Did you hear the latest news, there is a character who is trying to convince people that Jesus was really a Californian and not a Hebrew? There are three reasons that this scholar says makes this claim: 1, Jesus never cut his hair; 2, He went barefoot every where; 3, He started his own religion.
Seriously, all the talk in our readings today about the end of time is given us as an inspiration for us to focus on living the Gospel today. Our first reading gives us Isaiah’s image of the perfected world the Messiah will bring into reality. A world so peaceful that even predatory animals no longer kill for their food. God will completely transform the cosmos, he will forget and forgive sinfulness ushering in a time of joy. All the things that bring sorrow into the world will come to and end. Even the blessing of long life will be common and even longer than any could guess. Life will be stable and food will be plentiful. Even the conflict between animal species will cease and all creatures will live in harmony.
In our second reading, Paul calls on all Christians to earn their keep. He puts it bluntly: do not idly live off others waiting for Christ to return. The notion that Christ will return soon is a false belief.
In today’s gospel story Jesus is also talking about the end of time and his eventual return. God will change all that is known to a better (Divine) state of affairs. Do not however worry about when this will happen, you cannot know the timing and many things will come first. Simply spend you life in virtue and the work of the Kingdom so that you are always ready.
Luke’s community was trying to cope with the destruction of the Temple and the persecution of their members. Spiritual blows that would make one long for the Messiah’s return. Luke responds to this pain by recalling Jesus’ teaching in terms drawn from prophetic books like Micah, Jeremiah, Hosea and Joel. He adds “the end will not follow immediately” and then changes the conversation to issues that matter now. Instructing them on how to deal with the abusive treatment, they are experiencing and how they should respond. At the times you are suffering abuse, be yourself. The word that is translated “prepare . . . in advance”literally means practice a gesture or rehearse a dance. In other words, don’t rehearse, just be yourself and speak for what you believe.
My brothers and sisters, we need not be nervous about the future, when the rapture will come or who may be left behind. The real issue is, are you ready now. Are you contributing your efforts to the work of God now. Be about living an ethical life now. Don’t fall into the trap of sitting around waiting for some glorious end to come.
In essence, being ready for Jesus’ return means being an authentic disciple. It means being active about God’s work today. We are all called to contribute differently to that part of God’s kingdom that is St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Sierra Vista. We are all in possession of different gifts and personal resources. We are all called and expected to be of valuable use to the Kingdom according to our abilities. Rather than watching and waiting, or working, we need to simple be busy about the Kingdom of God.
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