A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (MK 13:33-37)
Jesus said to his disciples: “Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’”
Jesus compares watchfulness for his second coming to a man who travels abroad and returns at an unexpected time. While away from home, he places his servants in charge, each with work to do, and orders the gatekeeper to keep watch. Because the time of Christ’s return is unknown, it calls for constant vigilance and devotion to our faith—a perpetual Advent longing here on earth—to prepare us for the life of the world to come with God. That Jesus addresses not only the disciples but all of us is startlingly clear when he says, “What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch.'”
God, help me remain alert always but especially as Advent unfolds, where you reveal your love in sending all of us the Christ child, Emmanuel. So much of each day is taken up by routines and planned time, absorption in the moment at hand followed by absorption in the next planned moment at hand. Give me the grace to experience the coming of Christ, not by counting down the calendar to close another year, but with the kind of childlike faith and wonder that can’t wait to see what comes next. It is you I’m looking for, Lord, and most of the time I’m not aware of that. Let me watch for you with joyful expectation and be ready to come out to meet you in the midst of this day.
From the first reading: “Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways,
and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?” Lord, give me the work of keeping watch for your return.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.