Prepare Ye(self): Sunday Reflection

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This morning’s Gospel reading is Luke 21:25–28, 34–36:

Jesus said to his disciples:

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”

 Ever hear the hoary old cliché about vacations and life: It’s the road we travel and not the destination? On every road trip, I hope and pray that’s not the case. Every time I have to squeeze into a middle seat on an airplane with sloppy seatmates, I wonder how anyone could possibly have thought that. Even the destination may not be all that fascinating, especially when it comes to business travel, but at least you’re there. And, of course, anticipating having all of the inconveniences in reverse before you get back home. 

Occasionally, I wonder about that in the context of Advent too, which starts today. Advent is a time of anticipation of the Savior who will lead us to our ultimate Destination. We are called to prepare the way of the Lord, and to remain vigilant until He calls us to our salvation. Until then, we are also called to wait patiently and live in — but not of — the world. 

In my reflection nine years ago, I asked the question of why. 

After describing the perplexing signs [and] tribulations that will take the world by surprise at the end of the age, He emphasizes to the disciples, “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.” 

Why not just say, “Hey, set your calendars for this date, and until then, hang loose”? Jesus wants His disciples — including us — to remember that we are a pilgrim people, on a journey without knowing its end but sure of our destination. As such, we must prepare each day for trials, tribulations, and signs while remembering who we are as children of God and disciples of Christ. “Be vigilant at all times,” Jesus says, and pray for strength to remain on the right path. 

 Why not tell us the day and the hour of salvation? We truly are a pilgrim people, and have been since the day Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden. The Lord’s people have always been on the move, whether it be in the Great Flood, exiling into and then out of Egypt, scattering out of and then back into Judea, and then finally in the Great Commission to made disciples of all nations. We are called to continuous movement and action rather than sitting pretty and doing nothing.

Salvation is more than just a gift; it is a mission, and we are its participants. Could Jesus have sacrificed Himself for our salvation without the disciples? Yes, but that would have made us passive observers rather than active participants. We gain salvation through the grace of Jesus, but we have to take part in it ourselves. That means action; even vigilance is active, not passive. It means preparing His way to the world, and most importantly, preparing His way in our own hearts.

In our travels to the Lord, both the road and the destination matter. The path to salvation is not laid down for His benefit, but for ours. The travel and vigilance provide our formation for true adoption into Trinitarian life by gradually weaning us from the disordered appetites we acquire in this fallen world. A pilgrim people do not set their store on material possessions beyond that necessary for life and the mission. An evangelical people do not obsess over slights and feuds, but urgently focus on the necessity of saving as many souls as possible. Missionaries do not seek the comfort of a stationary life, but learn to depend on the Lord as they sacrifice their own time and comfort for the salvation of others. 

Had Jesus told the disciples that He would come again in the year 2067 on April 3 at 3 pm GMT, to use an example, few would have prepared and formed themselves in the manner necessary for their salvation. Vigilance requires urgency, and urgency drives action. Augustine would never have had to utter his famous prayer for chastity and continence, nor would we bother to form ourselves until it was far too late to accomplish the task — let alone spread the Gospel to others.  

That is no mere exercise, either. It’s not religious calesthenics. Jesus came to share the Gospel as the ultimate outreach of Trinitarian caritas to fallen humanity, and HIs body as the means to redeem ourselves to enter into His eternal life of love. We form ourselves in that Trinitarian caritas by participation in the life of the body of Christ, whether it be at Mass or in the world serving Jesus by preparing His way to the hearts of others. In doing that, we choose to participate in the Lord’s work of love, and become a part of His extension of life to the world.

 In that sense, the journey is the destination, just as the cliché instructs. But only on this journey, and in anticipation of this destination. 

Previous reflections on these readings:

The front page image is “The Baptism of Christ” by the anonymous Master of the Saint Bartholomew Altarpiece, c. 1485-1500. On display at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Via Wikimedia Commons.

“Sunday Reflection” is a regular feature, looking at the specific readings used in today’s Mass in Catholic parishes around the world. The reflection represents only my own point of view, intended to help prepare myself for the Lord’s day and perhaps spark a meaningful discussion. Previous Sunday Reflections from the main page can be found here.