The least of these My brethren

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then he will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I as sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

- Matthew 25:31-46

Over the past several readings, Jesus has been speaking about the end of the age, and of His Second Coming. We've been given several parables by Jesus that illustrate what He's talking about, how we should be preparing for His eventual return, and that it will happen at a time we do not expect. First He spoke about the faithful steward who does not become abusive to the fellow servants, but instead faithfully carries out His master's wishes, caring for the others. Then we were given the parable of the wise and foolish virgins who were awaiting the bridegroom. In yesterday's reading, Jesus illustrated the time in which we await His return with a parable about a man who traveled to a far country. While he was away, he gave his goods to several servants, to care for. To one he gave five talents, to another two, and another one -- each in accordance with their ability. The first two doubled the talents by trading with them. The third was afraid of the master, and hid his talent in the ground. After a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents, said, "Look, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them." His lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord." To the second who doubled his two talents, the master said the same thing. Then he who had received the one talent came and said, "Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours." But his lord answered and said to him, "You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away."

"When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then he will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left." Here is the illustration of the end of the age, and of His return, a vivid picture and no longer a parable. We are told in the most dynamic terms of His all-powerful presence at that time, and the Judgment of all the nations. We have to understand that it is immediately before His Passion and the Cross that this discourse takes place. My study bible says, "For if the first coming of the Son of Man was in humility, to serve and to die, the Second Coming will be in glory, as a King to judge all the nations." Sheep and goats, to my mind, denote those who follow His commandments from those who unrepentantly follow their own way, without reconsideration. His Way will be illustrated in the following verses.

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I as sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'" Here is Jesus' great teaching on mercy and on the practice of mercy. Repeatedly He has taught throughout the Gospels that it is the practice of mercy that opens up mercy to us. In the Beatitudes, He taught, "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." Of course, a great question opened up for us here may be to ask who are "these My brethren." We could make the case, in fact, that He's speaking of His followers -- He's certainly speaking to them in this discourse, and repeatedly His parables have illustrated the importance of the care of the little ones, their fellow servants, while He is away. His concern is for "the least." Certainly those who would truly be His servants throughout the centuries would indeed suffer all of these things He has listed. But we can also turn toward the parable of the Good Samaritan, found in Luke's Gospel, in which the question is asked, "Who is my neighbor?" Again, we find there a kind of elective qualifier for "brethren" in that it was the one who behaved as a neighbor who was truly a neighbor. So, it is our own elective behavior -- as in the practice of mercy here described and illustrated by the Good Samaritan -- by which we are His brethren. In this case, those who elect to participate in His practice of mercy are the sheep who will sit on His right hand. My study bible says, "The least of these may refer primarily to Christian missionaries or to needy Christians and, by extension, all who suffer. Jesus identifies Himself with the poor and the outcast and invites to brotherhood all who are kindled with love for others (1 John 4:20). These are crowned with grace."

"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." The rest of this discourse truly speaks for itself. But I think again that we must take note that He's speaking to believers, as the Gospels were written as testimony, witness for those who are nominally of the faith. In that light, this stark and harsh warning takes on a specific character that is in keeping with Jesus' repeated condemnation of religious hypocrisy. Although we are all called upon to practice mercy, especially in an elective brotherhood, it functions as a strong warning especially to those who would be His followers. My study bible has an important note here: "The standard of judgment is uncalculated mercy toward the needy. The works produced by faith are emphasized, for a saving faith produces righteous works. It is possible to fool ourselves about whether we truly believe, but what we do so reflects our true inner state that we will need no other evidence before God's court."

