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

 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 our recent readings, Jesus is in the temple at Jerusalem, and He's been teaching daily since He made His Triumphal Entry into the holy city.   He has cleansed the temple, been questioned as to His authority to do what He's doing, and challenged by the leadership.  He's done some seriously challenging of His own in return.  As some of His disciples admired the great, fabulous building of the temple, Jesus began to prophesy about its destruction, and the times before His Return.  In Saturday's reading, He warned:  "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 gives a parable of the fig tree (often used as a symbol of Israel in Scripture).  The fruit comes in the summer; the buds are signs of what is coming.  "This generation" is true for the destruction that He has warned about that is coming to the city of Jerusalem -- as we've discussed in recent readings, that would happen in 70 AD with the Siege of the Jerusalem, the time when the temple was destroyed by the Romans, and not one stone was left upon another.    There is another prophesy here, tied in with the powerful reality of the destruction of the temple and the city of Jerusalem, and that is the time of His return; in that sense "generation" refers to the believers of the present age which was initiated by His Incarnation and mission in the world.  That "heaven and earth will pass away" but His words "will by no means pass away" is a solemn affirmation of the prophesy.  The message for all of us is that we must be watchful, aware.

"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."  Here is the most important part of the warning:  in this time period, as we await His return, what are we to be about?  What is our concern and focus?  Our concern is precisely to stay focused, alert, aware.  Watch ourselves, we're told, so that we don't forget who we are, how we're to live, and what our lives are supposed to be about in the world.  Jesus repeatedly teaches that this will come "as a snare," that nobody will know the time of His return, it will catch us all unaware.    That's the most pertinent message He gives -- a strong signal about our own watchfulness and awareness of what our lives are to be about.

Jesus ends with a teaching that we must watch and pray, "that we may be counted worthy to . . . stand before the Son of Man."  It's a way of teaching us to be aware not just of judgment, but of the discerning eye of Christ that's always aware of what we're doing and what we're about.  We're supposed to have that eye on ourselves and awareness of ourselves:  What's our focus?  Are we alert to His teachings in our daily lives?  Are we practicing mercy?  The Fathers of the Church, the patristic writers, have consistently commented on the one most important thing:  the practice of mercy in our lives.  Indeed, Christ has taught that "blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."  We're to be like Him, who came into the world not to condemn, but to save.  And I think that at this time in our history, we really need to think about what that means.  What does it mean to save and not to condemn?  He took the most notorious sinners -- the chief tax collector Zacchaeus might make a good example here -- and taught that "those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick."  In fact, if we look closely at this statement, made in Luke's chapter 5, after Jesus was criticized for dining with tax collectors, what we see in a careful reading is that for the word "sick," Jesus actually uses "kakos" in the Greek.  Kakos generally means "bad" or "evil."  It implies misery and affliction, and also a place that is "wrong."   In its form as a noun (rather than adverb), it's a word that designates the evil in the world.  If our place is way on the wrong side of things, then, we need correction, healing, strong medicine, repentance.  But that isn't administered through a regime of force; it's the ministry and mission of Jesus Christ in the world.  That's what His saving mission is all about.  In the end, as He makes very clear to us in His warnings about His Second Coming, we're the ones responsible for a decision to be healed or to remain ill, stuck in the "wrong" or the "evil" or "bad," the things that give us pain, misery, affliction -- those places where we might be lost in carousing, or cares of the world, or drunkenness (unawareness of ourselves and our true purpose).  But His healing is always on offer; our condemnation or loss to Him is not what He wants.  It also becomes a question of whether or not we understand that His saving mission should be our concern as well.  What needs healing around you?  Where do you need to turn to Him for His healing in yourself?  The act of forgiveness, we might remember in our practice of mercy, isn't a justification of sin.  It's a giving up of the "kakos" around us to God, and asking for God's perspective and mission in our own lives instead:  His guidance, His way.  That is, how He wants us to go through it, to deal with it, to handle things.  For this, we watch and pray.

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 given 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 yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His preparation of the disciples for what is to come. He speaks now of the siege of Jerusalem, which will mean the destruction of the temple, and also the time of His return, the end of the age. He was asked about the signs and times of both by His disciples in Saturday's reading. Jesus continued in yesterday's passage, telling His disciples of the abomination of desolation (as prophesied by Daniel), and that this will be a sign for them to leave Jerusalem. It will be fulfilled in A.D. 70, when the Roman General Titus walked in the Most Holy Place, thus defiling the sanctuary. His watchwords begin, "Take heed that no one deceives you." Jesus warns His disciples not to believe those who tell them that Christ is here or there, because it will not be so, and many false prophets will arise. He says, "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." He continued, "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." To me, this seems like a continuation of His warning about what is to come in Jerusalem, which will indeed happen before "this generation" passes away (in A.D. 70). His warning about the end of the age -- and in particular the Second Coming -- is made so that they do not confuse these two events. When He returns, it will be "as lightning comes from the east and flashes in the west" -- sudden, and unmistakable. It will not be hidden from anyone; this is why they are not to be deceived by those who will claim false christs in the desert or in an inner room during the time of tribulation in Jerusalem that is soon to come, within this generation. The parable of the summer and the fig tree is told for them to keep watch, especially for the sign given of the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy of the abomination of desolation. This did indeed take place just before the orders were given to burn the temple. However, another traditional interpretation of these words here in these verses is rather to take "this generation" as implying the new race of Christians. My study bible says, "The end is always near, just ahead of us. The unexpected suddenness of Christ's coming will catch people unaware and engaged in earthly pursuits, just as in the days of Noah." This note applies to the verses that are to follow. Whatever their meaning and intent, the early church at Jerusalem was saved due to Jesus' warnings, and escaped the city before destruction during the Roman siege. The ending statement, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away," is an assurance beyond all assurance that His words are true and good, on which we can count as true promise.

"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 given 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." Here, Jesus' words clearly return to themes of the Second Coming. Even the angels in heaven don't know when this will be, in strong contrast to the warnings about the siege of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. But the main point here is about preparation: we don't know what day and hour this will happen. Even He does not know! Only His Father in heaven knows this. His intention and warning here is something different from the warnings about war in Jerusalem: it is a warning to be prepared, not to forget, taken up with all the things of daily life -- because it will be just like Noah and the flood. It will come swiftly, suddenly, without preparation at all. He gives us vivid images of two men working in a field, two women grinding at the mill. Some are taken and others are not, just as with those who went with Noah. It is a warning not to be forgetful and complacent, but to know that this hour will catch everyone at just a moment.

"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." And here is the point: we are to watch. We do not know the hour He is coming, we must not be forgetful of this event and our expectation of it. The byword here is to watch, to be prepared, to be ready for that time. We must be mindful of our Lord and His return; this is the clear intent of His words. In the verses that come in the following readings, Jesus will be give us parables illustrating what it is to be prepared, to be watchful, and mindful of His return.

In yesterday's commentary, I asked what it is that Christ's assurance of His return does for us. We know His promise, it will come -- He will return and all will know when this happens. In today's readings, Jesus teaches us about preparedness for that day and hour. His emphasis is on the fact that no one -- not even the angels, nor Himself -- knows when this will be. Our preparation, therefore, is not in prophecy nor prediction of dates, but in our own preparedness for this event. Our mindfulness, our awareness, watchfulness, is what counts. We remember Him, we remember all His teachings, His love, our relationship to Him. We remember His promise. In so many ways, each day and each moment may be a preparation for the moment none of us knows, the time of His promised return. Are you ready? What do you do, now and here, to be prepared, to be watchful? How do you remember God in your daily life?