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

 

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

 

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

 

- Matthew 24:32–44 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!

 

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

 

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly, he finds you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!"

 

- Mark 13:28–37 

 

In our recent readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem.  The setting is the final week of Christ's earthly life, which is called Holy Week.  Jesus has been teaching the disciples about end times.  Yesterday we read that He taught them, "So when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not" (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  And pray that your flight may not be in winter.  For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.  And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.  Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, He is there!' do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.  But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of heaven." 

 

"Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pas away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  My study Bible comments that this generation refers to all believers at all times (in other words, the generation of the Church), and not simply those alive at the time of Christ.  Christ's prophecy is that the Church will continue to thrive until His return, regardless of how desperate things may sometimes appear. 

  

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly, he finds you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!"  My study Bible notes that although the Son does not know the day of His own return, St. John Chrysostom teaches that this is not to be understood literally, but as a figure of speech.  The meaning is that Christ won't reveal the exact day to anyone, and that believers should not be so brazen as to inquire of Him.  

 

 What does it mean that there will be an end to the period of time in which we exist?  According to the Scriptures and our faith, this age began with the mission of Christ into the world as the incarnate Jesus, and so the whole of the era since then is considered "end times."  But Jesus clearly indicates there is a finishing point to this age, a moment in which all that was meant to be fulfilled in His mission is fulfilled, and then He will return.  At His Second Coming, unlike His first, He will come spectacularly, with great power and glory.  This time will be accompanied by signs preceding it, such as that the powers in the heavens are shaken, the moon and sun appearing dim or darkened, the stars falling.  This fulfillment of the age means that regardless of what we see and think we know of the world, it is in an ever-moving transition of some sort.  There are potentials being fulfilled, working themselves out somehow.  The notion of fulfillment in Greek is the real gist of what it means to "end" -- things end at their fullest point, when all possibilities and purposes have been exhausted and there is no more left to do.  Thus, at Christ's return, judgment occurs, and a new period begins (Isaiah 65:17, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1).  In the Christian era, through the coming of the Church, the mission of Jesus Christ, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, such things as the "new creation" are partially fulfilled, for this is the process begun for us.  But its fullness is in the new.  Why is all of this important, and why should Jesus forewarn us about these things which are to come at the end of the age?  It's not so that we make timetables, for there would be little sense in that in and of itself.  But Jesus' byword for us throughout these prophecies He gives of end times is to teach us to endure in our faith, to be watchful and aware of the purpose for which He came into the world and the ongoing mission He has left us with and our role in it.  Christ's final word here is, "And what I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!"  We are to be prepared for that end, by living out our faith, being persistent in it, and enduring to the end through all the things He prophesies for us.  Clearly, His intention here is deliberate.  He wants us to be aware of all of these things, and the process that will unfold, especially at the time He will return, so that we are aware and prepared, and ready for this struggle for faith that is so all-important.  Let us consider the depth and power of His words, for they convey to us the purpose for our age, and frame our lives in that struggle for the faith He gives us, the life in which we also participate in the preparation for that new age He will bring, and in the fulfillment of these end times.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming

 

 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight a cry was heard:  'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'  But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'  But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."

 

- Matthew 25:1-13 

 

In our current readings, Jesus has been in Jerusalem, teaching and disputing in the temple with the religious leaders.  The setting is Holy Week, the final week of Christ's earthly life.  He has been prophesying to His disciples regarding the end times, and also the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem.  Reminding them what they must be and do as they await His return in this period of the Church, He taught the following parable:  "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 for him 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."

 

