42 Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. 43 Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. 44 So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
45 “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. 47 Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, 50 the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour 51 and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. (Matt 24:42-51)
PREPARING FOR A HOLY DEATH
Jay was fifteen, an athletic lad who played football and joined long distance races. He was enjoyed the company of his friends and was a favorite among his classmates because of his happy disposition.
Toward the end of Junior High, Jay was diagnosed with cancer, like his mother who died a couple of years earlier. This blow came as he was about to enter the prime of his life. How much suffering he had when his left leg had to be amputated from the thigh—more emotional than physical! No more running; no more football.
It was pandemic time. Jay joined his classmates for the daily online classes. He remained the life of the section where he belonged. He sought that things be as ordinary as possible. At this point, school was not anymore towards having a career but to relieve him of the pain that his illness was bringing.
I was requested to anoint our young student. We did the rite at the living room that had become Jay’s room. Around us were family and friends. When it was the time for confession, the others left and Jay made a good confession after which he asked if we could talk further. In our conversation he asked me a question which struck me very much: “Father, how do I prepare for a holy death?” I gave some suggestions—do not be afraid to tell others that you love them, savor your moments with your classmates and friends, talk to God before you go to bed. The answers I gave did not matter to me. The question was important. Here was a young man concerned about a holy death. I thought to myself, I should prepare for my own death even if I do not know when it would come. Wisdom, indeed, from a young man! Jay would die a few week later.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. Death may come any time. How am I preparing for a holy death?
2. Since everything I have is the property of the Master, what am I doing as a responsible steward?
Lord, may you find me to be a faithful and prudent servant at the end of my life.
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