The Seasons: A Poem

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Sunrise over Amazing Grasses Family Farm The mad Artist wields His brush, Painted colors rush, To life and give flush, Before the quiet autumn hush. The life seems to pour, As colors fall to the floor, To be seen no more, Outside the dark, grey door. Brightness from below, Sun upon the snow, High, cold clouds blow, Flakes and ice appear to grow. The man melts with little seen, Underneath, pale, grey green, Hides life in dark unseen, Waits for warmth and to careen. Buds on branches show, Patience starts to grow, Trickles, streams and veins flow, Bringing fruits of melted snow. Sprung to life it springs, Bees, birds, sound rings, Lush green flings, Its gift bounty brings. Green growth gives one last rush, Underneath the Painter's brush. The mad Artist wields His brush, before the quiet autumn hush. More poetry is available from James M. Hahn in  The Last Dragon and Other Poems  available now. My new book of cryptogram puzzles " Secret Messages from the Saints " is avai
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Are you ready?

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What are your plans for the next twelve hours of your life? Will you be going to school today? Do you have plans to go to the store or perhaps to Mass? Are you going to go to high school football game tonight? What goals do you have for work or for home today? Are you planning on calling a friend? Do you have intentions of going out to eat with the family this evening? What are your goals or plans for the next twelve hours, the next six hours, the next hour of your life?

With all of these plans that we make, do we plan on not being able to fulfill those plans due to our death? Are we ready to go and meet the Lord? If today is the day, if the time for you or I to pass on to eternity is at 9:24 this morning or this evening, are we ready?

In today's Gospel and in many places throughout the New Testament we are told to be ready. In fact, for the next four or five weeks we will be reminded to "be ready" in the Sunday readings. We are told that the Lord will come "like a thief at night." Paul encourages us to be "blameless for the coming of the our Lord" and "the day of the Lord will come like a thief." The call to be ready is constant.

Of course it is natural, in our fallen state, to be fearful of death. However, we must ask ourselves why. Are we fearful of leaving that which we love behind or are we fearful of having the Lord see and judge our soul as it stands this very moment? Either way, our answer demands change.

Jesus tells us, "Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it." Whoever clings to this life and the things in it will lose out in the rewards of eternal life. Our goal for today, for right now, is to work on detaching ourselves from our disordered loves in this life. We can enjoy the things of this world. We can love those God has placed in our lives. However, we must not love any of these so much that we would rather cling to them than give ourselves to Christ.

If we are fearful of having the Lord judge our soul at this very moment we must run to Reconciliation. We cannot put it off till tomorrow or next week or the Advent Penance Service. We know neither the day nor the hour. Let us not fear the day of the Lord but be ready for it whether it be in ten minutes, ten years, or 100 years. Let us seek to live in a constant state of grace always ready "waiting in joyful hope for the coming of the Lord."

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