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Gospel
Mk 13:24-32
Jesus said to his disciples:
“In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
“Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
“But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”First thoughts. The Gospel Story urges us to “learn from the fig tree”, to be aware of the signs of the times, of what is going on in our life, without already having decided what is going on in our life and who to blame and what others have to do to make things right for our particular view of whatever. What is important, even necessary, is to be open to the Spirit who shows us how to live as followers of Jesus in our own particular circumstances. The Spirit shows us how we can best live, and not what we are to blame or demand others do or not to to fit our idea of who is at fault and how others have to change so we are more comfortable. This is a part of the Gospel that many folks don’t like to hear. Folks enjoy sermons on sin, unless it is THEIR sin, then not so much. It’s always easier to point the finger at others than let ourselves be led to an awareness of our own role in whatever it is we are not happy about. That is definitely and potently true in my case.
Maybe more thoughts here. The Gospel reminds me that it happens in real life when I let, or maybe force, myself to be open to what the Spirit is saying in whatever circumstances I find myself, and these days there are very many confusing and disturbing circumstances. As I look at them and try to sense their inter-action with the Gospel and the way Jesus lived, I’m trying to get some sort of sense of what I need to do. Non of these are huge or complicated, but relatively small in the grand scheme of things, but potentially important to folks involved.
Being aware of and alert to the signs of the times as they are, and not as I wish they were or think they should be, involves an often difficult process of letting go of what I want and responding to what is. I just wonder, how the dickens did Jesus do it?
The very first paragraph in this gospel makes me think about the times when my (everyone’s) life becomes dark. It happens to all of us at some point. We can’t see the light, tribulation overtakes our mind, and we are in despair. I’m reading this at a more personal level, not necessarily looking at “the end” but I our kind what we “feel” is the end. And it’s the. That we see the Lord. We see His glory. I don’t see an image of the Son of Man in a cloud, but within me I see the light He provides!
I also think the comparison to the fig tree represents the strength and the newness one feels once they realize God has been with them the whole time!
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