We clearly don’t know the date or time when we will be called home.But Jesus clearly tells us to be prepared! So how do we do this? How do we prepare?
When I was three years old I became diabetic! Taking insulin anywhere from 1 to 2 times a day depending on physical activity, eating habits and strength of the insulin. Back then the syringe needles were huge and the whole syringe had to be sterilized after each use, they were painful. And a single syringe was used as much as 5000 times, can you imagine how dull it was becoming.
Sometimes when you break into a new vial of insulin it may be a little stronger than the batch you used yesterday. Thanks to modern medicine things have become much more helpful. So anytime I left the house I had to be prepared in-case I might have low blood sugar, so I kept a couple pieces of candy in my pocket most of my life, just so I wouldn’t have an insulin reaction. It was my way of preparing for an unchosen scenario. I wasn’t ready to meet God yet!
So how about us, are we ready to meet God? As many of you know, having a health issue at any point and time during your life means you have to make changes. You have to adapt to it, become knowledgeable with your health issue, medicine and lifestyle changes and prepare the best you can, we need to make the best of choices for ourselves and for our loved ones because it is the right thing to do, but it’s also a matter of the Lord giving us time to prepare mentally and spiritually to meet Him! So, let’s take advantage of this time. Time is a gift from God to make things right with Him and others. God is a gift!
Personally, I believe it is much more difficult to make changes as we get older because we tend to get set in our ways. At this point we need to go cold turkey to meet our current needs for better health, or we may keep up our old habits that have been engrained in us since we were young, maybe resulting in a sooner time when the Lord will come.
So, how do we prepare for the coming of the Lord? During the Advent Season we are called to prepare for the coming of the Lord when we celebrate his birth on Christmas Day, and his return, for the Gospel tells us, “We know not the day or time.”
First of all, everyone here has a great start. You are here because you have faith! Jesus and the Eucharist are calling you to come to him. So, you not only listen to his call, but you acted on it. Graces to you all! But we are called to so much more.
We are called to participate in the Mass, we are called to have a closer relationship with Jesus, by completely giving of ourselves to him, through prayer, works, reconciliation etc..
In my earlier days in my 20’s and 30’s I didn’t know God and I had no relationship with him. Then one day I had a conversion of heart and now I can’t possibly get enough Jesus in my life. My relationship with him changed for the better and my relationship with my friends and family were also getting better, I was going through a complete change of lifestyle.
I suddenly had the drive to completely give myself over to God. I trusted him fully and now have a faith in him greater than ever. Now, I am prepared for the day he comes with open arms. Like St. Paul says, “Death is gain.” He says this because he knows he will live with Christ in heaven for all eternity. Nothing but eternal joy and happiness, and to be here is a separation from him. Do we know we will be with Christ when he comes for us? Let’s start now.
We are called to live with Jesus Christ forever. When we live with Christ we will not miss anything here on Earth, nothing, because we will be like Christ, we will be full of grace and lacking in nothing.
And the great thing is, we can all do the same as St. Paul, we have a great start just in being here today. But it’s only the start! We become prepared by making it a habit. So, let’s all make best choices, to be prepared by having a deep-rooted faith in Christ which will guide you like it says in our first reading today. I can tell you he never disappoints. So, let’s put all our faith and trust in God.
May God Bless you all!
Happy Advent!