  "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.  Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.  But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.  And at midnight a cry was heard:  'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'  But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.'  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.  Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!'  But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."  Once again, Jesus gives another parable for this time in which we who are nominal believers await Christ's return, His Second Coming.  My study Bible comments on today's parable that it illustrates the need for being spiritually prepared while the bridegroom -- Christ -- is delayed in His return.  The Kingdom, it says, is frequently portrayed as a marriage between Christ and Christ's Church (see the parable of the Wedding Feast).  This marriage will be consummated at the end of the age, when Christ the Bridegroom returns to us in order to escort His Bride -- that is, the Church -- into the eternal wedding banquet.  My study Bible emphasizes that the parable stresses the virtue of charity and almsgiving.  The words for oil (meaning olive oil) and "mercy" sound the same in Greek.  So therefore the wise virgins are those who practice charity and mercy in this life, prepared for the coming of the Bridegroom, and filling up their lives (their lamps) with such.   The foolish, my study Bible says, are those who squander God's gifts on themselves.   My study Bible also explains that the fact that all the virgins slumbered and slept is an indication of death -- that all will die in this earthly life, both the virtuous and the wicked.  The cry at midnight is an indication of the Second Coming, when both wicked and righteous will arise for judgment.   Note also that the inability of the righteous to share their oil is not due to a lack of generosity, for mercy or charity or compassion are qualities that can only be gained through one's own efforts.  My study Bible comments that this illustrates the impossibility of entering heaven without one's own faith and virtue, and also the impossibility of changing one's state of virtue after death (see verse 26, in the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus found at Luke 16:19-31).   

The question of mercy is rather a tricky one in the Gospels; and yet, it is also absolutely central to the gospel of the Kingdom.  In today's reading, it is clear that the wise virgins cannot share their oil for the lamps of the foolish ones.  In this sense, it seems rather out of place with the Christ that we know, who so shares His gifts freely with all, who feeds those in the wilderness (twice!) who followed Him and heard His teachings and stayed with Him.  This is the image of compassion and graciousness, and our understanding of the whole of the Incarnation, and all that it produced and produces and will go on producing for us and for our world, is sheer grace, a gift (and gifts) for all of us.  But in this question of mercy and of the showing of mercy and compassion, there is no compromise.  We each must do so for ourselves.  We are called to be "like God" and to fail to make an effort to be and to do so is to fail at life itself.  When Jesus teaches the Lord's Prayer in the Sermon on the Mount, He teaches us to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."  In that case, debts function as sin committed against someone else, hurting of others, places where we've fallen short, so to speak.  But Jesus adds for emphasis this caveat, just in case we haven't understood properly:  "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6:15).  Trespass is another word for sin, this time for a violation of boundaries, so to speak, a breaking of a law.  But the gist of this teaching is clear:  if we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven.  So it is with the acts of mercy and compassion which the foolish virgins have failed to do:  one must practice mercy in order to realize it.  This kind of mutual effort and recognition permeates the gospel of Jesus.  When He teaches the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), it is to emphasize precisely that it is we who become neighbors by being neighbors, by practicing acts of mercy and kindness, taking the initiative to do so.  That the compassionate man is a Samaritan emphasizes there are no other boundaries to define "neighbor" but that.  In the parable of the Unforgiving Servant, one who does not forgive as he was forgiven is sent to truly reap all that he has sown.  Jesus ends that parable with this statement, "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses" (see Matthew 18:21-35).  If we look closely at this parable, we will understand that this is, in fact, how judgment is rendered.  Our acts of mercy have greater power than we know.  When He sends out the disciples on their first apostolic mission, Jesus teaches, "And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward" (see verse 42 in Matthew 10).  So how do we fill our lamps so that they shine brightly?  Going back again to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus teaches disciples that they are the light of the world, and that they are to reflect the light of God, the Source of all light, comparing them to a lamp (see Matthew 5:15-16).  He finishes that passage by saying, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."    In today's parable, He affirms that not only is this the way He teaches us to live, but that all our lives -- and even an eternal life -- depend upon how well we fulfill this mission and take the initiative.  Let us follow His example and remember this teaching.  For this is what it means to be watchful, and we have been warned that we do not know at what hour our Bridegroom will return.

 

 

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 

 

On Saturday, 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 by 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 filing 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 refers to all believers at all times, the generation of the Church -- 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 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 in Luke's Gospel, the emphasis is on preparedness for this time.  We're not given any information that would lead us to make a timetable or predict exactly when this will occur.  Let us note that Jesus emphasizes the surprising nature of this prophesy, that the Day of His return will come as a snare on all those who dwell upon the face of the whole earth.  The emphasis is on preparedness, with the admonition to watch and to pray always, keeping in mind His words and this teaching, that we may be counted worthy to stand before the Son of Man in judgment.

