Recent news out of Florida (a hurricane) and Hawaii and locally here in the Northwest (wildfires) has reminded us that the daily news media is full of reports of lives being cut short by accident, illness or violence. Any of us could be one of those victims, young or not so young, in perfect health or not, nonetheless with a whole life, however long, before us. But, as the Irish say, “the Lord calls when He calls.”
In light of Matthew 25, 1-13, the parable of the Bridesmaids, a key question for all of us is: will we have “oil in our lamps?” That is, what will we be able to show the Lord in terms of Gospel-centered living? Maybe we think the “wise” young women in the parable were selfish not to have shared their oil, but there are some things which we have to bring to the Lord on our own. We cannot borrow the good life that someone else has led – such a life has to be totally ours.
Clearly, the best way to prepare is not to think anxiously of the future, but to concentrate on the here and now. Are we willing to learn to live totally in the present, to seek and find God there? If we can do that, then all the rest will take care of itself, right? And, whether the Groom arrives early or late, it will not matter – because He has been constantly part of our everyday lives. Is that not, by far, the best way to spend our days?
