“Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Mt 25: 13)

Serendipitously, the Church has associated the end of liturgical year with the month of November – a time to remember the dead and also a good time to examine how well we have done with our own lives. The order for this month is “Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour,” (Mt 25: 13). As Christ’s disciples, we are exhorted to prepare, and to be vigilant for second coming of the Lord.

The Theme for the first week is: We stay awake and are vigilant for the Lord’s second coming when we seek to know and follow God’s will. This week’s parable tells of two types of bridesmaids: the wise and the foolish. The foolish ones are excluded from the wedding feast and remain shut out in the dark. We may consider this an excessively severe punishment, but the parable is not about the last minute rush or dash to catch up, or as in the case of the foolish bridesmaids, a last minute effort to secure extra oil for their lamps, but about how we view the invitation for us to take our place in the kingdom of God. Admission to the banquet of eternal life should not be taken for granted. Christ teaches us through this parable that the day of the Lord may come suddenly, like a thief in the night. And Wisdom 6:12-16, tells us that we should put first things first, making our first priority the pursuit of what matters the most.

In this world of uncertainties only one thing is certain – death. We do not know the day or the hour of this appointment we cannot cancel. Hence we focus on what is important in our life. If we live with no thought about what direction our life is taking, death may catch us unaware with no oil for our spiritual lamp. Are we prepared for the Master’s return? As we advert to death and dying in November, may we come to see that every day is grace – the more time to know Jesus more fully. And when the Lord comes, may our lamps be burning brightly to illuminate Christ, the Bridegroom, and we have sufficient oil to keep the flame burning all the time.

The second week gives us another sobering parable, that of the talents and how three individuals deal with them.. This week’s theme is: “We stay awake and are vigilant for the Lord’s second coming when we make good use of the gifts and talents given us for the glory of God.” This parable is about judgment and accountability. There is a side to us which identifies with the insecurity of the man who is severely punished for his laziness in not wisely using God’s gifts. The gospel is a forthright reminder that the gifts of God are not ours to dispense with as we please. Neither does it suffice to hide them away, leave them unused or allow them to wither. As Christians, we are stewards of whatever gifts we are given, and we are expected to make full use of them for the glory of God, perhaps through the BLD mission. This is a call to be energetic and active in living the gospel.

The first reading from the book of Proverbs extols the gifts of the virtuous wife, not in spectacular deeds but in small, yet meaningful actions like caring for a spouse, managing a home and keeping a family together. It is in making the best of use of the 3 T’s (Time, Talent & Treasure) that we can serve God completely and diligently. When shared with others, these 3 T’s are the way to offer back to the Father what he has given us. Jesus teaches us to live in a fruitful manner because each of us is accountable to God as stewards of his gifts. We pray for the grace to choose well and prepare well for the day we know will inevitably come to us all.

The last week of the month, we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King, the Good Shepherd of all the earth. The feast brings the church’s year to a close, and with it comes as the reminder that the cycle of our own lives here on earth will also reach its completion. The end of the year is review time and gives us the opportunity to take stock of our lives as individuals and as members of God’s community. This week’s parable of judging the sheep and goats takes on exceptional importance as a metaphor for the final judgement and presents us with choice of being for or against Christ. There is no in between. God is going to judge us on the works of mercy we perform in response to the poor. Our theme for this week is “We stay awake and are vigilant for the Lord’s second coming when we respond to the needs of the poor.”

One thing is certain, there will no excuses on the last day. “Whatever you do to least of these, you are doing to me, what you failed to do for them, you failed to do for me.” These words are both disturbing and comforting because they give us proof of how much we love the Lord.

As the world around us is placed into our hands in trust and stewardship, Christianity lays the burden on us, as in Matthew 25: 35 – 36 “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

Aside from helping provide such basic necessities as those mentioned above, we, in the Community, are challenged to do even small intangible acts of mercy, including giving words of encouragement, acknowledgement and recognition to the deserving, smiling and greeting the poor to convey to them a sense of warmth and acceptance, and to make them feel valued. Christ, our King and Good Shepherd will become real when we reach out and show our concern for the welfare and dignity of the least of our brethren. Let your heart be your guide in sharing of your time, talents and treasures with those of the less fortunate. When all is said and done, what really matters is your answer to the question: “Have I done enough? Have I been Christ to others?” The answer will tell you the truth about yourself, the depth of your faith, and your eternal destiny.

The month of November is a good time to reflect upon our end, not as gloomy preoccupation with death, but an appreciation of life with a healthy dose of Christian realism. It is also an opportune time to see the areas of possible change and improvement, and the missed chances and opportunities we have to take action now, working with God’s grace for the establishment of his kingdom. This month leads us to Advent – a time to prepare for the coming of Christ.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, help us to show your goodness, warmth and kindness to all we meet, so that when we are called to render an account of our lives, we may not be found wanting, but rather pleasing in your sight, having had the grace of obeying your every direction to the fullest possible extent in our life, as we continue to invite you to be the Lord and King of our lives now and forever. Amen.

 

 

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