How do we serve Christ?  Do we serve with love and truth?  Do we serve prayerfully?  Are we listening and in dialogue with our Master through prayer?  Many causes seem to abound in the world, all of them proclaiming themselves to be good:  but do they ask us to hate or to love?  Do they deride whole groups of people with hate, or do they serve Christ's household with love?  Do we take stock of our true place in Christ's plan for salvation -- or do we plan other things for ourselves with higher priority?  Can we serve in His household "by any means necessary" -- or does Christ in fact teach us that it is precisely the "means" He emphasizes rather than the end?  Let us keep in mind that the "end" is firmly up to Him, but He gives us the proper means whereby we do as He asks.  It's up to us to follow, or to be unprepared for His return.  Christ asks us to be "faithful and wise" -- meaning loyal and trusting in His commandments and prudent in our conduct, self-aware.  Let us not "eat and drink with the drunkards" who chase whatever looks good to the crowds today, forgetting who we are.  Life is too precious and rich in His household, in the place where He shares with us His joy.

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

 Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

"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."  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

- Luke 21:29-36

On Saturday, we read Jesus' continuing discourse about the events to come in Jerusalem, and His second coming:   "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.  And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  While it is quite literally true that the generation of those to whom He was directly addressing would see the destruction of Jerusalem, His discourse includes events of His return, or second coming.  Therefore this generation actually refers to all believers at all times; that is, the generation of the Church, and not merely those alive at the time of Christ.  Furthermore, the age initiated continues, and will end only upon His return.  Therefore, all events discussed are tied to one another.

"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."  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.  Here is one assurance Jesus gives us:  that when He does return, that Day will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  That is, only those truly watchful and wakeful will be expecting it at all.  But total involvement with the worldly weighs us down, we forget our spiritual senses, a life of prayer.   He warns of hearts weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and care of this life, giving us a picture of the things we do to divert ourselves, and the overwhelming concerns possible when we forget to make space for God in our daily life, a healthy detachment that puts life into a wider perspective than what the world offers to us.

For Jesus to say that His second coming will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth is quite an astounding statement indeed.  It implies that the world is full of things that will distract us from our purpose, and our own true good in life.  As Jesus puts it, there are things in life that may burden our hearts, weigh them down, to the point that we are no longer alert and awake to the things He teaches us about, to the reality we are to always keep in mind.  A snare is a trap, something that catches an animal unawares when it is being hunted (particularly used for birds).  The implication here is that by ignoring the things He calls us to be aware of, we may lose our true liberty, our freedom -- becoming subject to that which enslaves and captures.  How does this happen?  His implications of that are clear too:  the cares of the world, and the things that we chase as diversion or immediate pleasures, whatever it is that may serve to distract us from true purpose, and in particular a life of prayer so that we are awake to the things He would have us be mindful of in life.  A snare set for a bird gives us a sense that God calls us to a kind of watchfulness we need for our own good, for our survival, for the assurance of our own independence and liberty.  It gives us a picture of evil or sin as that which robs us of something -- a trick that offers what sounds good but has as its end a denial of our greatest good, our true place.  In this context, the one thing necessary becomes a focus on the place where all that is good comes from, the love of God from which every perfect gift comes.  It is in that love that we wish to abide and have our lives, so that we are aware of who we are and what we need to be about, and we can live a life of true health -- that which is truly good for us.  We are vulnerable human beings, and we live in a state where it is easy to lose sight of the fact of our limitations, our need for direction and guidance, a constant sustenance in the face of that which is adverse to us -- even to be aware that there is a type of adversity which may catch us unaware.  This is where we acknowledge our dependence on God, our true need for humility as a way to stay focused and real.  But it is also where we acknowledge our deep need for love, in a world that doesn't always give what it seems to be offering.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away

 Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the 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."  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

- Luke 21:29-38

In our current readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem.  It is Passion Week.  He has been teaching in the temple, and confronted by various groups of the religious leadership.  In Saturday's reading, Jesus' responded to those who marveled at the wonder and beauty of the temple by teaching that the day will come when not one stone is left upon another.  He taught His followers that they will face persecution, and began to speak also of end times.  In yesterday's reading, He continued:  "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.  And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

 Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  Jesus has been speaking of end times.  In yesterday's reading, above, He taught that "when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."  The redemption He spoke of is His Second Coming.  This generation, in that context, means the entire "generation" of all believers, at all times, which is the generation of the Church, and not only those alive at the time of Christ.  However, in the context of His entire talk to His disciples, included here in His prophecy is the destruction of the temple and the Siege of Jerusalem, which would take place within a generation and be witnessed by many of those listening to Him.

"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the 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."  And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet.  Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.  Here are His words to all of us, and they teach us about our own orientation as His followers.  Our minds are to be aware of the potential of His return at any time.  We're not to let our hearts be weighed down with worldly distractions nor by the cares of this life.  That Day will come as a snare to everyone:  it will be sudden and unexpected.  This is His promise.  To watch and pray is His word for our lives.  To escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man is to truly possess our souls (v. 19).  Jesus stays on Mt. Olivet, as a pilgrim, but teaches in the temple by day, as all come to listen to Him.

We have the irony of contradiction sprinkled throughout this talk on end times and the time of His Return.  Jesus began this discourse in response to those with Him who marvel at all the sights of the splendid temple, a masterpiece of imperial architecture and stunning beauty.  He tells them that not one stone will be left upon another that won't be thrown down.  He begins to speak of the destruction of the city, warns them to be ready for the time when they will see Jerusalem surrounded by armies.  This warning helped save much of the early Church.  But what He teaches is much more than that; He speaks of end times, this period of the age that begins with His Incarnation and ministry in the world.  It's a time of nation rising against nation, wars and commotions, natural disasters -- things that terrify and create fearful expectation.  There will be a time of persecution.  They are not to believe any rumors that He has returned, or those who claim to be messiah.  When He returns, it will be unmistakable to all, and will come as a snare upon all the people who dwell the world.  His prophecy was certainly fulfilled regarding the beautiful temple, and we can easily say that looking at history there has been the warfare, violence and persecution He spoke about.  He says, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  The disciples are asked to believe the unbelievable, and given Christ's absolute promise of the truth of His word.  Standing in the temple, one of the seven wonders of the world in its time, we may think of them listening to His words.  He promises He will be the One they will stand before when all things fall away, but they are to have patience, whatever is to come.  And this Man, who has been welcomed as Messiah, is in confrontation with the leadership who plot to kill Him.  He stays as pilgrim on Mt. Olivet and teaches daily for the people to hear.  There is a deeply complex order of reality and facts, and they are asked and expected to understand His truth through it all.  He's a poor pilgrim, not a conquering warrior, and yet He asks for their faith through all things, and for ours.   He places Himself as absolute Judge.  His most important teaching here is about holding on to what we know to be true, watching and praying, not being immersed nor hearts weighed down, as He puts it, by the cares and distractions of worldly life.  Let us notice the focus on the heart, the Scriptural term for the center of the person, the fullness with which we apprehend and negotiate our lives.  The struggle for faith is not merely an intellectual choice, but one that involves everything we've got, all that we are.  We are in the world but not of it, just as He is, and this is what He reminds us to hold in our hearts, this truth of layers of seeming contradiction, of irony, of the not-so-simple reality we live.  He doesn't want us to be fooled by appearances, by false Christs, by our fears, by the things that will terrify so that men will lose heart.  He wants us to see through all of it, to hold onto what is ultimate, deepest truth -- His word that will not pass away, though all else does.  Persecution becomes opportunity for testimony, which we're not to think about before hand, but which He will give to us at the time.  We persist, by patience, in our faith.   It is by this kind of patience that we possess our souls.   An extraordinary order He's giving, nearly incredible commands of faith -- and yet this is His word and the Church He establishes, and that to which He calls us.   The disciples have been warned about what is to come, His Passion and death and Resurrection.  But they can't really comprehend that either.  We know what has been revealed and what has come to pass.  Are we up for the challenge of our "generation" of faithful?

