A Poem a Sunday

Advent I – A
November 27, 2016

St. Matthew 24:36–44 - NRSV

The Necessity for Watchfulness

36 “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son,[a] but only the Father. 37 For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 38 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, 39 and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. 42 Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day[b] your Lord is coming. 43 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. 44 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

Footnotes:

Matthew 24:36 Other ancient authorities lack nor the Son

Matthew 24:42 Other ancient authorities read at what hour

A Poem a Sunday

Advent I – A

You Never Know

You never know

when an end comes

until there is a new beginning.

The end of the Cold War

began with a small group

huddled for Candle-mass.

The end of the Vietnam War

began with campus voices

crying out in the wilderness.

The end of sexual discrimination

begins with a misogynist

President Elect.

The best of times…

the worst of times…

Some taken…some left behind…

when least expected

the End evolves

into a new beginning.

You never know

but for now:

Watch!

Believe!

Get Ready!

Act!

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