The Gathering of the Elect

This Sunday's reading is Mark 13:24-37, in which Jesus foretells his coming again and the gathering of the elect.

‘But in those days, after that suffering,

the sun will be darkened,

 and the moon will not give its light,

 and the stars will be falling from heaven,

 and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

 ‘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 these things taking place, 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 or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly. And what I say to you I say to all: Keep awake.’

Jesus' words about the sun, moon, and stars pay tribute to several Old Testament books (from Knowing Jesus), 

Isaiah 13:10

For the stars of heaven and their constellations

Will not flash forth their light;

The sun will be dark when it rises

And the moon will not shed its light.

Job 9:7

Who commands the sun not to shine,

And sets a seal upon the stars;

Job 3:9

“Let the stars of its twilight be darkened;

Let it wait for light but have none,

And let it not see the breaking dawn;

Joel 2:10

Before them the earth quakes,

The heavens tremble,

The sun and the moon grow dark

And the stars lose their brightness.

Amos 8:9

“It will come about in that day,” declares the Lord God,

“That I will make the sun go down at noon

And make the earth dark in broad daylight.

Ecclesiastes 12:2

before the sun and the light, the moon and the stars are darkened, and clouds return after the rain;

Ezekiel 32:7

“And when I extinguish you,

I will cover the heavens and darken their stars;

I will cover the sun with a cloud

And the moon will not give its light.

Joel 3:15

The sun and moon grow dark

And the stars lose their brightness.

I doubt that any of my readers think that Jesus will return in our lifetimes. Most of us believe that we will die at some point, and that then and only then will we meet Jesus. 

Jesus tells us to be prepared for he may return at any time, just like we may meet our end unexpectedly. 

He also warns us not to listen to people who claim to know the day that He will return.