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away

Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.   So, you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

"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 21:29-36

In current readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem, and teaches daily in the temple.  He has made His Triumphal Entry, cleansed the temple, and faced the challenges of the leadership.  He has also returned a few challenges of His own.  He speaks to the leadership, His disciples, and also the public.  (See readings from last Saturday,  Monday,  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).   In Friday's reading, Jesus began to speak about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, and how they are to endure what is to come (see By your patience possess your souls).  In Saturday's reading, Jesus taught:  "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.  Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.  For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people.  And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations.  And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.  And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars, and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring, men's hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

Then He spoke to them a parable:  "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.  When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near.   So, you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  Elsewhere in the Gospels and in Old Testament Scripture, the fig tree is a symbol for Israel.  Perhaps the budding of the tree is a sign of the fullness of this time of Israel (in yesterday's reading, Jesus spoke of the fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles).  Of the prediction regarding "this generation" my study bible tells us,  "This difficult verse may be interpreted in two ways:  (1) this generation refers to Jesus' contemporaries and all things pertain to the capture of Jerusalem; or (2) this generation is the new Christian generation and all things include the return of Christ.  The later is the preferred interpretation of the Church Fathers."  Regarding Jesus' teaching that "heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away," we recall that in Saturday's reading, Jesus spoke of the powers of heaven being shaken, and we quoted from St. Peter's Second Epistle regarding the heavenly bodies or elements that will be dissolved in great heat. 

"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."  Let's observe the things that take us away from our understanding and awareness:  a kind of loss of consciousness into the whirl of life, a loss of proper boundaries, a lack of care about how we conduct ourselves; and that He includes also the burdens of the cares of life as well in this place of forgetfulness of who we are and what we are to be about.  My study bible says, "Jesus concludes His discourse with a final admonition to vigilance in the face of the unpredictable time of His return."

So how do we await Christ's return?  Most of all, there seems to be an awareness He teaches us about that has to do with our "getting lost" into things that take us away from our consciousness of His presence to us, and of the quality of His imminent return.  The things that take us away from this awareness are the things that He warns us about.  Dissipation, and drunkenness, and also being overburdened by the cares of life:  all of these things take us away from our conscious awareness of His presence to us, and His promise of return.  When we remember what we are to be about, we remember most of all His words, His teachings.  These are the things that, even if all the elements of life should dissolve before us, if "heaven and earth" should "pass away" (and we are promised that they will!), still remain.  His words still remain.  In Saturday's reading, we spoke of the essential understanding that our reality includes our inner lives, not merely the outer, and that Scripture hints to us that these are the things that will remain when all else dissolves or passes away.  So our awareness of His word to us, His presence to us, always remains the one constant we can rely on, the thing around which we can build our lives.  It is the things that take us away from this that lead us into a place of forgetfulness of who we are and what we must be about:  a life of dissipation, a kind of heedless running from this thing to that, drunkenness and all that may imply in our modern context, and also a loss of consciousness into the things that burden us with cares, an over-anxiety about life which He's also warned us against (see here and here).  In a modern society, we seem to go to both extremes; perhaps the extreme focus on "success" and all that might mean lead also to problems in the opposite direction.  Jesus therefore advocates the true median.  He Himself is the true pivot around which our lives need to revolve in order to remain in a place of real balance, awareness, and uprightness -- the place of the narrow gate.  His words keep us in the place of awareness of a truth that runs deeper than everything else we know, and all else we may experience.  They keep us in the place of what is truly real, and of what we truly need.  When you feel overburdened, overanxious, or when the temptation to a life of a kind of hedonism that takes you away from yourself becomes great, think about His words and what He teaches us today.  He's the real place we need to be, and His Kingdom is in the center of our hearts, the place we need to return for true awareness of ourselves and of our lives.  As Jesus advises, let us be reminded that prayer may be the quickest way we can get there -- the way to "remember God."  He's the place of reconciliation, and balance, the right middle way, the true center.