I keep musing on the words from my study bible: "What we do so reflects our true inner state that we will need no other evidence before God's court." We note, first, that this is simply a statement about God's court, not the appearances we make in a human perspective, in front of others to be seen. Indeed, we know that Jesus has used His most harsh criticism against those whose religious practice is strictly for this purpose. On the other hand, acts of mercy toward those who cannot repay us, especially those done in secret, are highly prized by Christ, as He has said so in Matthew's Gospel. I go back to Christ's words in chapter 6, that Our Father who sees in secret will reward us openly, and I think of the evidence before the One who sees in secret, and whose Judgment is truly the one that we need to keep in mind. A friend of mine recently posed a question about equal rights within a society, and it brought to mind the statement Jesus made that "the poor you shall always have with you" -- found in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and John, perhaps with reference to a statement in the Law found in Deuteronomy. Today's reading brings us back to the question of the poor, and the least among us, and we have to ask ourselves not only who our brethren are, but truly, who are the poor? I feel that as long as there is rank of any kind, a hierarchy of power and authority, the poor are synonymous not only with those who have very little, but with those who are truly "the least of these," the little ones -- those who are humble, defenseless, powerless, whoever is least in any hierarchy of rank or group. There are all kinds of people who are susceptible to abuse, or marginalized, or who may lack or be deprived of something which makes for a blessed life, whether or not they have material wealth. In today's world of popular culture, bullying clearly comes to mind as one example of how we are not to behave. Certainly, Jesus condemns any abuse or lack of proper care of one's fellow servant underlings in His parables in recent days. As my study bible says, "Jesus identifies Himself with the poor and the outcast and invites to brotherhood all who are kindled with love for others." In this light we can also read Jesus' statement that "the poor we will always have with us." Should we dream one day that we might possibly live in a society where poverty is scarce or even abolished, we still must consider who and what it is to be poor in the language of the Gospels. In my opinion, this will never leave us until that Day of which He speaks today, and it is self-evidently clear in that respect that "the poor we shall always have with us." Let us take mercy, and practice mercy, and remember His words, and take them to heart! As deeply as we can, we must remember the poor, in all ways there may be poor in the world. Let us not be fooled by appearances alone, nor seek to live only by them. Let us live so that Our Father who sees in secret may know us and what is truly in our hearts.

For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had received five talents, saying, ‘Look, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

- Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus has been speaking to His disciples about the end of the age, and of His Second Coming. He has been preparing them for the time in which they will await His return. He has taught them that they must be like the faithful steward who awaits the return of the master, and doesn’t know what hour this will happen. Does he become lazy and abusive, lawless and careless, or does he run the house in proper order, caring well for his fellow servants? He told a parable in yesterday’s reading: “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.” The bridegroom was unexpectedly delayed. All slept until midnight, when the bridegroom suddenly arrived. The foolish asked the wise for oil, but they were told to buy some for themselves in case there was not enough for all. But while they went to buy, the bridegroom arrived and the others went into the wedding with him, and the door was shut. Jesus taught: “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."

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.” My study bible says that a talent was a great sum of money and came to designate a special gift or endowment. No doubt our current use of the word “talent” comes from this story. I think it’s important that we look at the fact that each was given according to his own ability. This isn’t a question of equality, really – that doesn’t come into it. They are all equal before their lord. But it is a question of uniqueness, and because it is a parable we are once again in mystical territory, just as in yesterday’s reading. The talents then symbolize for us the gifts of grace, given to each in a unique sense, for each to use in accordance with their service to the master, and their ability. Just as we await the return of the Master, so the master in this parable symbolizes our Lord.

“Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.” Each puts in his own effort with the talents given by the master. How do we cultivate what we are given? One servant left his hidden. After a long time, the master returned. So we await our Lord’s return. We note that here the master came to settle accounts. Our accounts are always with the Lord, not with ourselves or simply between one another. Judgment is in His hands, with His vision.

“So he who had received five talents, saying, ‘Look, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things. I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’” If we take a close look at the story, the judgment of the lord really depends on what each servant did with what he was given. He says the same thing to each one, although one made ten talents from five, and the other four talents from two. It’s not the size that counted, but the faithfulness of the servant, and what was done with them. Each was able to “enter into the joy of your lord.”

“Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’ But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.” I note two things of interest here: first of all the steward has not acted with trust in the master, but rather with fear. His expectations are of harsh treatment. Yet, out of that very sense of fear he does what is incorrect. Rather than going out and doing something with the talents he was given, he hid them from fear of the master. In effect, he did nothing with them. Secondly, even the most minor effort – depositing the talents with bankers – would have been recognized. While these traits seem strange for the Christ we know (a hard man who reaps what he hasn’t sown, speaking of bankers and interest), I feel that we can also compare these things to a worldly sense of the story. While we await His return, we live in a world that is far less than perfect, and it is in this world, full of lawlessness, that we are told to make use of our talents for the Lord. Even a person with a very worldly outlook, like this man full of fearful expectation, could have done something for the Lord with what he was given. To my mind, the lord’s words echoing that of the servant are like a refutation – that even with his perspective, even though he expected the lord to be such a man, there still is no excuse for him. It's also of note that he was considered the one with the least ability; he was only given one talent.

“Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” In Matthew chapter 13, we read: “For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have; even what he has will be taken away from him.” In this verse, Jesus was speaking of his very use of parables: that those with ears to hear would hear and understand, and those without this zeal for the spiritual reality of God would not. So, Matthew himself ties in these two statements, and we come to understand that grace works not just through what we commonly consider talent, but through the gift of faith itself, and the wisdom and discernment that grows from that faith.

My study bible points out the full accountability that’s on display here in the parable. “The wicked and lazy servant,” it says, “could not evade responsibility for ignoring his talent. We are stewards of every gift, using each for our own and our neighbor’s salvation. Idleness is a renunciation of God’s grace, as well as a lack of love for God and humanity. Since people are managers, or stewards, of God’s gifts, each of us will give account of how we used the abundance.” I think once again the parable in a certain sense, as in yesterday’s reading, teaches us about a state of prayer. Prayer is dialogue and relationship. We act “in the name of the Lord” and in His spirit, through the grace of the Spirit. This is, in the truest sense, what it is to be in a state of prayer. We note again the failure of relationship between the lazy steward and the lord in the parable. Oftentimes I think it’s a wrong focus that leads us to ignore the things we’re given by God, whatever talents those may be, in order to focus on a worldly perspective that sells ourselves, and our loving relationship with God who is our Creator, short. Sometimes it takes a great many “wake up calls” to focus in on what is truly God-given, the things God calls us to do with our lives and the talents with which we’re graced. So when we think of our gifts, it has to be inseparable from a life of prayer, and entering into the joy of our Lord. Therein we take our cue for how to live our lives, what to do with whatever it is we’re given, who we are inside – and we make the kinds of profits that lead us to that joy.

Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom

"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 the readings from last week, Jesus predicted the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem and also the siege of Jerusalem, warning His disciples that they must flee when the time comes, and that they were not to believe deceiving reports of His return. His disciples had asked Him, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" He differentiated the two events by teaching that "as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." On Saturday, Jesus taught the parable of the fig tree: that when it puts out leaves we know the summer is near -- so they should think when they see the things He's taught. He said, "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." He taught that of that day and hour of His Second Coming no one knows, only the Father in heaven. Therefore their emphasis is on preparation, and awareness: "Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." He taught a parable of a servant awaiting the return of the master. He must be a good, conscientious servant and ruler over the household in the meantime. If, however, the 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."

"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." We go back here to the parable of the wedding feast, which Jesus has already told to His disciples. My study bible adds, "The Old Testament prophets portray the covenant between God and Israel as a marriage covenant. The marriage will finally be consummated when the Bridegroom returns at the end of the age and the righteous form a wedding party to go forth to meet Him." "The Bridegroom," it says, "represents Christ in His Passion, who dies out of love for His Church (Eph. 5:25-27)."

"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." We have the contrast here between those who are prepared for this eventuality, and those who are not. According to my study bible, sleeping is part of the preparation, and wisdom: It "suggests that once prepared, a person rests as needed." We put the emphasis here on preparation, in the sight of the parable just preceding and the words Jesus has given us about being in a constant state of becoming prepared for His return (see Saturday's reading).

"And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' " Again, we turn to Jesus' words emphasizing preparation, and especially advising us that His return will happen at an hour that we do not expect.

