The disciples are asking questions again, and Jesus is answering. In this Gospel reading, they seem to get the gist of things, but you have to wonder if they fully appreciate what Jesus is telling them.

Of course, they didn’t. How could they? What He was proposing — both here and in many other passages — was far beyond what they expected that they should get credit just for sticking it out with him.

Christianity is a journey; every December, we journey from Advent to Christmas. As we get nearer and our anticipation builds, so do many other things: external demands, for one thing. Even as the promise is before us, we have the reminder that we are Easter people: The Cross is before us. 

God became man, and we await it. Even though it happens every year, even though Advent often feels like a tacked-on, forgotten season, it still comes in all its amazement and glory. 

How will we treat the Son of Man when He comes on Christmas Day? Are we truly making ourselves ready?