Jesus says, "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."  These words echo an element in the parable of the Sower.  When Jesus explains to the disciples the meaning of the parable, He says the following interpretation regarding the seeds that fell among thorns:  "Now 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" (Luke 8:4).  This is especially emphasized here as those things that lead to heedlessness of the reality of Christ's promise to return, and the judgment of that Day.  It speaks of how easily we are distracted from the spiritual reality of our lives, our own easy capacity for forgetfulness in the midst of life.  We won't be given obvious reminders; we have already been given Christ, the prophets, the saints, the Scriptures, and all the ongoing work of the Church.  But these warnings found twice in the Gospels emphasize how easily our attention is led astray, how simple it is for us to be diverted from this reality and His teachings through the cares, riches, and pleasures of life.  These pursuits and distractions, in Jesus' word, weigh our hearts down, seeming to imply that we don't have the energy to "look up" or that their effect is to deprive us of the capacity to think beyond a purely earthly life.  These words also suggest to us the importance of time, and that we consider the preciousness of the time of our lives.  Repeatedly Christ's parables will suggest this to us, such as in the parable of the Lost Son.  When the prodigal realizes the horrible state in which he finds himself, Jesus says that "he came to himself" (Luke 15:17).  In other words, his straying from the home of his father has taken him away from who he truly is, his true place -- such is the power of the distractions we have in life, when our hearts are weighed down with the cares, riches, and pleasures of life.  There is a pernicious suggestion that returns over and over again in modern life, that the only way to "find ourselves" is by getting lost in what some might enviously think are the privileges of others, where the grass seems to be greener.  In a classical political and social context, the phrase "bread and circuses" might also apply here.  That is, the things afforded by wealth (even great wealth), including all the cares and pleasures that come with riches, or a life of pure indulgence in whatever takes our fancies, or seems to promise to take away pain rather than dealing with it more effectively.  Today we have many ways to be "drunken," we have many sources for "carousing," and an infinite number of cares that seem to plague life in pursuit of such.  Let us understand our own nature and take it seriously that Christ has said that "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mark 14:38).  For our lives, as He has said, are more than this, we're meant for what is better and higher for us -- and while we might be distracted with amusements, or the pursuit of what we think is good, this is not the whole of life.  We are meant for meaning, and the wholeness of life includes our spiritual nature, not separate from our earthly bodies but a part of us.  Our well-being depends upon it.  Let us understand why it is necessary that we watch and pray, and we remember God in the ways that we can.  Jesus says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).  So much depends upon where our attention is, how we use our time, and what comes first.  Finally, let us consider the weight of these words:  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  What He promises and teaches here is that His words will supersede all things.  Whatever we put our faith into, and time, and effort, in His word we will find even a new heaven and a new earth.  Let us stand and remember what He teaches.

 

 

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

 

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

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

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

 

- Matthew 24:32-51 

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There were also women looking on from afar

 

There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.  So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.  Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen.  And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

 

- Mark 15:40–47 

 

On Saturday we read:  Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"  Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, "Look, He is calling for Elijah!"  Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down."  And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.  Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.  So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, "Truly this Man was the Son of God!"

 

 There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.  My study Bible comments that the faithfulness of the women shows that in Christ, divine order is being restored to the fallen world.  In the context of spiritual history, Eve was created to complete Adam (Genesis 2:18), but instead led him to sin (Genesis 3:6).  But now the women disciples of Christ remain faithful while it is the men who flee and hide.  It is the women who bring the message of the Resurrection to the men (Mark 16:9-11, Luke 24:9-11), thereby restoring that which had been broken through sin.

 

 Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.  So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.  Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen.  And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.  My study Bible explains that if the apostles had buried Christ, doubters could claim His body was simply hidden away.  But Joseph of Arimathea, being both a prominent council member, and one who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, refutes any possibility that the Lord's body was deceptively hidden by the apostles.   A tomb hewn out of the rock would be one of great expense.  Luke's Gospel tells us that it was one where no one had ever lain before (see Luke 23:53), signifying that Christ died a dead unlike any person who had ever died.  That is, a death without corruption, and one leading to victory over the grave itself.  We note again the abiding faithfulness of the women, who keep Christ's word to take heed, watch, and pray.  Their dutiful and mindful behavior, even in a time of great panic and fear, is a model for all of us who await Christ's return.

