Standing vigilant?

A Reflection for Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Find today’s readings here.

How do you stand vigilant? 

Jesus’ call to us this day is somewhat startling. We are given a call to stand vigilant for “imminent tribulations” and to “stand before the Son of Man.” As we close out the church’s liturgical year today and begin anew tomorrow with the season of Advent, our vigilance is asked of us to prepare for Christ’s two “Advents”: that of his coming as a baby at Christmas and that of his second coming in glory and majesty. 

However, what that vigilance means and how that looks for each of us may be different. This chapter of Luke’s Gospel, which puts us just before Jesus’ entry and crucifixion in Jerusalem, continues with just two more verses (vv. 37-38). In them, Jesus gives us a hint as to what it might mean to “be vigilant” in our times: 

During the day, Jesus was teaching in the temple area, but at night he would leave and stay at the place called the Mount of Olives. And all the people would get up early each morning to listen to him in the temple area.

These verses tell us Jesus taught in the Temple, slept on the Mount of Olives (the site of important places such as the Garden of Gethsemane and Jesus’ ascension into heaven fifty days after his resurrection), and everyone would gather “early each morning” to hear him teach. 

Vigilance for us in these coming weeks might mean reflecting on Jesus’ teachings. This may look like reading the Gospel passages set for each day of Advent or taking time to reflect on the themes of the candle on the Advent wreath when they are lit, corresponding to the four weeks of Advent (hope, peace, joy and love). 

Or, although we might not be able to sleep at the Mount of Olives, maybe we can stay intimately close to God with extra prayer such as attending a service of Advent Lessons and Carols, a tradition my home parish continues to this day. Staying close to Jesus can also mean walking with and helping the poor and the marginalized in our local communities, those for whom Jesus had a particular and unique love. 

And of course, our vigilance can take the appearance of gathering “early each morning” to listen to Jesus in word and sacrament each week at our celebration of the Eucharist. It is there that Jesus advents, or comes to us in his Body and Blood, providing us the strength and perseverance to “be vigilant” until he comes again. 

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