Think Jesus, not presents

It's only November, but the stores are already filled with Christmas stuff. Even TV commercials show toys and other Christmas presents. But it's so early to get ready for Christmas!

It might be silly to get ready for Christmas now, but there's something else we should get ready for: Jesus' coming back. In this week's Gospel (Matthew 25:1-13), Jesus warns us about it.

"The coming of the kingdom of heaven," said Jesus, "will be like ten girls who took lamps lit with oil outside to meet a man for a party. Only five girls brought extra oil. By the time the man got there, the foolish girls had to go get more oil. When they got back, the party had started without them and the doors were locked." Jesus added: "Be ready, then, because you don't know when the kingdom of heaven will come."

Jesus gave us a better idea: If we want to get ready for something, get ready for the day He comes back -- when the "kingdom of heaven" comes. Since we don't know when that will be, we have to always be ready by treating other people well, praying to God and being good.

Commercials and Christmas stuff in stores make people think they'll miss Christmas if they don't get ready now. But you know Christmas always comes, even if you don't think about presents in November.

The girls in Jesus' story learned a lesson, too. The ones whose lamps were filled up with oil -- the way we "fill up" with God by praying and listening to Jesus -- got to go to a party with the man, who was really Jesus.

But the ones who didn't listen to God's warning got left outside, where it was as cold as Christmas!

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, help me be ready for important things like meeting you, instead of worrying about Christmas presents! Amen.

(11-04-99)