Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Daily Office Reflection: One Will Be Taken......

At the Gloaming, 2011, jfd+
Zechariah 2:1-13; Revelation 3:14-22; Matthew 24:32-44, Psalms 45 * 47, 48

Jesus is talking to his disciples today about end-times - known as Matthew's Apocalyptic Discourse. One of the phrases we hear twice today is: one will be taken and one will be left. Two women grinding meal together and two men in the field - one will be taken and one will be left....so very unsettling that thought and phrase.

Matthew deals in secrets, with unknown times and unknown agents. So there is some theological basis for Matthew's enigmatic phrase one will be taken and one will be left... But there is another possible translation of the word "taken." That Greek word can also be translated as (and is in other places in scripture) received. One will be received and one will be left....one will be received and one will be left. 

Isn't that how so many of us have found our faith journeys to be like? We are received into the household of God, while others on our journey chose not become members. We are received by the Holy Spirit, by our opening ourselves to her presence in and around us...there is mystery here, mystery that can be seen as secrets but really are not - those mysteries are part of the gift of faith we receive when we open ourselves to God Incarnate - whom we celebrate, remember, and worship in eight days. 

How can we assist others to be received too?
jfd+

Copyright 2013, The Rev. John F. Dwyer. All Rights Reserved to art and words.

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