A Message from Kahu Alan Akana

“Are You Ready?”

“Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25:13)

On Sunday we talked about getting ready and being prepared for the many ways God shows up in our lives. I am a preparer by nature. I know not everyone is, but whether preparation comes naturally to you or you have to work harder than others at it, I think it is especially important that we are always ready for the many ways God shows up in our lives—especially the unexpected and surprising ways.

We focused our attention on Jesus’ Parable of the Ten Virgins. They were ready for the bridegroom to show up at his normally scheduled time; but not all of them were not ready at all at midnight when he actually did show up. By the time he arrived, they were out of oil for their lamps, so they left. So Jesus said, “Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” This is another way of saying, “Pay attention and be ready,” which begs the question, “Pay attention and be ready for what?”

The answer is found all over Matthew’s Gospel. As the biblical scholar Warren Carter tells us, Matthew is a comparison of the Roman Empire to an altogether new way of being in the world, which Jesus refers to as the “Empire of Heaven.” In the Roman Empire, few people enjoy wealth, enough food, adequate healthcare; and the people on the margins of society are ignored and forgotten. In the Empire of Heaven, there is enough to go around for everyone, and all people are valuable and included. So the answer really is, “Pay attention to the many surprising ways that Jesus shows up in the needs of others, and to the many opportunities to include people who are often excluded.”

In my sermon, I mentioned that there are two important ways that this message is particularly relevant today. First of all, many governments in the world act like the Roman Empire by operating as if their job is to assure that the wealthy have more than enough and the people on the margins have very little of what may be left over; they also ignore people on the margins altogether. As followers of Jesus, we can not only do our best to change such structures, but we can also connect with the marginalized people in our world and offer them our compassionate presence.

Secondly, as the holidays approach, we can remind ourselves (in the midst of preparing for all of the traditions which we hold dear) to prepare ourselves to notice the people around us who may otherwise be forgotten. Our Thanksgiving dinner boxes are one way we can do that as we help feed hungry families in our community. Yet, I am sure we will find many other opportunities to share God’s love in tangible ways if we are committed to being ready for the unexpected and surprising ways God will show up!

Aloha nui!

Kahu Alan Akana

P.S. Please see “Weekly News of the Church” to learn more about making a gift to Pacific School of Religion where I serve on the Board of Trustees.