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.'" My study bible points out that "their refusal to give oil to the foolish ones is not lack of love. It portrays the fact that spiritual preparedness cannot be conveniently given or borrowed." I think it clearly illustrates the kind of preparedness that Jesus is talking about. How do we use the grace available to us? The Greek word for "oil" here is for olive oil (traditionally used for lamps). But in sound it is practically identical to the word for "mercy." We remember that oil was for anointing (as in the Greek word "Christ" or Hebrew "Messiah" which means "anointed one"), and it was also for healing, the basis for every balm. So in this sense the word for oil came also to symbolize the Holy Spirit's work indwelling in us and in the world. Hence, its association with grace.

"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." The story is one of preparedness for the hour which we do not expect, the time we can't foresee from our own perspective, when we don't think He's coming. It's similar to the man at the wedding feast who is there without having put on the wedding garment provided by the host. We each are responsible for our own garment here, our own lamp, our own oil.

While the parable seems to indicate a standard way of thinking about preparation, the mysterious lack of sharing on the part of the virtuous or prudent here shows us that we are in mystical territory, a place where the usual rules governing material scarcity don't really apply. How do you share virtue? How do you give someone else the mercy they haven't cultivated in their own lives? Here, the virgins are those who in some sense are prepared to meet the Bridegroom, but in another sense, have been foolish. Where is the oil for their lamps? What about the well of mercy within us, that which we may need to be ready in any case? In this case, a level of preparation as in the state of being becoming prepared (see again yesterday's reading) -- a constant evolution -- is what it is to participate in the life of the Church, to continually be aware of the impending return of the Bridegroom at an hour we have been promised that we do not expect. To light a lamp is to help to show the way, to help to reveal wisdom -- a quality the prudent are already displaying. So Christ wants more of us than simply be ready in a kind of static sense, that in our minds we know He'll return. Our preparedness is a kind of ongoing reality, we must be awake to all circumstances, to what we need to do right now, in the here and now, what new things come up before us. I have heard prayer compared to a "well of grace" -- keeping ourselves in that place keeps the well of the lamp full, prepared and ready for anything that comes our way in a spiritual sense. That is especially any type of contemplative prayer, or that which keeps us in a prayerful state. So how do you increase that well of mercy and grace within yourself, and keep it going for the Bridegroom's return? Our faith should lead us to wisdom in the purest sense. We are expected to use our minds, our spirit, and the grace given to us to be His thoughtful sheep. The oil of mercy is that which we use for others in acts of charity and love of any kind; but we must be sure to take care that our wells are filled and ready. We rest in Him and in prayer with the love He gives us to share.

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

"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 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 was preparing His disciples for what is to come after His death and Resurrection in Jerusalem. On Thursday, we read of His disciples asking Him a question: "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" This was after He predicted the destruction of the temple. He warned them of the destruction to come in Jerusalem. In yesterday's reading, we read: "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." This refers to the Roman defiling and destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. His warnings are dire: don't return home, woe to the ones who are pregnant and who are nursing babies, pray that it 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." Moreover, He instructs them not to be fooled: "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 all 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.

"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." We remember that Jesus has taught us about the times of the end in overlapping stages, starting with the destruction of the temple in the siege of Jerusalem, and the tribulation to come to the early Church and the believers, and also taught what His Second Coming would actually be like. Here He gives a warning that in some sense can be applied to all stages, but there's also a specific reference to the Second Coming - especially as we read the warnings in the verses to follow. And I think we read it appropriately in that sense of overlapping warnings for that generation and for future generations of the Church. The wars around and in Jerusalem would happen within that generation's lifespan. But my study bible adds: "This generation probably refers to the new race of Christians. The end is always near, just ahead of us."

