“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.
****
What if Christ’s return is
more like Christmas morning? Not of judgement but of Grace, prepare likewise.
You know the image, it is one
people travel hundreds of miles to see. Children on Christmas morning. The
Norman Rockwell of footed pjs, tip-toeing down the stairs, and wide eyes at a
tree, which overnight became full, as if by magic. You know the image; you know
its magic. And I wonder if perhaps, you could imagine this scripture of
judgement the same. It says,
“But about that day and hour
no one knows,
neither the angels of heaven,
nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Imagine angels in heaven,
like a Santa Tracker on the news, which follows the setting night, and attempts
to predict where in that darkness, not a creature is stirring, not even a
mouse, or shepherds in the fields watching their flock by night, and to that
place, that darkness, they will testify that the light has come. Yet, not even
Norad, with its scientific measures can exactly predict, in each little house,
at what moment Christmas will come, because about that day and hour no one
knows. The scripture says,
“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.”
As culture subscribes, we too
have already begun our eating and drinking, and merry making, ignoring
predictions of the flood which is to sweep us away. We are easily distracted by
ads, and lights, and to-do lists a mile long, and it is to those places too
will come the Son of Man. But what if instead of the fear of a naughty and nice
list Emmanuel, we hung our stockings by the chimney with care, in hopes that a
Saint soon will be there; in hopes that what we have come to prepare, is the
ark of long ago, is the a manger of yesterday, is an Inn filled with care for
today. What if the flood to which we shall prepare is a flood Christmas morning.
You know the image:
“The children were nestled
all snug in their beds; While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And
mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled our brains for
a long winter's nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang
from my bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window, I flew like a
flash, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.”
Or as scripture says
“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,
Kerchief and cap,
for you do not know on what
day your Lord is coming.”
As lovely and as loathsome
are as these two Night Before Christmas scenes, what if they actually resemble
one another? What if what is about to break in when two are out the field, and
two are grinding meal together, is as, “peaceful as the moon on the breast of
the new-fallen snow?” What if the star over the manger, “gave a lustre of midday
to objects below?” What if, the scripture’s, “One will be taken and one will be
left,” is not a destination for who gets coal in their stockings, and whose
boots by the fire are filled with good things? What if instead, “one will be
taken and one will be left,” wasn’t admonishment at all but instead an
invitation.
I remember as a kid, the
unspoken rule that, you don’t go down the stairs alone to Christmas morning. If
you have sibling, you cross the hallway, and open their darkened door, and you
creep to their bed and whisper, “It is Christmas. We slept through the magic.
Let us go see this thing which has taken place,” You don’t go to the tree
alone. You want to share in the wonder if it has come, you want not to be alone
in the grief if it didn’t. Likewise, Jospeh went with Mary, the shepherd girls,
said to one another, “Let us go and see this thing which has taken place,” and
the wisemen went as three. So too, we will not be alone when it comes, we can
extend an invitation.
This scripture is a reminder
to share in the joy, not through conversion, or impending judgement but by
sharing in grace, in gift. You who know to prepare, welcome the other along,
travel into Bethlehem
together, open your house to a pregnant stranger and her partner, sidestep King
Herod’s plan with the wisdom you posses. The scripture reminds us,
“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.”
Do you remember staying up as
late as you could on Christmas Eve as a kid. So too, may your excitement
prepare you for this thief in the night. Who shall come, unexpectedly, and you
will say, “to my wondering eyes did appear,” but Christmas morning in the form
of a child. Come likewise, prepare your hearts to come down the stairs and find
the gift of him, the Emmanuel, there.
