A Reflection for Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Find today’s readings here.
In today’s Gospel there are two groups: those who are prepared and those who aren’t. Those who are prepared are rewarded and invited into the feast by the bridegroom, while those who are not prepared are forced to miss out and receive no reward.
In my life, I like to think that I am a prepared person. Even if impatience wins some of the time, I try to think through big decisions, I do not act irrationally and I always check and double check to make sure I have everything I need while packing for a trip. That being said, I do not often contemplate my spiritual preparedness. Am I prepared for God?
I like to think I am. I work in Campus Ministry on my college campus. I try to treat each person I meet with kindness. I do what I can to make sure I am doing things that will change the world for the better. Yet I, of course, have pitfalls. There are times I act selfishly. I will sometimes make a decision based on what I want rather than what is best for the world and my community. So the question must be asked: How do I know if I am prepared for God?
In my heart, I do not think that you can ever stop preparing for God. There are always things that you can do to prepare better, just like you always forget the toothbrush or pair of socks you need on a trip. Even if I live my life as completely in touch with God as possible, I still do not think I would feel prepared. God challenges us to continue to preparing and “stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour.” It is important to prepare constantly, as it’s hard to predictwhen the preparation will come into play.
God is not asking me to be perfect either. Instead, God is calling me to continue to prepare and to work on living in God’s image. As with a suitcase missing one or two items, it is still possible to have a great trip. What you do not want is an empty bag that ruins the trip and makes you turn back home.
What that means is that I will continue to pack my spiritual suitcase. If an item or two accidentally gets misplaced along the way that’s ok as long as I don’t dump it on the bed and leave it empty. As I continue to pack, I can only hope that I have prepared enough to last for the trip.
