“Jesus said to his disciples: Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.” – Mark 13:33
This weekend we celebrate the first Sunday of Advent and the beginning of new liturgical year. It’s also Thanksgiving weekend. Generally, when we think of Advent, our thoughts turn to preparing for the birth of our Savior at Christmas. The anticipation and birth of a child brings emotions of hope and joy. And yet, the reading from Mark’s Gospel this weekend seems a bit more ominous.
Advent is indeed a time of preparation. We prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ in history, and we prepare for His second coming in glory at the end of time. It is the latter that Our Lord is speaking of when He says, “Watch, therefore; you do not know when the Lord of the house is coming. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” In fact, the word “watch” is used four times in this short Gospel reading.
Jesus mentions the times of the day when we are typically most tired or sleepy: evenings, mornings, midnight or at dawn. These are times when it is most difficult to stay awake and vigilant. Jesus was not using these times in the literal sense, but rather figuratively. The reality is that many people go through life on cruise control. We can fall into habits and lose track of the meaning and significance of why we do certain things – like going to Mass each weekend. Some miss a Sunday at church, then another, and then it becomes a pattern.
We know that Our Lord will return in glory to judge the living and the dead. Our time on earth is but a moment in time, and we don’t know how much time we may have. Therefore, we should be prepared.
Live each day as if it could be your last day. Don’t put off until tomorrow what we should do today. Tell your family and friends that you love them and forgive those who need to be forgiven. Seek God’s forgiveness in your own life. Be the person that God has created you to be. Prepare. If you do so, there’s no need to worry about the Master’s return.