“Keep awake!” Words for the first Sunday in Advent.
We’re not sure whether Jesus is describing a fantasy or making a prediction for
the future. Scholars and learners throughout the centuries have interpreted
Mark’s gospel and other words of Jesus to mean we need to prepare for the end
of the world. Each age has thought their age might be that time.
Yesterday I drove to Northern Kentucky for the
burial service of a dear friend. There are so many words I could use to
describe him and the way he was. But what best describes him is that he taught
by doing. He taught a steady and creative work ethic by doing his own work
steadily and creatively. He taught curiosity by being curious. He taught
laughter by laughing.
Best of all, he taught love by loving. When he
listened to the news he thought the end of the world was imminent, and so he
lived his life as though it might end at any moment. He stayed awake and aware
to God’s presence. He taught and learned God’s love by loving.
One other thing in this particular passage from
Mark’s gospel, some believe Jesus is speaking about what his followers will
endure in the future. Others think Mark wrote his gospel he after the Jewish
temple was destroyed in the year 70. They believe Mark was re-interpreting
Jesus’ words in light of that current event. Either way, these words this
morning don’t seem full of good news, do they? Jesus’ words in this morning’s
gospel seem just the reverse: pretty depressing for most of us trying to follow
him.
Yet there
is good news here. The good news is contained in the end of this particular
reading in the words: “Keep awake!” Because either way, whether Jesus was
speaking of what is to come, or whether the evangelist who wrote the gospel was
viewing Jesus’ words in light of events in his own lifetime, the message is the
same: “Keep awake!”
Keep awake
sounds attractive to practical people. Even those of us who are not so
practical have to be practical enough to get up each day, get dressed and eat.
If we spent all our time dreaming we’d never get out of bed. So “Keep awake” is
likely the message we hear each morning, whether from our alarm clocks or our
body clocks.
“Keep awake,”
appeals to us because keeping awake involves some kind of action, rather than just
waiting for the other shoe to drop. For some people the idea of the end of the
world can be frightening. It can make us a bit like one of our legislators
during colonial New England. An eclipse was occurring and several of the state
legislators panicked and entertained a move to adjourn the session. But one of
them spoke up, “Mr. Speaker, if it is not the end of the world and we adjourn,
we shall appear to be fools. If it is the end of the world, I should choose to
be found doing my duty. I move you, sir, that candles be brought.”
This story
illustrates for me what most of us want, to clarify these predictions of the
end times. Not only do we want to know when, more importantly, we want to know
what to do. What is our duty? If we
are living in the end times, no matter how long the end takes, what shall we
do? How shall we act?
“Keep awake!”
sounds right to me because I know someone who lived his life keeping awake to
need. My friend whose burial I attended yesterday woke up each morning to that
command. He looked each day for how he could help someone, for how he could
make his or her life better. He knew his duty as one of God’s people, was to
keeping awake and aware of who needed his help each day. He knew his duty was
to be awake to and respond to the person who needed a smile, or a laugh, or to
be loved.
We forget
that Advent is not just a time to wait for Christmas to get here. Advent is
also a time to “Keep awake!” to what God is asking us to do in this time
between the first Advent and the second.
“Keep
awake!” calls us to remember that what we do matters, whether Jesus’ second
coming comes today whether or a long time from today.
Jesus calls
us to our responsibility to be awake to God’s daily Advent breaking into our
lives. Without awareness and a sense of possibility, we are still asleep.
Perhaps instead of asking ourselves about what to do if these are the end
times, we should ask ourselves instead, where have we been awake? Where have we
seen God breaking into our midst and calling to us, “Wake up!” Keep awake!”?
What parts of our lives might still be sleeping and in need of that wake up
call?
Jesus calls
us in this “between time” between the first coming and the second to be both
doers and reporters of God’s work in the world. When we tell Jesus’ story in
our own lives, the story will inspire and draw others to God. When we continue
to work for and tell about God’s almighty purpose, others will feel that power
and form a sense of purpose with us. And
as we continue to make this place – God’s church in Bexley, Ohio – an inviting
place where God’s Word and Sacrament are held in the highest esteem, then we
are keeping awake. We are alert to the coming of God. And like the legislator
in old New England, we will find others who will see we are doing our duty by
lighting candles in the darkness to show forth the glory of God. AMEN.
©2017
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