Ready for Death
What can be more frightening than death?
“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 all these things, 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 and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. - Matthew 24:32-44
In today's reading, Jesus has taken our fear of death and magnified it.
He knows we are afraid of dying, so he uses death as a metaphor for the end of time for everyone, the time of judgment.
What could be worse than death? How about having your life cut short?
We all know we are going to die, but we think we have time yet before we have to think about it.
We imagine that we will grow old or get sick, that there will be some warning that the time is drawing near. We don't expect to be taken while we are active and filled with youthful energy.
Telling us that two will be in the field and one will be taken scares us to death, or close to it.
We may know deep down that the end could come at any time, but we don't focus on that. So when a disaster strikes like the monster tornado that hit the midwest last week, we are shocked that so many could be taken in an instant.
But that is what Jesus is talking about. It happens.
And if we wait for the moment of death to arrive, we may not have time to get ready for death.
So, we should get ready now.
We don't need to be morbid about it. We just need a gentle reminder now and then that life is short and we may be putting off what we should do now.
Whenever it comes, we will probably think it is too soon, so what harm is there in thinking about it now, while it is still a far ways away - at least in our minds.
More to come...