Advent Sunday
“Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come”
Summary
Today we begin Advent, the season of preparation. These days we use the weeks of Advent to prepare for Christmas, the coming of Christ. The original focus of this time, however, was preparation for the Second Coming of Christ when God’s purposes for the whole of creation would be fulfilled. Hence the apocalyptic nature of our Advent readings. In our gospel today, Mark 13:24-37, Jesus is responding to his disciples who are asking when this Second Coming will take place; he tells them that they cannot know so they must always be prepared.
I don’t like the term Second Coming because Christ is coming among us continually and this, perhaps, is the point that Jesus is making: just as we can see the signs of summer approaching when we see the leaves unfolding on the trees, so we see signs of the kingdom breaking in around us. The call to be awake is not a call to be ready for the End Times but to ready to welcome Christ when he appears in our midst as the stranger, the hungry, the lonely and the suffering and to support the work of those who strive to bring God’s promise of fulfilment in our time.
GOSPEL
Mark 13.24-37
But in those days, after that suffering,
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’
