Make Hay While the Sun Shines (Tuesday, Week 34, Year 2, St Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions)

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Those who farm know very well that there will be a harvest time. Out of what is harvested, the good will be gathered into the barn or storeroom while the bad will be gathered to be disposed either by burning or by whatever means pleasing to the farmer. Before the harvest, in the course of the growth and the development of the crops or plants, manures will be applied; weeds will be uprooted; pests will be checked; and so on. If after all these, the plants fail to produce, during the harvest they will be lumped together with the things that will be disposed. This is the fate of plants that can’t even reason nor decide for themselves. But our own situation will even be more serious because we have got all that it takes to grow into better humans, better Christians.

The act of harvesting is playing out in the first reading (cf. Rev. 14:14-19). The angels of God used the sickle to reap the earth into the winepress of God’s anger: a faint picture of what will happen at the end of time, on the Day of Judgment. The psalmist expresses with no iota of doubt that the Lord will come to judge the earth (cf. Psalm 96:13b).

What then should be our attitude now? First, it is not and should not be our business to inquire or be disturbed as to when all these will come about or through whom it will happen (cf. Luke 21:5-11). Our job is to continue to live faithfully, keeping the commandments of God and loving one another, so that we won’t be gathered to be disposed but would be gathered to join the company of the saints and angels. We have everything at our beck and call for our growth, development, maturity and productivity: we have every means for us to show forth the fruits we have produced over these years of our Christian training. Let us make hay while the sun shines now.     


  


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