The Gospel of Mark 13:24-37
Jesus said, “In those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in clouds’ with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell 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 about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.”
Let us Pray: Heavenly Father, In Your presence, we find peace and purpose. As we open Your Word today, let our hearts be like fertile soil, ready to receive Your truth. Guide us, Lord, in understanding, and help us apply Your teachings to our lives. May Your Spirit be our teacher and comforter as we explore the depths of Your love and wisdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Today we light the first candle of the Advent wreath. This is the candle of HOPE. With Christians around the world, we use this light to help us prepare our hearts and minds for the coming of God’s Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. May we receive God’s light as we hear the words of the prophet Isaiah: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined.” Isaiah 9:2
The word Advent means “coming” or “arrival.” The focus of the entire season is preparation to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Advent is marked by a spirit of expectation, of anticipation, of preparation. It is a season of waiting, a time to be marked by anticipation. What are we waiting for? Have we been waiting for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, or are we waiting to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior? As we look around, I think the commercialization is winning. As we begin the Season of Advent, maybe our tasks are to invite people to look for Jesus in those in need around them and to be aware to God’s presence in response to their own needs. It’s interesting that we begin the first Sunday in the new church year near the end of Mark’s gospel. Over the last few weeks, we heard Matthew’s version of Christ’s final teachings, and here we get Mark’s recollection of the same timeframe. Both accounts focus on the ‘end of the age’ or ‘end times.’ Jesus is making it clear that he isn’t predicting when the end will come for no one knows the day or the hour. So, it might be more helpful to understand what Jesus is saying by remembering he is actually talking about his own end, the completion of his own ministry on earth. Jesus is giving instructions for his disciples to follow after he is gone. So, perhaps, we should take these words of Jesus personally, because he is speaking to all his disciples, and that includes us here and now. And His instructions for us today on this first Sunday in Advent, the Sunday of HOPE is help those around us, it gives them hope. It gives them the comfort that there are others who care and are concerned for those suffering. So, this season of Advent invites us to wait patiently for hope, staying alert while we act as Jesus would call us to act by helping those who need a helping hand and giving them HOPE.
Let us pray: Lord as we look to the birth of Jesus, grant that the light of your love for us will help us to become lights in the lives of those around us. Prepare our hearts for the joy and gladness of your coming, for Jesus is our hope. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 