Keep awake

 

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. 

These words have been repeated for over 2,000 years, yet somehow we still fear the end of our life on earth. Sure, we are comforted by the many parallels in nature that reveal death to be a precursor to new life, but the fear of death lingers in the shadows.  We have - or likely have - lived longer than our parents and grandparents.  We are better fed; we lose fewer newborn babies, and modern medicine protects us from contagion and diseases that drastically shortened the of our ancestors... and yet, we are still afraid of dying. The answer to the question why is a discussion group unto itself.

Shortly after 9/11 the words “Fear Not” rang hollow and seemed a little out of place.  Surely we had every reason to be afraid.  After the three devastating attacks, the country held its breath wondering if there were there more to come. During the first few weeks following the attacks, the country was suspended in a state of watchful waiting. We were led to believe that it wasn’t a question of “if” but “when.” We carefully listened to those in authority speak of preparedness, but the summary statement always was, “we just don’t know.” It took a while but in time we began to live our lives with the knowledge that life must go on… but we were implored to remain vigilant and the words “If you see something, say something” became a national mantra. 

 It doesn’t take much to see the connection between our gospel (Mark13:24-37) and that fateful Tuesday which followed a stormy, rain-soaked Monday, leaving the infamous next day with skies so blue and air so clean. What could possibly have gone wrong on such a beautiful day? 

How could we have been prepared for what happened? Had we ever sustained ab enemy attack within our Continental borders during war time, much less peace? How do we begin to replace fear with living fully and please God, joyfully? 

We have learned that Christ's death and resurrection is the answer to our mortal fears. He relinquished his humanity as the divine Incarnation was complete so that we could share in his resurrection and in so doing, remove our reasons to fear death forever. Knowing that God loves us and that there is nothing we can do to ever lose His love is a matter of faith, not intellect. So, we live out our lives enriched by Christ’s example when we resist the impulse to live for ourselves instead of others. It means being prepared to die again and again to ourselves, and to every one of our self-serving opinions and agendas. But about that day or hour... no one knows. But death will have no dominion over us.

As a caterpillar, having come to the end of one blade of grass, draws itself together and reaches out for the next, so the Self, having come to the end of one life shed all ignorance in its faculties and reaches out from the old body to a new. (Upanishads III.4.3)