Yes, the women in today's story model the behavior for us that Christ has espoused in His teachings on the end times (such as in this reading), times He prophesied would be terrifying, and signs of which without doubt have been present in the world throughout the Christian era.  Both Joseph and the women teach us what it means to "Take heed, watch, and pray" as Jesus has taught must be our disposition through this period of "end times" as we await the Second Coming.  Contrary to some popularized novels and theories, the "end times" constitute all of the history of the Church to the present time and are ongoing.   That is why His words apply always to us and throughout the centuries; it is not simply a period which occurs imminently before His Second Coming.  In His prophecy of end times, the time of Christ's return was deliberately left vague, meaning that it is not our job to make timetables, but our job to do and to be precisely as He took pains to repeatedly teach:  we are to keep His commandments while He's gone, we are to be alert and aware of who we are and what we are to be about, not sleeping on our watch.  Joseph and the women perfectly exemplify such dutiful, awake, and alert behavior.  Joseph takes great courage in going to Pilate and requesting the body of Christ.  He holds a prominent seat on the Council, whose leaders decided to put Christ to death and manipulated the crowds to demand His crucifixion before Pilate.  Matthew's Gospel tells us he was a rich man (Matthew 27:57), so we understand not only that he shares his wealth to honor Christ in burial (and perhaps this tomb was made for himself), but as both a wealthy man and a prominent council member, he had a lot to lose by claiming Christ's body publicly.  Early church historians mention Joseph playing a prominent role in the Church.   But the women, as my study Bible points out, give us models of discipleship that signify spiritual transformation and a setting aright of history in a very important sense.  Note that the very fact that they are women plays a role here in establishing Christianity and its meanings and teachings, contradicting the image of Eve from the Old Testament.  Among these women we also must include Mary, the mother of Jesus, who although stricken with grief is understood to have been among the women going to the tomb, as we will discuss in tomorrow's reading and commentary.  We recall that in addition to Jesus' teachings as to what kind of discipleship He desires as we await His return, in Gethsemane He also requested the disciples watch with Him, and pray (see this reading).   During Christ's agony, His closest disciples failed in this task, sleeping from sorrow, we're told (Luke 22:45).  But here it is the women who remain steadfast models of what it is to keep one's head, to do the duty needed in the circumstances, and to "watch and pray" -- even to "watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation," as Jesus told Peter at Gethsemane.  It is the women who exemplify alacrity and coolness in a time of panic and terror for all of the disciples of Christ, and we who follow in their footsteps as faithful must be very grateful to the Gospels for reporting this to us and giving us the tremendous role they play for all of us.  Let us consider what we are to be in times of great distress, and how we can be more like them as they turn an ancient story of sin on its head, giving us both their courage and their faithfulness.

 

 

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."

 

- Luke 21:29–36 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus taught His followers regarding the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and also about the end times:  "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."  This generation seems to have a double meaning here.  Not only will the destruction of Jerusalem happen within a generation, but all these things refers to the generation of all believers at all times -- the generation of the Church, and not only those alive at the time of Christ.  Christ gives a solemn assurance of His prophecy:  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."  Jesus warns that our real need throughout this time as believers await His return is to be sober, to be aware of who we are and what our faith is.  That this Day will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth is a vivid image teaching us about the unpredictability of dates and times, and the easy way we slip into forgetfulness of who we are.  

