Have you ever been caught off guard? The first Sundays of Advent often have an ominous quality to them. Jesus reminds his listeners today about how many people who lived at the same time as Noah were caught off guard when the deluge came. If course, we can end up being complete nervous wrecks if we spend each day in paranoia, looking for signs of impending doom. A healthy readiness is called for, one that keeps us alert so we can find signs of God's reign—soon to be made manifest in Jesus—around us.

We conclude the liturgical year today with the Solemnity of Christ the King. On the surface, we might wonder what this has to do with our lives. Why does it matter that Christ is King? Do we need a king? If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that we do need someone to follow, a king who will rule our hearts, minds, and lives with goodness. Left to our own devices, following our own tendencies, we are bound to fall short of God’s great call to grow and live in holiness. Christ will shepherd us, not from a position of power or authority, although both are his as well, but rather from the throne of the cross, the throne of humility, compassion, and peace.

It is easy to go through life non-reflectively, living the routines of our days and weeks without giving much thought to the larger questions of meaning, purpose, and calling. We may know we need to change but put it off, thinking we'll love, serve, and care more in the future. We may face trial personally and be weary of trying to live as we know we should. We witness discord, violence, and division and it may feel that it is the end of the world. Today’s readings urge us to put laziness, fear, or distraction aside and get about the work of discipleship with the assurance that the Lord will provide what we need as we do so.

Today's readings present us with extreme examples of faithfulness and reliance on the promise of eternal life. Most of us will never be tortured because of our Christian faith, although people are martyred every year because of their commitment to Christ. While we may never face bodily harm as Christians, there are consequences to living as a disciple. We might be ridiculed or harassed. We might find it necessary to call out injustice in the workplace or our local city, and such witness may cost us our jobs and friendships. What are we prepared to do as followers of our Lord? Today, we are encouraged to be strong in faith, secure in the belief that when we endure in Christ, we may look forward to life in eternity with God.