SolLuna, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

11/28
Luke 21:5-19

When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said, "As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down." They asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?"

And he said, "Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and, 'The time is near!' Do not go after them. "When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately."

Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues; and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. "But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls."

THE LAST WORD

This last word in this translation of the passage is ψυχὰς (psychas) in Greek. In English scriptures, it has been variously translated "soul," "life," and "mind," depending upon context and preference.

I think it takes all three concepts to make sense.

It is the totality of who a person is, their life, their personality, their mind, and whatever endures when the body is gone.

Jesus is promising to preserve even those who are put to death. He is encouraging endurance.

Only one candle flickers through the first week of Advent. Just one.

The message and the scriptures of the day point to ultimate victory in the Parousia of Christ, but that hop is symbolized with a single candle.

Just one.

"Endure," Jesus adjures us.

In spite of and because of the difficulties, hardships, horror, and harrowing, endure. Endure the whole way through.

Don't worry about how you will defend yourselves. Don't worry about holding your ground. Don't worry. Endure.

Advent reminds us that we will come through all of this.