Drawn, Not Dragged- April 21, 2026

Watchfulness without Anxiety — Reading Matthew 24
When we hear the words of Christ in Gospel of Matthew 24 one can become confused, anxious and or even desirous of a firm playbook and roadmap. Wars. Rumors of wars. Famines. Earthquakes. Betrayal. Persecution. And then that striking phrase: “the abomination of desolation.” This it not fluffy reading. And yet, the Church does not receive Christ’s word as a code to crack—but as a call to live.

Christ Jesus reveals these events as “the beginning of birth pains.” That image matters. Why? Because birth pains are
real, unavoidable, increasing, but not the end—they lead to life. So, what Christ has given to the Church does not invite calculation, but interpretation through hope. The world is not spiraling into chaos without meaning—creation is groaning in labour toward its fulfillment in Christ! As St. John Chrysostom writes: Christ speaks this way not to terrify, but to steady His disciples, so they are not scandalized when suffering comes.

With this in mind, many would still like to know the “due date”. But here lies a temptation: curiosity turning into control. Vigilance can quietly become something else. Jesus says plainly: “Of that day and hour no one knows… but the Father only.” And yet, across history, people have been tempted to: interpret every crisis as the sign, calculate timelines, claim secret insight. The faithful Church consistently resists this. Why? Because trying to pin down the moment subtly replaces trust with control. St. Ephraim the Syrian warns that those who chase signs often lose sight of repentance. The heart shifts from “Lord, have mercy” to “I think I’ve figured this out.” And that deception is a far more dangerous than wars or earthquakes.

But: “What about the “Abomination of Desolation” The Church does not reduce this to a single, simplistic event. Yes, it has roots in history (such as the desecration of the Temple). Yes, it points forward to ultimate rebellion against God. But the Church also widen the lens: the “abomination” is anything or anyone that places itself where God alone belongs: in the Temple, in the Church, in the human heart (the temple of the Holy Spirit). In that sense, this is not only future but is always near.

If not prediction, then what? Christ’s command is simple: “Watch.” And now as is said in the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding…”comes a from a the Greek a word” nepsis which means watchfulness of the heart, the centre of our being. Not anxiety. Not speculation. But a steady, attentive readiness. St. Maximus the Confessor teaches that true watchfulness is not scanning the horizon for signs, but guarding the inner temple—so that Christ finds us awake, not distracted. As we hear in Matthew 24, Christ is not dragging His disciples into fear. He is drawing them into faithful endurance.

“The coming of the Son of Man will be like lightning.” …sudden, unmistakable, final, but not random! The Church holds this tension: we do not know when but we are always being prepared. Every Liturgy proclaims this-in the Creed, and in the Eucharistic prayers: His appearing again in glory. Not calculating. Not fearing but looking. So how do we live in Christ’s Light of Matthew 24? Not with charts. Not with endless speculation or apocalyptic timelines. But with: repentance -daily turning of the heart to God, faithfulness-in small, ordinary obedience), endurance-through any suffering for and with Christ without despair and hope-that Christ has overcome the world and is not subject to it. So then, the true question is not: “When will He return?” But: “Will He find me faithful when He returns?” The Church holds this Mystery in tension: already unfolding, not yet fulfilled and always calling us deeper. And in that Mystery we are not driven-we are drawn-completely free to respond.

A Short Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, You who know the end from the beginning, keep our hearts from fear and from pride.
Teach us to watch—not with anxious eyes, but with steady faith. That whenever You return, we may be found in You.
Amen.

Fr. Ray Dobson
Parish of Holy Trinity, Clearview ©2026