“Carry out the little duty of each moment: do what you ought and concentrate on what you are doing.” (Saint Josemaría).
The other day, I heard a story about a young man who had died very suddenly and as I listened to this very sad story of the grief of the family that he left behind, I also began to think about my late father-in-law.
Almost forty years ago, my father-in-law went out to work in the morning, and did not live to return home in the afternoon. His children went to school that morning, saying goodbye to their father, and came home in the afternoon to see him laid out in a coffin.
And that was how quickly his earthly life was ended.
And I have been praying for the repose of his soul as I have been reflecting on this…
You see, stories like this one and the story I heard the other day, remind me that I must always be alert – for we truly do not know the “the day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24:44).
Once, when Saint Charles Borneo was playing chess with some other priests, the men started talking about death. One of the priests asked the others what they would do if they knew that they had only one hour left to live. One of the priests replied that he would go straight to a priest to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Another said he would go into the church and begin to pray. A third priest said that he would start to offer sacrifices to atone for sin. Saint Charles Borneo remained silent. Finally, the other priests prompted him, asking what he would do. The Saint merely smiled and said, “If I only had an hour left to live, I would continue playing chess.”
And I have been thinking about that as I think about my life and my preparation for death. You see, this is not the first time I have heard that sort of response in the face of death…
Saint Faustina wrote in her diary of speaking to an elderly nun about her impending death. She asked the nun whether she was afraid of dying. The old lady replied that she had spent her life preparing for her death and that now she no longer had anything to fear because she was completely prepared! In other words, just as Saint Charles Borneo would be fine to continue playing chess if he had an hour left to live – because he was prepared for death – so too would this elderly nun be able to continue living her life because she was also prepared.
You see, to be a Saint is not an accident. It does not happen by chance. Sanctity is a mission – the mission of all of us. But the problem is that most of us are too lazy and undisciplined to both with the preparation required to become a saint.
And Christ knows that the temptation for such a thing is very great because He warned us, “But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36).
And in understanding that anything could happen and my earthly life could end at any time, I take heed of the words of Saint Josemaría who asked, “Do you really want to be a saint?” And answered his own question by saying, “Carry out the little duty of each moment: do what you ought and concentrate on what you are doing.” For it is only in doing that, that I shall be able to continue playing chess if I only have hours left to live.
For that is the example that my Beloved provided. For when He knew that He had only hours left to live – on Holy Thursday – by Beloved washed feet…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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