Before it's too late

Have you ever faced a situation where people warn you not to wait for the last minute before acting, before doing something? Children doing homework can often fall victim to this kind of warning. Adults facing deadlines for assignments of various kinds can also know this kind of pressure, and the temptation to sloth can be devastating if we give into it, believing that we always have 'enough time' to finish the task at hand.

The Lenten period is trotting right along. We have already completed four weeks, and are almost at the mid-point of the fifth week. Before long we will find ourselves at the end of this week (Palm Sunday is this coming Sunday) and then it's Holy Week.

At the beginning of Lent, we set ourselves any number of tasks, meant to help us face the demons that can hold us prisoner. This is the time to free ourselves from this slavery and to change ourselves in some way so that we can be more truthful about ourselves, honest about the journey we are walking and compassionate toward others who are also en route. Now is the time to make a difference, but if we procrastinate for much longer, this grace period will be gone. Now, perhaps we will have another occasion in the future, but the point is that we should never waste any of these chances.

In biblical times, it took a battle with serpents to wake the people up to their sloth. I wonder what it will take for us to come to our senses. Facing the obstinacy of the Pharisees, Jesus told them that their time was almost up, and that once he was gone, they may very well die in their sin. Let's not wait for such dire words to be spoken about us before we're willing to change our hearts, to amend our ways, and to see others with eyes of compassion and love.