While Waiting, Watch
By Fr. Joe Tetlow, SJ
As we begin going back to Mass on Sundays, we might remember the practice of the apostles and the earliest disciples. After Jesus was gone and the Holy Spirit came, the first thing they did was go together to the Temple every day and meet in their houses for the breaking of the bread. We know about the breaking of the bread and might envy it being in their houses. But what made them go to the Temple every day?
Scholars say it's an easy guess. They did it because they wanted to be there when Jesus came back in glory. He had promised that, vividly. So they went to the Temple, because everyone knew that God was to come and make the Temple His home, the headquarters of the kingdom, as it were. We know that He didn't come with trumpets and angels and glory. Some people today feel that He's about to come right now, because the signs of the endtime that Jesus explained are fulfilled: wars and rumors of wars, kingdom rising against kingdom, brother betraying brother. He might come right now, before the end of 2022, or even before the end of the month.
Well, they can worry about that but it won't make any difference. It might be better to notice that Jesus didn't say Worry! All He said was, Keep awake! St. Paul suggested a good way to do that: Always be joyful. Pray constantly. And in all things be thankful; this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Anyhow, we believe that Jesus is already here. Just wake up and go to Mass on Sunday to receive Him, joining the praise of a loving community.