Gather

The Spiritual Waiting Room

 

Gather

All     Elect

Be     Awake     Coming

Know He Is Near

Fulfillment

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scripture:   Mark 13:24 to 32

Jesus said to His disciples:

"In those days after the distress the sun will grow dark, and there will be no light coming from the moon, the stars will crash down from the sky, and the heavenly powers will be moved.

"And then everyone will notice 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with mighty strength and triumph, and then He will direct the angels and gather His chosen from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the heavens.

"Learn a truth from the fig tree. When its branch becomes soft and leaves start to appear, you realize that summer is coming soon. Likewise when you notice these signs appearing, realize that He is close, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not end until all these signs have come to be. Heaven and earth can disappear, but my words will last forever.

"However about that day and that hour, no one is sure, not the angels in heaven, not the Son, but the Father alone."

Reflection

During this time of the Liturgical Year, we reflect on the end times: when will they come and what will they be like.

This is not a topic that we like to ponder. It can be scary for us.

Jesus guides us through this difficult topic in our passage from Mark. The imagery is called apocalyptic and it is a type of literature that we find in the Hebrew scriptures as well.

We could compare it to science fiction---speculation about the future and what we might encounter.

Jesus speaks about how everything in our physical universe will be transformed and shaken. 

In the midst of all the confusion that Jesus portrays, the Son of Man (the title that the scriptures use to refer to the Messiah) will come back in an awesome way.

His purpose in coming back is to "gather". He comes to bring us together, to unify us, to embrace us.

It is an image of consolation and hope. In our age the common complaint is that we are too divided: we are divided politically, socially, and even religiously. 

We long for unity. We want to be joined with others in community. We feel upset when others walk away from us and get angry with us.

We all want to know when this will happen. We would love to know the exact day and hour so we can be fully prepared.

Jesus gives us the example of the fig tree. We know when summer is approaching by watching the branches. 

We can easily miss this sign if we are too busy and preoccupied. Jesus is encouraging us to keep our eyes open.

The best way to prepare for the Final Gathering is to work each day on gathering. Jesus is near. He is with us. We can find Him in each person we meet if we keep our eyes open.

The words of Jesus, His teachings, His example will never pass away. If we follow them, we will be gathering people each day by looking for ways to overcome those divisions that trouble us.

The fig tree in Kathy's photo is in full bloom. We are invited to bloom also by listening to the words of Jesus and trying to live them by uniting people together through our loving actions.

Enjoy your gathering!

1. What do you think of when you reflect on the end times?

2. How can you gather people together?

3. What is the best way for you to prepare for the end times?