READY
“And should he come in the second or third watch and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.” – Luke 12:38
When my father passed away in October 2012, it happened in the most
peaceful way possible. He took one last breath and silently went back to
the Lord. I remember he told me when I was young that if a man dies
peacefully, it meant he was already at peace with God. I
can’t imagine Dad’s passing being more evident of such a truth.
When he met the Lord in 1988, his life changed completely. He started
playing praise music in the house and in the car (which I initially
found really weird!) and he prayed every single day. He got up early in
the morning to read the Bible and have his quiet time with God. He
served the Lord with all his might. And he led us to do the same.
And every time he would get sick or have heavy chest pains, he would
say to all of us so nonchalantly, “It’s OK, I can die anytime.” That
really irritated me. I felt like he was teasing us but it wasn’t funny
to me at all. He kept saying this even until the last few weeks of his
life. But it was only in those times, when I saw him so resigned to his
fate, that I really understood where he was coming from. He wasn’t
afraid of death. He was totally at peace with God. He was ready.
I pray I would have the same confidence when my time comes. George Tolentino Gabriel (george.svp@gmail.com)
Reflection: Are you waiting for something drastic to happen before you completely surrender your life to God?
Lord, may I live and love as if each day were my last.
St. Hilarion, pray for us.
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