"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." Here we are given several verses in a great deal of detailed images in order to pass on a warning. It is a warning that we must be prepared for this time to come. If we think about it, the end of the age will hit all those who have come since the Incarnation, and these words are not just a warning to those who live on earth now, to be prepared, but in effect they are the whole of the way that we are to live our lives in His faith. We are to be prepared as if this Day will come tomorrow, today, this afternoon. We must keep our awareness of it alive in ourselves. His first words are to tell us that even He doesn't know when this will happen, therefore giving us an exact time frame is out of the question, and beside the point! My study bible says, "The unexpected suddenness of Christ's coming will catch people unaware and engaged in earthly pursuits, just as in the days of Noah." We mustn't be like those invited to the wedding feast, who make light of this banquet, who go off to our own businesses or plans instead, who treat its messengers with spite and harm and harassment, or who fail to be properly dressed and ready for that banquet when it comes. One thing we are promised: it is coming at an hour we don't expect! It won't happen at the time it seems to us it will. Our watchword from Him is to be ready. In the Greek, this is in the plural. It applies to all of us. In an even more accurate sense, we could translate it as to "be becoming ready," to be preparing ourselves as a constant state of becoming, and implies growth and the passing of time in doing so.

"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 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." Jesus begins this section after His warning of the end of the age with a parable. My study bible says that Jesus' purpose here is not to make His disciples experts in prophecy, but rather, that they may "watch and be ready, continually engaged in virtuous action, obeying His commandments-- remembering that we cannot know the time of His coming. These warnings are illustrated by the parable of the household and the thief . . . [urging us] to watchfulness, faithful responsibility, preparedness, and use of our spiritual gifts." Here is a warning against lawlessness as we grow lazy in our work of preparation: abuse of one another, violence and greed, living in a way that defiles our lives rather than honors them as God-given. The main point here in this parable is that we don't know when the master will return, and we know that it's specifically directed to those who would be His disciples, His servants. We already know who the hypocrites are (see here, here and here) -- we shouldn't like to be numbered among them.

So, as we read today's passage, two things stand out very clearly, and they are inseparable from one another: In this time in which we now live, we must remember that (1) He's returning at a time when we don't expect it, and (2) that our work in this world as His servants is to be in a constant state of preparation for this to happen. We are to "be becoming prepared." That is, in these words there is an implication that this is a constant state of evolution, of growth. It is a state of becoming . . . we can't be too prepared. It is this work of preparation for that Day in which we must be constantly engaged. There is always work to be done, always something to keep in mind, to think about. We don't rest in what we did yesterday: today is here before us and there is always something to be done, there is always growth to be had. We must think of Him, and be ready for His return. So let's take a look at how we live, how our lives are led. What do we do today? Do we grow lazy and greedy, are we cultivating a little abuse here and there, a misuse of power in His absence? Let's remember the day will come whether we are alive on this earth or not; for all of us, at a time we don't expect. What does preparation mean to you, now, today? This minute?

For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be

"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 all beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is there the eagles will be gathered together.

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."

- Matthew 24:15-31

In yesterday's reading, Jesus disciples asked Him a question. As they left the temple in Jerusalem, Jesus said, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Later, as He sat on the Mount of Olives, His disciples came and asked Him: "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" Jesus first began by warning against those who would deceive by claiming they are the Christ. Speaking of what is to come in Jerusalem, He said, "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." They will face tribulation, great difficulty, delivered up to persecution and "hated by all nations for My name's sake." There will be betrayal among those who claim to believe, even hatred, and false prophets. "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."

"Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains." My study bible explains the abomination of desolation: "Daniel's prophecy of the abomination of desolation was fulfilled in A.D. 70, when the Roman General Titus, before ordering the temple burned, entered the Most Holy Place, thus defiling the temple. Jesus quotes this prophecy so that the disciples might know these things will happen while most of them are still alive. Whoever reads, let him understand are code words from the author to early Christians about the known meaning of what is written." Jesus here gives a vivid testimony about what is to come in Jerusalem, to His followers there. I think we cannot separate the destruction of the Temple, Daniel's prophecy, and the initiation of the age of the end in Christ's cosmic salvation plan in which we now dwell. They are all tied together.

