Mark 13:33-37
Jesus told his disciples: “Since you
don’t know when it will happen, stay alert. Be on the watch for my return. My
coming can be compared with that of a man who went on a trip to another
country. He laid out his employees’ work for them to do while he was gone and
told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. Keep a sharp lookout! For you do
not know when I will come, at evening, at midnight, early dawn or late
daybreak. Don’t let me find you sleeping. Watch for my return! What I say to
you, I say to everyone.”
Food for thought!
One day Jesus was reprimanding some Pharisees for their double standards. When he finished one of the other listeners, an expert in religious law who was standing there said, “Sir, you have insulted my profession, too, in what you just said.” Today, Jesus explains what happens when he talks. Today's gospel reading ends with these words:
What I say to you, I say to everyone.
According to these words, when Jesus speaks to you, he speaks to me. When he speaks to me, he speaks to you; when he speaks to women, he speaks to men; when he speaks to men he speaks to women; when he speaks to sinners he speaks to me and you; when he speaks to the people of yesterday and of long ago, he speaks to me and to you and to us all, living today.
In other words, when we read the Bible or the words of Jesus we must read them, not as history, not as what was said long ago; we must read them as words addressed to us; as Word of God addressed to you and me, here and now. So, let us rephrase today's gospel reading to include us:
And since I don’t know when it will happen, I shall stay alert. I will be on the watch for Christ's return [...] I shall keep a sharp lookout! For I do not know when Christ will come, at evening, at midnight, early dawn or late daybreak. I won’t let Christ find me sleeping. I will watch for his return!
Food for thought!
One day Jesus was reprimanding some Pharisees for their double standards. When he finished one of the other listeners, an expert in religious law who was standing there said, “Sir, you have insulted my profession, too, in what you just said.” Today, Jesus explains what happens when he talks. Today's gospel reading ends with these words:
What I say to you, I say to everyone.
According to these words, when Jesus speaks to you, he speaks to me. When he speaks to me, he speaks to you; when he speaks to women, he speaks to men; when he speaks to men he speaks to women; when he speaks to sinners he speaks to me and you; when he speaks to the people of yesterday and of long ago, he speaks to me and to you and to us all, living today.
In other words, when we read the Bible or the words of Jesus we must read them, not as history, not as what was said long ago; we must read them as words addressed to us; as Word of God addressed to you and me, here and now. So, let us rephrase today's gospel reading to include us:
And since I don’t know when it will happen, I shall stay alert. I will be on the watch for Christ's return [...] I shall keep a sharp lookout! For I do not know when Christ will come, at evening, at midnight, early dawn or late daybreak. I won’t let Christ find me sleeping. I will watch for his return!
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