Are you anxious about the end – the end of your life or the end of the world?

Rather than being gripped with fear, trying to find out ‘how’ and ‘when’ it all ends, from ‘visionaries’ that claim to have access to God’s secret calendar, the Gospel suggests that we prepare wisely now.

We could learn much from the wise virgins, in the Gospel parable, who took enough oil to keep their lamps burning. While the lamps represent faith, the oil would represent good works; a lamp without oil is like faith without good works — dead and useless! In the same way, every Christian is called to persevere in good works to keep faith alive. Then, we are ready and prepared for the end always, no matter when the Lord chooses to come.

The first reading from Wisdom reminds us that the wise choose to do all it takes to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best; fools only hope for the best and do not prepare for the worst possibility.

So, are you ready?