Sunday 28 November 2010

Background

Children playing hid and seek - the seeker counts loudly so thatthe hiders can hear. Then they cry out, "Coming - ready or not!"This couldn't be more different to Jesus' words about his secondcoming. We will only know that he is coming, when he has arrived.There will be no warnings!

This passage is part of Jesus' apocalyptic discourse which takesplace in the last few days before his crucifixion. Fittingly itcomes at the being of Advent -the season in the Church's year whenit prepares itself both to celebrate the coming of Jesus being bornin an Bethlehem stable, and to await the second coming ofJesus. 

In these verses Jesus makes it clear that no one will know when hewill return - not even the Son of God himself. Speculation aboutwhen it will be is therefore pointless and could even be said to beblasphemous. It is not up to us to second guess God. 

But it will be sudden - that much is clear. Jesus backs this upwith a number of examples - people in the field, women grindingcorn. In the face of this we can only prepare ourselves for thattime and be watchful, unlike the contemporaries of Noah who weretaken unawares by the flood, and the houseowner surprised by thethief. 

To Ponder

Imagine yourself to be one of the people in thefield or one of the women grinding corn. As you discover that Jesushas returned, what might you want to say to the other person? Thismight be the thing that prevents you from being separated fromthem.

If you knew that Jesus was coming back next weekor even tomorrow - is there anything you would want to do or say?What is stopping you from doing it now?

Does the whole idea of the second coming exciteor frighten you? Why?