Lk 21:25-28, 34-36
Jesus said to his disciples: 25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
34 “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, 35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Be Alert at all Times
“Be on guard … Be alert at all times” is Jesus’ warning to his disciples. Jesus reminds anyone who wants to follow him that there will be confusion and foreboding because of what is coming upon the world. Jesus warns of distress and a shaking of the powers. He speaks of a day that can, “catch you unexpectedly, like a trap.”
Jesus’ warning isn’t just for his disciples though, it applies to “all who live on the face of the earth.” The day is known in the Bible as, “The Day of the Lord.” There are many references to what will take place on the last day, the day when God comes to judge, to cleanse, to gather, and to renew all things. Both danger and blessing await.
Such a fateful day cuts through our preoccupations. We are easily caught up, Jesus tells us, not only with sinful practices, but with the worries of ordinary life. Even the duties to care for ourselves and for our families are not to be our primary concern. We cannot neglect these earthly duties, but the Kingdom of God must come first.
Recalling the day of judgement, we need to realize that we are in danger. Jesus warns his disciples (and this applies to everyone) to pray that, “you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place”. The danger is not so much physical, as spiritual and eternal. Time itself comes to an end on that day, and whatever God has in store for you will be fulfilled.
How can we face such a day? First, we need to pray for the strength that only God can give us to face his judgement. We know that Jesus has paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross. But it is up to us to accept the mercy of God which covers us when we turn to him. Then we need to be on guard and alert for any signs that God gives us. These signs are like clues to his coming Kingdom. Our response is to act on what we see by building up that Kingdom on earth and by preparing the way for the final victory of Jesus. We conquer evil, Satan, by the “blood of the lamb” and by the “word of our testimony” (Revelation 12:11). Relying on Jesus for our salvation, we are called to sharing his saving Gospel with those around us.