Origen has an interesting commentary on drunkenness, which Christ warns about.  He states that drunkenness is destructive in all things:  it weakens both soul and body together.  There are times when the body is weak, and the spirit grows stronger.  Even through illness, we see spiritual growth and a closer experience of faith in the interior life.  But with drunkenness this is not the case, and so it would seem regarding the other things Christ warns about:  carousing and cares of this life.  So with all three, body and soul are together diminished, destroyed, ground down.  We lose sight of what is important, and must draw ourselves away from these things in order to focus on what is good for us, and healing.  Let's note that each of these can be a kind of escape from life, often starting out as a way to avoid the deeper things that may be hard to fathom and to cope with -- but the end of each road is no longer an escape but another kind of deeper prison, even a desolate place.  Origen writes of drunkenness:  "Forgetfulness covers the mind so that one does not know oneself nor perceive he is a person."  Origen wrote in the early third century, before the time of modern pharmaceuticals and the kinds of epidemics of drugs that we know today.  But let's take seriously what he says about drunkenness to illuminate what happens to a person who seeks escape from these deeper struggles of life through whatever means is available.  For Christ, even "the cares of this life" form such overwhelming substance, as we see also illustrated in the parable of the Sower (Luke 8:4-15), when Jesus illustrates those who are "choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life" as the seed that fell among thorns.  Today we have other modern day distractions which may also serve to dissipate our lives and distract us from what is essential, but it's important to note the overwhelming nature of things that were common to human beings then and now, and Origen's comment about the dissipation of both the spirit and the body.  Let us not be lost in things that take us away from our spiritual lives, and give us only an immediate escape into forgetfulness or a type of obsession with something else.  It's a powerful thought to recognize how easy it is to lose ourselves in things that seem good but are dead ends in and of themselves.  Possibly the greatest power we have to put us in mind of the things that "bring us back to ourselves" is prayer and worship -- all the things that we can do to connect ourselves back to God, even for a brief period, even as we take just a bit of time from whatever we are doing in our lives.  Let us understand our dependence upon God, and that place where we truly remember who we are in God's love.  With Jesus' warnings, we are clearly to understand that this is true even in the midst of tribulations -- and that He is always with us even so, as we await His return with power and great glory.  Jesus teaches us that we are to "watch" and "pray always."  Let us take Him at His word, which will not pass away.

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.

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

Panagia Gorgoepikoos ("Quick to Hear").  Fresco, 1563.  Docheiariou Monastery, Mt. Athos, Greece

 

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

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

- Matthew 24:32-44

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His warnings to the disciples of things that will come to be in Jerusalem:  "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.  For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.  And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.  Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.  For false Christ's 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 suggests that this generation refers to all believers at all times, the generation of the Church, and not merely to those alive at the time of Christ.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."  My study bible cites 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.  In both Mark 13:32, and in the Matthew text of Chrysostom, Jesus says that the Son also does not know the day of His own return.  What Chrysostom says about this is that it is not to be understood literally.  Rather it is a figure of speech which tells us that Christ, although revealing all the signs that will accompany His return, will not reveal the exact day to anyone.  Moreover, no believer should be brazen enough as to inquire it of Him.

"But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left."   My study bible comments that the second coming of Christ will entail a sudden revelation of judgment.  One will be taken to heaven and the other left.  This separation will occur at the coming of the Son of Man, according to what Christ says, and not -- as some teach today -- at a certain time before His second coming.  But note the tone of Christ's vivid images:  life continues on as usual, without people thinking or concerned about what is imminent.  The change of time will be sudden and not expected.

"But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  My study bible says that Christ's purpose in making this discourse to the disciples is not to make people experts on end-time prophecy.  It is instead so that they might watch and be ready,  continuing in virtue and obeying Christ's commandments.

There are times when, no matter what other distractions or current events or terrific involvement in the affairs of life are going on, one must get down to what really matters.  This is the emphasis that Jesus puts on remembering that He "comes as a thief in the night," as Saints Peter and Paul put it (2 Peter 3:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:2).   If we keep this in mind, then it gets us down to brass tacks, so to speak.  It will keep us in the awareness of what we are to be about, and what really matters deeply.  His return is a solemn promise, for which He counsels us to watch and be ready.  Essentially remember Him and His words is a way to keep ourselves aware of the importance of His commandments, of practicing our faith, and remembering even that He is there present, with us, through all things.  From the earliest tradition of the Church, prayers of the Hours have been part of its fabric.  They come to us, of course, from Jewish tradition.  But what is the purpose of punctuating our day with prayers, except to "remember God," to remember what we are to be about, to keep our minds focused on our real priorities, and not to lose ourselves in the activities and concerns of the present time?  Prayer can keep us focused not only on our priorities, but on what is essential within ourselves that we need to place greater weight on, to follow in good discipline, and to keep in mind as we make decisions and look at events and circumstances in which we find ourselves.  It seems that with the passage of time, our societies get busier and busier.  Indeed, I was once told by an economic historian who studied such things that with each new invention that was meant to save time, people just got busier.  Our hours fill up with tasks to be done, places to go, things we need to do.  Distractions abound for all of us, unless we intentionally make time -- make room, so to speak -- to remember Christ.  This is often best done by deliberately taking time for prayer.  Prayer need not take an enormous amount of time to be effective, neither does it need to be original.  The prayers of the Church, and the Psalms of the Old Testament, provide plenty for us to select and make time for.  A friend who is a deacon in charge of religious education has lately reminded me that the Our Father is a prayer suggested even for the times when we are alone, and closing the door on our "inner chamber," teaching us that we are never alone in prayer, as "Our Father" is a communal address (see Matthew 6:5-13).  Jesus teaches us to watch and to be ready, in keeping with His earlier admonitions not to be deceived by false christs, and to endure.  On the whole, He teaches us that our priority is to be mindful, and regular prayer helps sharpen our awareness and insight, keeping our focus where it needs to be.   As Jesus says, we are always to be ready.  The icon above is called in Greek Panagia Gorgoepikoos.  Panagia means "All Holy" and is a title for Mary, the Mother of God.  Gorgoepikoos means "Quick to Hear."  She is the one who comes speedily to listen to prayer, and is always ready to do so.   She reminds us that we don't pray alone, and that there are intercessors who both pray with us and hear our prayers. Let us follow her example and be always ready.

