Today’s gospel might appear somewhat intimidating to us. We are exhorted to “take heed, watch and pray” lest the Lord come suddenly and find us asleep (Mark 13:33, 36). This warning from Jesus might even give the impression that the Master will try to catch us by surprise, at the moment we are least prepared, and might lead to a sense of dread at the idea of the Second Coming. But, as the other readings show us, we are not called to the attitude of servants afraid of punishment.
The first reading, from Isaiah, begins and ends by invoking God as “our Father” (Isa. 63:16b, 64:8), begging Him to “rend the heavens and come down” (64:1). The psalm pleads for God to “Stir up your might, and come to save us!” (Ps. 80:2). The third reading speaks of waiting for the “revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ; who will sustain you to the end” (1 Cor. 1:7-8) and reminds us that we were “called into the fellowship of his Son” (1:9).
What do we see in these passages? There are a couple things that stand out. The first is that God is our Father, who has called us beyond servanthood into Sonship; into a relationship of love, rather than servile fear. The second, which in many ways follows from the first, is that the authors of these passages express an eagerness for God’s coming—in fact, they beg the Lord to show forth His might. They confidently trust that God’s presence is something to be desired, or better, something they need.
If we love God, if we see Him as our Father and Jesus as our friend, then there is nothing we should desire more than His full and glorious presence among us. As the pandemic has taught us, nothing less than the full presence of a loved one is enough—it is not quite the same to just see their image on a screen or hear their voice. How much more, then, should we desire to see Jesus, who loved us to the point of death, coming in His glory?
Today’s gospel should not be seen as an exhortation to fearful wariness, keeping watch to avoid getting caught doing something wrong. A servant who knows that their master is kind and benevolent does not fear him, but instead desires to please him and welcome him. How much less, then, should we fear the return of the one who has made us sons and daughters of God? If children know that their father is returning home after a long absence, do they not desire to stay awake and keep watch for his return? As we enter into the season of Advent, let us strive to enter more deeply into the joyful anticipation of the coming of Our Lord.
Andrew Sheedy – St. Joseph Seminary, Edmonton, Alberta
Fot. Joz Barendregt/Unsplash.com