Mark 13:24-37
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.”
When Jesus spoke these words, he was talking to a people living in political chaos, surrounded by death and violence, trapped in an economic system that made the wealthy, ridiculously more wealth on the backs of those who wondered how they were even going to make it through tomorrow, and to all of that there seemed to be no end in sight. I know, it’s hard to relate to Bible times! To people in those sorts of times, Jesus says, “Keep Awake.” But Jesus is NOT saying “tough it out.” Instead, when Jesus tells us to “Keep Awake” what he’s trying to do is to teach us two techniques so that can equip us to live hopefully, through even the most trying of times.
Brain research has since backed up what Jesus taught. When we are living in easier, more hopeful times, (you remember those, right?) our brains release chemicals that make us more confident… more positive. And when our brains are made more chemically confident and positive, we naturally DO more positive and hopeful things out there in the world. That’s not surprising. BUT, what Jesus knew then, and science has born out since, is that it works the other way round as well! When we DO those positive and hopeful things in the difficult times, our brains release those same chemicals and those chemicals give us the feelings of confidence and hope, even during the darkest of times. Author Amy Cuddy calls it, “Fake it until you become it!”
Jesus used the image of the slaves and the doorman to illustrate this technique. If we continue to do the Master’s work… even through the darkness… even while the Master is gone and even though we have no idea when they might get back… if we keep doing the work Jesus has given us to do… acts of generosity, gestures of compassion, care and healing and justice for the least and the lost and the last… if we keep doing the Jesus’s work, we’ll find that the work ITSELF transforms our minds, giving us more positivity, confidence and hope… even in this thing called 2020!
The second technique Jesus gives us comes from the power of NOTICING. Jesus knew in difficult times, we would be tempted to pull up the covers and wait for it to pass… put our heads down, grit our teeth, and wait for the darkness to pass. But Jesus also knew that covered up and hunched over we’d inevitably miss the good stuff… the blessings… the gifts that God sends to us EVEN in the midst of the darkest of times. With the covers pulled up over our heads, we’d likely miss even really BIG stuff, like stars falling from the sky! So Jesus advises us to PRACTICE our noticing on the little things. Notice little things like a tiny bud on a branch waiting hopefully for Spring. A single leaf hanging onto a tree. A new bird coming to your feeder.
Again, Jesus knew then, what brain science has since shown to be true. When we NOTICE things, our brains become measurable more flexible, more creative, more collaborative… more AWAKE! The science has even found that it doesn’t actually matter WHAT you notice! It’s the act of NOTICING itself that builds our psychological flexibility, which then allows us to see new possibilities, which then helps us find new solutions and then see a way through even the longest times of darkness.
Today is the beginning of Advent. A season that in “normal” years calls us to these Spiritual practices of NOTICING and SERVING. Because this year is anything but “normal”, I know the temptation is out there to just chuck out Advent and just get straight on to Christmas! But I think this year, precisely because it ISN’T A NORMAL year, we need these practices Jesus has to teach us more perhaps, that in any other year.
This Advent, we’re not learning something for the future from Jesus. This Advent, learning from Jesus how to “Stay Awake!” is EXACTLY what we need to get through life for the next six months! So, this Advent let us take up the PRACTICE of noticing! Start by noticing the small things. Buds on a tree, the colors in the sunset, the song in the background and the stars in the night sky. Noticing those small things will limber up your Noticing Skills so that you can better notice the bigger things… the joys, generosity, compassion and love that are always there but in times like these, seem hidden and overwhelmed by darkness.
This Advent, let us take up the practice of doing the Master’s work even when the Divine feels very far away. Take up those acts of service, compassion, love and generosity, not out of some lofty spiritual pursuit, but because doing those things literally have the power to transform our minds, making it possible for us to SEE light, even in the deepest, longest, sort of darkness.
This Advent, perhaps more than any other Advent, is an Advent where “Keeping Awake” by using these techniques that Jesus teaches can have a real and immediate effect on our lives right now! So my fellow travelers through the darkness of political chaos and pandemic, I invite you to join me this Advent, to “Keep Awake.” Amen.
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