This Sunday marks the beginning of Advent, a season in the church calendar that, in similar fashion to Lent, is a time for spiritual preparations and reparations. It is in this spirit of preparation/reparation that Jesus admonishes his listeners to watch and be ready for the unexpected and unpredictable return of the Messiah. Jesus' immediate concern here, in what stands as one of his final discourses with his disciples, is to prepare them for the tumultuous events about to unfold in Jerusalem. The texts preceding today's gospel reading focus on some of the miraculous signs and heavenly portents that will light the world before the Messiah makes his return. Yet, just when Jesus seems to be advocating the imminence of these wondrous events (see Matthew 24:34), he suddenly steps back from co…