19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Wis 18:6-9
Heb 11:1-2,8-19
Lk 12:32-48
“See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit.”
One of the motivational quotes we may hear is that ‘Chance favours only the prepared mind.’ I googled who said it and if it was part of a another quote. What I discovered is that Louis Pasteur said, ‘Where observation is concerned, chance favours only the prepared mind.’ I’ve been thinking about this quote as I read the Gospel. Because what I read from the Bible and what I know from personal experience is that God prepares us. It is up to us if we get ourselves ready, as much as God is getting us ready. And things will go as God planned.
I’d like to invite you to think of the turning points or big moments in your life. And perhaps, ask God to reveal to you how he has prepared you for those moments. And then perhaps reflect on how receptive you were to the preparations God was making for you. I can think of two moments in my life.
One pivotal moment of my life was coming to Singapore to study. When was in high school, I was told of the scholarship opportunity to Singapore in February. Back then, I didn’t even know of Singapore. It was also a time when not everyone had an internet connection at home, so when I was told of the opportunity, I opened a physical encyclopaedia and read about Singapore. However, by the time I was given the form, I realised that the deadline had passed and I was one grade below the requirement. So, I didn’t think of it much until the application form was given to me again in August, this time, for the next batch. Because God had hinted to me earlier on, I became mentally prepared to pursue studying in Singapore.
The next event occurred when I was having a picnic with my friends in a park. In the midst of eating, three well-dressed people carrying bibles approached our group. They wanted to preach to us about Jesus. I actually felt uneasy for them because we were a group of seven, and six of us were catechists. In my mind, they were walking into the lion’s den — like they could not have picked a better group. So, they started asking if we were certain that we were saved and that we would reach heaven. It turned our picnic turned into a full-blown ‘apology session’. We eventually ended up praying for Christian unity. That encounter would have been a different story if none of us were ready to share about our faith.
I have many, many more experiences where I knew God prepared me for the moment. Sadly, I could not say that I prepared myself for those moments. But I’ve witnessed enough to have faith that while God is asking us to get dressed and have our lamps ready, he has readied us first.
Brothers and sisters, I pray that you can spend today discovering those moments.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Stephanie Villa)
Prayer: Lord, please give me the grace to allow myself to be prepared by you.
Thanksgiving: Thank you, Lord, for giving me the graces I need, the people I need, the help that I need for all the moments of my life.
OXYGEN 
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