Today’s Reading: Matthew 24:3-51; 25:1-46; Mark 13:1-31, 34-37; Luke 21:8-36

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen! I hope that everyone enjoyed a special Remembrance Day with family and friends.

Imagine that you and some friends were going to a magnificent ball or a fancy dinner. You are carpooling with nine other people, but the driver has not shown up quite yet to take you. While the group is waiting, they take out their cell phones and begin fiddling with them. After some time, about five of them realize that their battery is really low and they won’t be able to use their phones any more. Five of the people brought chargers because they knew that it was going to be a long wait. The five with dying batteries ask to use the chargers, but are refused and told to go back home and get theirs. While those five are gone, the driver shows up and takes the five waiting to the event. Sadly, the five without chargers were foolish and ones who thought to bring theirs, were the wise ones.

Okay, this is a little far-fetched. I tried to modernize the story of the ten virgin brides waiting for their Bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13), but I’m hoping that I didn’t blaspheme. Anyway, the point is that five were prepared and did not need to leave their waiting place to remain prepared. They thought ahead and prepared what they believed they would need. Jesus was referring to His bride in this parable, that’s us, waiting for His soon return. It is imminent.

Jesus goes through a series of examples of what the end of times would be like. He even shares some signs that prelude it. He speaks about how no one, not even He, knows the time that He will return. He urges people to be prepared. That is the thing that stuck out to me the most. Jesus was calling everyone to be prepared for His coming. How often do we think of that? Do we believe that He is coming any day? Do we forget that He is coming? Are we caught up in the world so much that we forget that heaven is our final resting place? When I think of being prepared, I do not only think of telling others about Jesus, though that is a very important task, I think of how I am living at the time and ask myself if God would be pleased? Am I honoring God in my conduct, thoughts and heart? Will I be prepared to meet the Creator of the universe? I suspect not, but I do not believe that means that we should sit back and just wait. As the parable of the talents allude, Jesus wants us to do what we can with what He has given us. He wants to be able to say “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

So, how are you preparing for the coming of the King?