"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 all 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. " Here are vivid statements, both about specifically what is to come upon this generation of believers in Jerusalem (and, indeed, all of Israel and Jerusalem), and what the true end of days will be like. He is first warning them directly and very vividly about escaping from Jerusalem when they see signs of this great affliction coming; there is no doubt that they must simply flee. But tied here are glimpses of the true end of the age, and His return, so that they understand the difference and are not fooled! "See, I have told you all beforehand!" They mustn't let deceivers shake them out of their need to escape what is to come in Jerusalem, and to them in all nations, and persevere in faith, to endure -- the true end of the time is not near. Here is our glimpse of the true end of the age when it comes: "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." My study bible says there will be no mistaking this event, no doubt. Everyone will know it. It says, "In the Orthodox Church we pray in the direction of the rising sun, because the East symbolizes Christ Himself who is the East of easts, Light of light. The great day fo the Lord will be illuminated by the true Light, the 'rising'. The very creation will be transfigured -- not destroyed but superseded -- by the light of His presence at the end of the age."

"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." Here we are given the vision, a description of Jesus' return, which we await. Again, there is a note in my study bible that is worth quoting: "After He speaks about Jerusalem, He moves on to His own Second Coming, not for their sakes only, but for all of us who come after them. The sign of the Son of Man in His Second Coming is thought by many to be His glorious Cross, the memorial of His Passion. His power and great glory will be brighter than the sun, which will be darkened. The Lord Jesus will come from heaven in the same way the Apostles saw Him ascend to heaven (Acts 1:11)." We note that Jesus gives them not the full story, nor any sort of time scale of when this event will happen. It is, instead, a part of a warning not to be fooled by those who will come claiming He has returned -- because when it happens, everyone will know it.

At the beginning of the verses of Jesus' discourse on the destruction of the temple and His Second Coming, a note tells us from my study bible: "Jesus' emphasis is on being prepared through watchfulness and stewardship rather than on constructing exacting chronologies." I want to focus on the fact that this warning is specifically given so that they are not deceived by anyone claiming that this is, in fact, happening when it is not. First of all, it gives us and them a clear focus on the hardships in the world and specifically those directed at the Church, and at believers. Tribulation is not something to minimize; neither is hatred and betrayal, nor the scourge of obstacles thrown in the way of faith. Neither is war, famine, pestilence and all the evils of the world that are named in this warning, which the early Church endured, and survived. Endurance becomes the byword here, and watchfulness -- not to be fooled. We don't take a pristine or rosy-eyed look at the world here, but one in full clarity of vision of catastrophe, of what it is to fall victim to the world's worst disasters and evil, and also betrayal. Jesus teaches us that His faith is worth enduring all of these things; in fact, it is this that He commands, expects, and puts His own faith in to give birth to His Church. When He tells us, "All these are but the beginning of sorrows" (in yesterday's reading), the word translated as "sorrows" means birth pangs, the pain or travail of childbirth. He doesn't sugar-coat it for them; this is going to be far more than just difficult. His death and Resurrection will be an initiation, but it will be a birth that will require travail, they will go through much tribulation. When He returns, all will know it: do not be deceived. And so we have the situation now in which we await, and yet we have behind us all of this history. All of these things came to pass, as He said they would. The Church had its great birth-pains, its martyrdom, its trial by fire, so to speak. But we can't forget we still live in this age in which we await His return, and the fullness of the time. So we also, perhaps collectively and perhaps individually, may come to know something of this travail or sorrows, these pains of childbirth. In this pain may still be born our own faith, our willingness to endure and to carry His cross, the light burden that He places upon us. It is through this time that we must walk and carry the cross given to us. That is our faith. We shouldn't minimize it, as He didn't do so either for His immediate followers. These words as witness are still going out to all the world, and they are still here for all of us. We live in a broken world that will test our faith, and yet in that brokenness we may also find it, and the one thing that makes us truly whole when all else fails us. So is the birth of the Church continuing, and the fullness of the time awaiting us with our own endurance, patience, faith and growth. We may each go through our own tribulation; but endurance produces tremendous fruits.

Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down."

