I’ve never been one for waiting. Of course if there’s good news coming, I want it right away!! And even if there’s something less-than-ideal on the horizon, I’d rather know and deal with it head-on than wait in that sense of horrible anticipation.
Once again in our Extended Advent, our scripture is about end-times. It is interesting that our lectionary authors included such thematically-connected texts in these weeks before celebrating angels and shepherds and new life. Even so, these eschatological texts touch me on a visceral level. I connect with these themes of endings so intimately and personally.
As we have noted, when Paul wrote his letters to the Thessalonians and Ephesians (see scriptures from the last 3 weeks) and when the Gospel of Mark was written, there must surely have been a sense of dread as upheaval and even violence were familiar occurrences. The end of all that was known must have felt immanent. The people must have been waiting for the straw to break the camel’s back; they must have been waiting for the other shoe to drop; they must have been watching and waiting.
Mark 13:24-37
24 “In those days, after the suffering of that time, the sun will become dark, and the moon won’t give its light. 25 The stars will fall from the sky, and the planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Human One coming in the clouds with great power and splendor.27 Then he will send the angels and gather together his chosen people from the four corners of the earth, from the end of the earth to the end of heaven.
28 “Learn this parable from the fig tree. After its branch becomes tender and it sprouts new leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 In the same way, when you see these things happening, you know that he’s near, at the door. 30 I assure you that this generation won’t pass away until all these things happen. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will certainly not pass away.
32 “But nobody knows when that day or hour will come, not the angels in heaven and not the Son. Only the Father knows. 33 Watch out! Stay alert! You don’t know when the time is coming. 34 It is as if someone took a trip, left the household behind, and put the servants in charge, giving each one a job to do, and told the doorkeeper to stay alert. 35 Therefore, stay alert! You don’t know when the head of the household will come,whether in the evening or at midnight, or when the rooster crows in the early morning or at daybreak. 36 Don’t let him show up when you weren’t expecting and find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to all: Stay alert!”
Consider these questions:
- Do you find these eschatological scriptures (those that describe or explore visions of end-times) helpful? Do you find them harmful? Do you find them relevant to you? Why or why not?
- Knowing that the intended audiences of these texts expected Jesus to return in their lifetime, what relevance do you find in these texts today? What can be learned even knowing that the original expectation wasn’t met?
- Where do you read or see or experience God as you read these scriptures? Where do you find God when fear of the very next day is so prevalent?