Let me start with my homily by asking you this simple
question: Since it is a simple question,
the answer also is very simple. What is it that continues to fly without
stopping? It keeps on flying. The
flight is long but in reality it is short, and this waits for no one?
It is not a bird, not
an airplane nor a rocket, but yes, the correct answer is time, o panahon. Time flies and as it flies and
flies without end sometimes we realize, it is actually, too short. And then
time waits for no man! You cannot say, “wait, wait!” Sometimes we would want
that time would be suspended! But no, it goes on and on and on.
Time flies too fast,
time is too short, time waits for no man. In our life, sometimes we say, “I
cannot help you, I have no time!” Or sometimes we say, “You are spending
much time watching television” or “ you are just wasting your time ” or they "never have time
for others.” There are some children who
say, they don’t have time for their parents while they are still alive but,
when the parents die suddenly the
children come to see their parents lying in the coffin and can no longer speak
nor even embrace them.
Now, is
the time to do what you are expected to do!
It is now the time to express your love for other people. You notice time is very much a part of our
lives. In fact in the book of Ecclesiastes, it is written, there is a time for
everything. A time to be born, and a time to die. A time to sleep, and a time
to work. A time to eat, a time to play, and many other things. There is a time
for everything!
Jesus in
a parable told a story, that God planted us in this world .We are the ones whom
God had planted here on earth. We are planted in the orchard – the Church. And
God is the gardener who takes care of the plants – he waters us ,he nourishes
us with the Word of God, with the Sacraments and with prayers. These are the
ones that God is giving us in order for us to bear fruit. What does God expects
to see in us. He expects us to bear fruit, just like the fig tree, God wants to
see some fruits in due season! He wants that when he comes to us, He would
find fruits!
And what kind of fruits he expects from us? Good actions
that would be most pleasing to Him. For example, he would see in us a person who loves, who has concern, helpful, patient,
forgiving and compassionate especially to the poor. All the good things that we
can know of, that we can think of, in imitation of Jesus!
Especially when the time comes for all of us to be called
by God, which is at the hour of our death where no one knows when it will come,
Supposed it is at this very moment? Can God see any good deeds we have done, which will merit our entry to God’s Kingdom?
Or is it the case where, when we
are called we will answer , “no, Lord wait, wait! Give me more time!” But there will be no more time. And time will not wait
on anyone! So we ask for God to help us and so we say, Lord help us do the
things we ought to do, and let it be now, and not postpone it any minute longer
, for we may never have the time
anymore! Amen.