And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!

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

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!"

- Mark 13:28-37

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His prophecy and discourse on the destruction of the temple and the end times.  (For the beginning, see Saturday's reading).  Jesus taught, "So when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not" (let the reader understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.  Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.  And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.  But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!  And pray that your flight may not be in winter.  For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.  And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.  Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'Look, He is there!' do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.  But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.  Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of the earth to the farthest part of heaven."

 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away."  My study bible tells us that this generation refers to all believers at all times; that is, the generation of the Church.  Christ is not merely indicating those alive at that time.  It notes that Christ's prophecy is for the Church to continue to thrive until return, despite how desperate things sometimes may appear to be.

"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.  It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.  Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning -- lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.  And what I say to you, I say to all:  Watch!"   According to the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, although Jesus says here that the Son does not know the day of His own return, this isn't necessarily to be taken literally, but as a figure of speech.  Rather, He simply will not reveal the precise day to anyone, and believers should not be forward enough to ask.   Jesus' emphasis here is that we do not know when this will happen, and our task is to be prepared for that day and that hour, to Take heed, watch and pray.  We are simply to Watch!

 Jesus' emphasis on the Father as the only one who knows the time of the Son's return is quite special in a particular way.  If we think of God the Father as the one in whose hands all time and all cosmic reality is eventually set, then we start to understand the great depth of mystery of the end of the age.  Christ's return, and the end of the age, would necessarily be the end of time as we know and understand it, a time of tremendous change and transformation of what we know as reality.   It is, in a sense, affirming to us that there is absolutely nothing that we can know or predict about it -- simply, we are assured that this will, indeed, take place.  In that context there is only one thing certain; and that is that we must watch and pray in the meantime.  We need to take heed and be alert to what it is we are about, because the time will come upon us suddenly.  Let us consider that the time of the Church, at this time, is approximately two thousand years after these words were spoken.  All of the generations that have passed in between that time have had these same words to consider, as do each of us now.  Our lifetimes in this world -- even if we are not living at the time of Christ's return -- do depend upon these words just the same.  For once we have passed then we also are reassured that our lives will continue in the presence of God, in that place where we are truly known and everything else falls away.  In Matthew's Gospel, Christ tells us, "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:26-27).  In other words, whether we are living in this world or not at the time of Christ's return, our job is still to "take heed, watch and pray."  Christ sets a deliberate impression with us of watchfulness, alertness -- and that the time of His return is simply a mystery we don't know and should not even be inquiring about.  Rather it is the practice of virtue that matters, being about the business of the Master, doing as He has taught us, living as we are taught to live.  These words to me, while they address the entire corporate body of believers, are extremely personal.  We watch and pray for one another.   These words in the Greek, translated as take heed and watch, mean to be looking out, and extremely alert, not sleeping and ready to act at any time.  His whole emphasis is on our consciousness of what we are supposed to be about.  To watch is to be alert to the tasks at hand -- vigilant to the possibility of His return at any time, and mindful of the things He has taught we are to care about.  We are to always be mindful of the things of God and following His commands.   Even through the night, the message seems to be, while others sleep, it is our duty to be alert to who we are and awaiting His Presence at all times.  Psalm 63:11 reads, "When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches."  Christ ends His prophecy with words suitable to those on guard through the night.  Let us always remind ourselves and one another to  "remember God"  and be alert even while others are sleeping.