Daily Scripture and Reflection

Keeping a Clean Slate

Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

“While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!' But he said in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.' Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” (Matthew 25 10-13)

The statement “for you know neither the day nor the hour” has always been very ominous to me. We’ve all heard stories of someone tragically killed in an accident. “I just talked to them this week!” Or someone who has passed away due to a sudden illness. “They looked great when I saw them last week!”

Our lives are not guaranteed. We don’t know the day nor the hour when our lives will end. It’s not something I think about a lot but there are times when I do think about it.

In today’s tense and hectic world, it’s easy to overlook others or not treat them well. Did I treat that person properly or did I treat them as insignificant? Do I have grudges or anger toward someone? Was I short or non-responsive to a coworker? Those are the kinds of things that make me think about my mortality. I don’t want to leave this world having not righted a wrong I did to someone. I don’t want to carry a grudge to my grave. If someone has wronged me, I need to forgive them. I want to treat everyone with respect and dignity.

Trying to keep that slate clean is a challenge but it is a challenge worth taking on because when I lay my head down to sleep tonight, I’m not guaranteed tomorrow.