During the exams we would always hear the words of our professor, “Finished or not finished, pass your prayers.” If we did well, we were happy, but if we feel we did not do well, those words were such a dread. 

Perhaps these words too are the words of Jesus about our journey on earth, “Finished or not finished, we give to the Lord an accounting of our life.” 

Hence, a common challenge of the Gospel is to always be prepared. Three ways we can always be prepared based on the Gospel:

1. Stay Awake. We can see, but are we seeing; we can hear but are we listening; we may talk but are we making sense. We may be alive but are we living? How do we stay awake, while remembering what really matters in life and what is fleeting? In the eyes of eternity, are the things we are doing important or passing?
2. For We Do Not Know Which Day the Lord Will Come. The biggest illusion in life is time. Yesterday is past, tomorrow is still something we hope for and the only time we have is now. Hence live life to the fullest. Live at the moment. 
3. Faithful and Prudent Servant. In the end, we will be giving the Lord an accounting of how we have lived our lives. We will give to the Lord an accounting of how we have used the time, talent, and treasure that was only lent to us. In the end, how much have we bore fruit by being a blessing to others?

In today’s Mass, we remember our loved ones who passed away. Many of the blessings we have are because of their love and sacrifices. 

We too, pray for our own selves. May we always be prepared by staying awake, remembering God’s time is different, and being good stewards.

In closing let me share a quote by St. Ignatius of Loyola regardless of what circumstance of life we find ourselves in: “How insignificant earth seems to be when I think of heaven.”