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."

- Matthew 24:1-14

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His grand critique of the Pharisees and scribes. He began this critique in Monday's reading, telling His disciples not to be like the Pharisees. On Tuesday, we read of His calling them hypocrites -- who love good works for the show to other men, and are far away from the love of God. He also called them blind, saying, "Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also." Yesterday, we read His most scathing criticism, as He worked His way into their practice which in effect kept others from God. He said they are "like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." He chastised them for saying that if they had lived in the days of their fathers, they would not have partaken in the blood of the prophets. But He said they testify that they are sons of their fathers, that He would send them prophets, wise men and scribes whom they would kill and crucify, and some they would scourge in their synagogues and persecute from city to city . .. "that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down." In A.D. 70 would come the destruction of the temple. My study bible says that this event "sets the tone for Jesus' discourse on the end of the age." Indeed, the stones of the temple would be leveled so because it was rumored there was gold between them. We must remember what a marvelous collection of buildings this was, as it had been expanded as one of the tremendous building projects of Herod the Great. Its stones were enormous. So, the impact of this statement on anyone familiar with the temple would have been stupendous, impossible to imagine.

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" My study bible notes, "The question about the signs and the persecutions is connected in Matthew with the sign of His coming and the end of the age. The disciples dream of the hoped-for earthly kingdom, which they expect to appear almost immediately."

And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." As Jesus begins the discourse on the end of the age, here in Matthew it begins with the beginning of sorrows. My study bible says, "In this chapter the end is described as a process with three overlapping stages" (my emphasis). I think it's important that we understand that from the New Testament we can't really get a sense of exact chronology, and this is for a very important reason, which Jesus will give. His emphasis is on watchfulness and preparation, what they will do in the meantime -- in the time in which we live now, as we await His return. These words in these particular verses fittingly apply to what awaits them in Jerusalem in the immediate future, as wars of empire would become greater and greater, along with their effects, in this time frame, and particularly focused in the Siege of Jerusalem. My study bible makes note of His warning to them not to be deceived, nor overpowered by the violence of afflictions which will come.

"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." Jesus speaks of the tribulation that will befall that generation of His followers. He also warns about the betrayal by false brethren; as my study bible puts it, not to "stumble" because of them. The important thing is to be pre-warned, and to endure. Another note applies well here: "All these calamities and tribulations will not prevent the progress of the gospel; the Good News will be preached everywhere." Here is a reference to our Gospel itself: it is a witness of all these things, it is still preached, we still await the fullness of time in expectation, we endure. In so doing, we build our own witness.

My study bible points out that in this chapter in Matthew's gospel Jesus describes the end of the age "as a process with three overlapping stages: (1) the beginning of sorrows, (2) the Great Tribulation, and (3) the coming of the Son of Man." Today's reading covered the verses in what is called "the beginning of sorrows." We await the following verses in tomorrow's reading. But I cannot help but think of the stunning impact this must make on His disciples, as they sit on the Mount of Olives, looking out over Jerusalem. It seems to me to be all too much to take in. They cannot possibly make head or tail of this news. It's too stupendous -- not only because of their hopefulness there in Jerusalem despite His warnings about what is to come to Him personally, but also the destruction of the temple to come. It is an overwhelmingly extreme scenario, although we can look back in certainty and understand that indeed all was to be as He said in their immediate futures. Out of the fierce persecution of the Church, the "scourging in the synagogues and persecution from city to city" would come an apostle with the tremendous effect as one by whom "the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations" -- and that is St. Paul. Although the warnings in today's reading do indeed apply immediately to the apostles He addresses, we can of course take these lessons to heart as the founding lessons of we who follow in the Church. We endure, we watch in preparedness, we seek to be wise to those who would deceive and also not to be deceived by the appearances of violence and oppression, opposition and hardship. It sets the tone for the entire period in which we live in faith as we await in hope of the fullness of that Kingdom, and we catch glimpses of its glory in ourselves and our lives, in faith and in community, in the beauty of the world filled with the Spirit. We hope. We taste His glory in the times our minds our illumined and our hearts are filled with a love that makes us whole, even when at times our lives may feel broken. We taste and see that kingdom in ways that give us a glimpse of its fullness which we continue to await. In the experience of His light and His love, we take our refuge and we have our life. We endure, we stand our ground in His faith, with Him.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!'"

