Saturday of Week 34 Year 1

Death is something which will happen to all of us one day, but as to exactly when and how we will die, we do not know. All we know is that death will come "like a thief in the night," so sudden and so unexpected. It can be quite an unnerving and a shocking feeling and experience, where you are just talking and joking with a person one minute and the next minute the person suffers a stroke and dies. You become numb and you could hardly believe what has happened. The person was just so alive and kicking a few moments ago and now the person is gone forever. Yes, that is how fast and how sudden death can be.

This is why, in today's Gospel, Jesus reminds us that we should always be ready and prepared. We should not be caught off-guard when the Lord calls us. Yet, how do we prepare for something which is so unpredictable as death? Perhaps one way we could prepare for death is to live a good life, so that we would, as far as possible, be ready for a good death. Living a good life does not mean things would be easy or straightforward, but what is important is we keep on trying and remain as consistent as possible, relying on God's grace and strength to guide us through. May we not waste the many opportunities God gives us to live good lives, and remain in His love and care.