Have you ever been caught off guard? Have you had something happen to you when you least expected it? I would imagine most of us, have experienced that at least a time or two in our lives. It leaves you feeling unsettled: concerned that something happened that you were unprepared for. While this can happen in our earthly life, it should never happen when it comes to our eternal life. Christ has told us that he will return again. He has warned us to be prepared for his return, to be watchful. As we start our new liturgical year with this season of Advent let us take a moment and assess if Christ returned today would we be caught off guard?
The Necessity for Watchfulness
As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24 : 37-44
Scriptural Analysis
Jesus has shifted his preaching from prophesying future events to discussing our preparedness for these prophesied events. In the verse prior to the Gospel above, Jesus asserts that the day of his arrival is a mystery known only to the Father. To illustrate this point, he uses the story of Noah. In this story, we have a contrast between the days leading up to judgment and the day of its coming. Noah’s generation did not know that the Lord was about to enact his judgment upon the world through the flood. Therefore, they went about their usual business of eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. When the rains finally hit, it was too late for them.
However, Noah and his family were saved from this watery death. Noah readied himself for what was coming: not by staring at the sky but by listening to God and making the necessary preparations for the ark’s construction and stocking. Noah was concerned about these future events.
Jesus, The Son of Man, will likewise come suddenly and unexpectedly so the disciples must prepare. However, unlike the case of Noah where there was limited knowledge of what was to come, Jesus, through his disciples and his Church, has warned all of us that he will come again to enact judgment and we must too be prepared for this: not allow ourselves to get caught off-guard.
To illustrate his point, Jesus gives us two images, two scenes. In the first, there are two men out working in the field, and in the second two women working in a stone mill. In each of these scenes Jesus describes one of the workers being taken away suddenly while the other worker remains. As an aside, there is a common misinterpretation of these scenes. Some argue that those who are taken are the saints being raptured into heaven while the rest of humanity is left to endure the tribulation. However, this is not accurate.
What is far more likely correct, is that Jesus is speaking using the language of the prophets, “Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the gatherings of young men, also; both husband and wife shall be taken, the old folk and the very aged.” (Jeremiah 6:11) Jeremiah is predicting the destruction that will befall Israel and how some will be taken away from their homeland. In Jesus’s imagery, those who are taken are those who are captured or killed in judgment, were as those that are left makeup the surviving remnant that is spared, “the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah.” (Jeremiah 40:11)
When it finally arrives, the hour when the Lord comes will catch many by surprise. His arrival will be like a thief in the night. The danger that Jesus foresees is that the disciples will be lulled to sleep. That is to say, they will become complacent in their attitude. Preparing for the Lord’s return requires spiritual alertness and vigilance. There are no days off.
Daily Application
The start of a new liturgical year picks off where the last year finished, a discussion of the end times. Specifically, Jesus is addressing his second coming. The season of Advent is all about anticipation. We anticipate celebrating Jesus’s coming into the world some 2000 years ago on Christmas. Additionally, we anticipate the second coming of Christ at the end of time: a focus of Advent we often forget. We focus completely on celebrating the historical coming and forget to celebrate the anticipation of his second coming.
This reading implores us to focus on the second coming of Christ. To do that, we need to stay ready, and stay vigilant so that we don’t get caught off guard. Note in the story the people were working in the field or working at the mill. This shows that we don’t know when the Lord will come. We very much may be engaged in our normal daily activities. What we do know is what the Lord has commanded us, to be ready.
What does that mean? It means we cannot walk through life oblivious to the fact that there is something much bigger going on than our day-to-day activities. There is a spiritual battle, a spiritual reality that is far greater than this. We need to be aware of where we are spiritually. Specifically, are we in a state of grace, or do we have unrepentant mortal sin that we need to confess? If so, get to confession. Do it now, don’t wait. Also, make sure you are taking advantage of the sacraments on a regular basis. Get to Mass as often as possible: ideally daily. Keep yourself spiritually fit.
Jesus tells us to be courageous. He has warned us that we will be persecuted: that being a Christian is hard. Yet he also tells us that if we remain in him then no earthly power will ever be able to separate us from the reward that awaits us in heaven.
As the season of Advent commences, take stock of where you are spiritually. Think about the second coming: the fact that one day all of this will end and you will stand before the Lord in judgment. then look for the concrete things you can do on a daily basis to remain spiritually fit. Don’t get complacent and allow yourself to be caught off guard.
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