Willy-Nilly

 

Luke 21:29-36

34 “But keep watch on yourselves, or your hearts will become dulled by carousing, drunkenness and the worries of everyday living, and that Day will be sprung upon you suddenly like a trap! 35 For it will close in on everyone, no matter where they live, throughout the whole world. 36 Stay alert, always praying that you will have the strength to escape all the things that will happen and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man.” (CJB)

But observe yourselves, unless you want your hearts weighed down by wastefulness and self-indulgence and the anxieties of this life; unless you want that day to suddenly slam shut on you like a trap! Being as how it catches all who abide on the face of the whole earth, be aware each moment that you are in need, and keep the upper hand so that you can break free of all the things about to happen and stand fast in front of The Human. (My adaptation of Mounce Reverse Interlinear)

Inevitable events— Unavoidable consequences— Imminent disaster—Day of reckoning—Yikes!

What a case for “mindfulness”!

I couldn’t help noticing though, that the trap always closes. The aim isn’t to escape the trap, it’s to escape the sudden surprise of discovering that we’re caught in it.

What’s needful is to keep our heads; to pay attention; to stand and deliver; to cut our losses. The only escape possible is that of breaking free of our worrying over all-the-things-about-to-happen.

Our task is just to stand fast in the presence of all Humanity; to know how to put our compassion in gear without having to understand what can’t be understood.

Our duty is to keep calm and carry on without scrambling frantically to atone for all our self-indulgent wastefulness, or sinking helplessly into heartache over all that we imagine we have lost.

There’s a closing gatha in Zen sitting practice that seems to fit neatly here at the end of my maundering:

ATTENTION! ATTENTION!

LET ME RESPECTFULLY REMIND YOU— 

LIFE AND DEATH ARE OF SUPREME IMPORTANCE.

 

TIME PASSES SWIFTLY BY

AND OPPORTUNITY IS LOST.

 

EACH OF US MUST STRIVE TO AWAKEN.

AWAKEN!

DO NOT SQUANDER YOUR LIFE!