This coming Sunday is the 1st Sunday of Advent in the new Liturgical Year. The biblical scholar Pheme Perkins offers us a final thought [Mark, 694-5]: Continue reading
A Final Thought
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Tag Archives: vigilance
The Parable of the Absent Master
This coming Sunday is the 1st Sunday of Advent in the new Liturgical Year. 34 It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. 35 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. 36 May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. 37 What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’” Continue reading
No One Knows
This coming Sunday is the 1st Sunday of Advent in the new Liturgical Year. Jesus concluded his response by stressing the responsibility of maintaining vigilance. The duty to watch draws its force from the fact that “no one knows” the critical moment of God’s decisive intervention. Perhaps one is surprised that the lack of knowledge includes “nor the Son.” Early on the clause “nor the Son” attracted the attention of theologians anxious to trace the christological implications in the confession of ignorance, but that inquiry misses the point. Continue reading
But of that day or hour…
This coming Sunday is the 1st Sunday of Advent in the new Liturgical Year. This gospel reading begins with “But of that day or hour…” clearly referencing something already mentioned. Our Sunday passage does not include the first two verses of what scholars hold should be part of the pericope (narrative) of the passage:
“30 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:30–32)
From Matthew to Mark
This coming Sunday is the 1st Sunday of Advent in the new Liturgical Year. In the movement from the readings at the end of Lectionary Cycle A (Matthew) to the Markan Advent readings in Cycle B, it is noteworthy that the “end time” tone of the readings continue. The final course of Matthean Sunday gospels have the themes of vigilance, preparation, and the coming judgment.
- 32nd Sunday: The Wise and Foolish Maidens (Mt 25:1-13)
- 33rd Sunday: The Parable of the Talents (25:14-30)
- Christ the King: The Great Judgment (25:31-46)
Welcome to Advent
This coming Sunday is the 1st Sunday of Advent in the new Liturgical Year. Here at the start of Lectionary Cycle B, this reading from the Gospel according to Mark becomes a signpost to the Advent Season in its use on the first Sunday of Advent, the liturgical season that precedes and prepares for Christmas. It is a season of hope and of longing, of joyful expectation and of peaceful preparation. It is good to remember that Advent is a time of preparation and anticipation for the coming of Jesus Christ, both in his historical incarnation as a baby in Bethlehem and his future return in glory at the end of time. The readings during this season are meant to evoke a sense of longing, repentance, and vigilance – not just for Christmas but also for the destiny of Christian life. Continue reading
Vigilance
This coming Sunday marks our journey in Ordinary Time, the 19th Sunday in Year C. You can read a complete commentary on the Sunday Gospel here.
Our gospel follows after the Parable of the Rich Fool (18th Sunday in Ordinary Time; Luke 12:13-21). Unfortunately, the passage in between (vv.22-34) is not used for a Sunday gospel – yet it carries an important context for our passage and serves as a bridge between the lesson of the rich fool and our text which seems to speak of the second coming of the Son of Man, being vigilant, and the judgment that awaits. Continue reading
Watchfulness – reflection
From Pheme Perkins [The Gospel of Mark in The New Interpreter’s Bible, 695]
“On the one hand, Mark underscores the certainty of Jesus’ word. Readers know that the death of Jesus on the cross does not end the story of salvation. On the other hand, Christians need not concern themselves with apocalyptic speculation. Disciples should remember that ‘doing the will of God’ (3:35) has no relationship to the timing of divine judgment. Neither should Christians concern themselves with the fate of those who persecute them or who reject the gospel. When Christians rush to judge others, they should remember this exhortation. The only question the master will ask is whether the servants have been faithful to their call as disciples. Continue reading
Watchfulness – commentary
Jesus concluded his discourse by stressing the responsibility of maintaining vigilance. The duty to watch draws its force from the fact that “no one knows” the critical moment of God’s decisive intervention. “That day” evokes a formula hallowed by use in the prophetic Scriptures; it appears with a clearly eschatological resonance in passages which announce the day of Yahweh’s appearing (Amos 8:3, 9, 13; 9:11; Mic. 4:6; 5:9; 7:11; Zeph. 1:9f.; 3:11, 16; Obad. 8; Joel 3:18; Zech. 9:16; 12–14). Continue reading
Watchfulness – reflection
From Pheme Perkins [The Gospel of Mark in The New Interpreter’s Bible, 695]
“On the one hand, Mark underscores the certainty of Jesus’ word. Readers know that the death of Jesus on the cross does not end the story of salvation. On the other hand, Christians need not concern themselves with apocalyptic speculation. Disciples should remember that ‘doing the will of God’ (3:35) has no relationship to the timing of divine judgment. Neither should Christians concern themselves with the fate of those who persecute them or who reject the gospel. When Christians rush to judge others, they should remember this exhortation. The only question the master will ask is whether the servants have been faithful to their call as disciples. Continue reading
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