Thoughts for the Day

Jesus said, '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.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

''Keeping awake" has a different connotation for me at the present. The electrician is halfway through doing various jobs, but has put a fire alarm on the landing outside my bedroom, which for some reason decides it will go off periodically when there is no fire or smoke. It's new and doesn't need another battery. So I am spending time each day on high alert - and then it doesn't go off! However, it's better to listen out for the alarm than be trapped on the second floor with only small windows to do an exit!

Jesus gives us this little parable of the man who goes away leaving his slaves in charge, and each one charged to be ready for his return. The meaning is one we know - our world will end one day and Jesus will return so we need to be ready at all times. It's no good just passively waiting, believing it won't happen until the future. Being awake means being ready for action now. We have seen this thought in the parable of the bridesmaids (Matthew 25.1-13). Being awake also means being awake to what is happening around us; it calls us to be awake to injustice in all its forms; and to be a part of building a better world.

Waiting for Jesus isn't a passive action but a call to an active response now. After all if you were going away tomorrow you wouldn't leave the packing until the second you had to leave, would you? And the alarm? Well it didn't go off last night, and the electrician is due back! Oh yes, and I'm still alert for the alarm!

Heavenly Father,
keep us spiritually alert
for the coming of Your Son,
and awake to the future.
Help us to be aware of our world:
of ways in which we can make a difference;
and ever conscious of our need
for forgiveness.
Amen.