Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: 'Watch!'" (Mk13:33-37)
This passage is speaking about the second coming of the Lord. Advent is a season to prepare the people for the second coming. All the liturgical readings speak about the second coming only. The readings of the last nine days only prepare us for the feast of the birth of Jesus (first coming). Since the readings speak about the second coming we find in this passage the master leaving the workers and the gatekeeper and goes out of the house.
The listeners (disciples) should be ready to receive the master when he comes. That is the reason the author tells the readers to be to be watchful and to be alert. Though Jesus was speaking about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple its meaning for us is important and it should be grasped rightly. The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple is only a foretaste of the judgement that will fall on the whole world. There are no signs here and no advance warning. No compromises and no excuses. One has to be watchful and alert.
No one knows the hour when the master is returning. ("But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Mar 13:32). Father and son work very closely together (John’s gospel). Jesus knows a great deal, but he does not know this (Mark’s gospel). It is an apocalyptic writing. Apocalyptic writings leave the issue to God. (Man may intervene and propose historical events, dates and timings). Apocalyptic events are with God and no one knows except HIM.