- Matthew 23:27-39

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued His grand critique of the Pharisees, and the ways in which they practice. Calling the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, He claimed they shut up the kingdom of heaven to others, while refusing to go in themselves. He said they devour widows' houses, while they make long prayers for a pretense before others. "Therefore," He said, "you will receive greater condemnation." He told them, "You travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much of a son of hell as yourselves." He called them "blind guides" who taught others to swear by the gold of the temple, but not by the altar - and therefore with heaven the One who sits on the throne of heaven and sanctifies all gifts. He told them, "You pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!" Finally, we read, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also."

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." Jesus continues His listing of all the reasons He condemns those who will keep others away from God, while they themselves fail in their duties of worship while hypocritically practicing that which allows them to make a show before others. This is His most scathing critique, but one that we follow with an interest in the analogy and His words of life that He will give to His followers. Here, hypocrisy in religious leadership is linked to that which kills; faith for a show before others, without the heart in depth of relatedness to the God who transforms and cleanses, is that which kills life, not adds to its true abundance in faith. Lawlessness we are to read as unrighteousness, a failure to truly follow the Law of God.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt." Jesus is not adding guilt where it doesn't belong, to those who did not commit a crime, but is teaching what it is to follow in the footsteps knowingly of those who have. It is linked to the criticism in yesterday's reading, that they make proselytes who are worse than they are, "twice as much of a son of hell as you are." To continue walking in a way one knows is harmful is to take on a kind of guilt that didn't start with you, but neither does it end with you. A profound choice before all those with responsibility: how do we receive grace (or not)? What do we do with a wake up call?

"Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation." We continue in the vein of the salvation history of Israel. What will they continue? Time and again prophets have been sent, throughout their religious history! These are things in which the Pharisees and scribes are experts. Time and again, Christ Himself will send prophets, some of them among the listeners in the Temple. Again, we have a sense of the continuation of a pattern, a refusal to listen and to hear, to change, to take a God-given (and therefore loving) rebuke to heart. In this is guilt taken on; without reconsideration or repentance, the pattern continues and builds and magnifies. It speaks to the choice before each one of us, and especially the magnitude of the choice within those in leadership. It remains a timeless warning for all of us.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!'" In the Lord's cry here I hear a kind of desolation on His part, the kind of cry from One who loves and who is refused time and again. It is a warning that the time is here, it is both the fullness of time and the initiation of a new time: the rebuke of the Son incarnate is completeness and initiation. It is the last hope of the Father to send the One who will make all the difference, as in the parable He has told them earlier. It is both in the fullness of time that one will say, "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!" -- that is, the final Day of recognition and the wedding feast -- and it is also in repentance and true recognition of the Son, which may happen any time.

The fullness of time, and the new time initiated here means that the rebuke to the Son is a rebuke to the fullness of grace. They know better; in fact it is they who are the experts in Israel's spiritual history. "Your house is left to you desolate" is the cry of One for whom Judgment must and will come, who can not simply change to say that all things are acceptable. Love has a purpose and a meaning; it is not to accept that which harms forever, which keeps the good from its children, which perverts justice, and denies the love of a loving God. In the spurning of grace, the chance to repent and to change, to participate in loving relationship, we add to what has come before us. There are degrees to which we know and do not know. There are times when a wake up call will come again, albeit recovery may take a little more effort, a little more time, once we head further down that path away from love. But in our awareness of what truly is, we have the free will to reject absolutely the love of God, His call for grace, for turning back, His embrace, when we are too lost in our own self-image of power and position, too far away in our hearts to hear and respond. Love calls us, and continues to send its prophets, wise men and scribes. We are all in this worldly Jerusalem; can we hear the call of our Bridegroom?