Homily for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 10, 2025

I came across a poem that made me stop and think. It’s called Tomorrow.

He was going to be all that he wanted to be—Tomorrow.

None would be kinder or braver than he—Tomorrow.

A friend who was troubled and weary, he knew,

Who’d be glad for a lift, and who needed it too,

On him he would call and see what he could do—Tomorrow.

Each morning, he stacked up the letters he’d write—Tomorrow.

And thought of the folks he would fill with delight—Tomorrow. …

The greatest of disciples this man would have been—Tomorrow.

The world would have hailed him if he had seen—Tomorrow.

But, in fact, he passed on, and he faded from view,

And all that he left here when he was through,

Was a mountain of things he wanted to do—Tomorrow!

In today’s Gospel Jesus advises his disciples to be “like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.”

A little later on, he adds, “You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Do you have a tendency to procrastinate, to put things off? I thought about that the other day, concluded that I had been procrastinating, and decided to do something about it: I scheduled long over-do appointments to update my will, have an eye exam, and see a specialist my regular dentist wanted me to consult with. Just making these appointments gave me a sense that I was taking control of my life.

Of course, Jesus is talking about our spiritual life, our taking care of what is truly most important: our relationship with God, our love of God, and our love of one another. He’s asking us not to put that off, not to let things slide. “You also must be prepared,” he says, “for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

So, concerning our spiritual life, I made a list of things for us to consider:

·      A regular time each day for prayer and Bible reading

·      When was the last time for confession

·      Donation of food for the poor

·      Visiting a sick friend or lonely neighbor

·      Forgiving / asking for forgiveness

·      Working for justice / fairness

·      Speaking up for the voiceless

·      Demonstrating about the abuse of political power

This is a pretty broad list. We may not be comfortable with some of the things on the list. But these are positive ways in which we can grow personally, help the community in its mission, and reach out to those who are hurting. And I’m not talking about a one-time thing; I’m speaking of a way of life—a life lived with God in it. And, as we listen to the urgency of the Gospel, I’m not talking about tomorrow.

The Dali Lama famously taught that there are two days on which we can do nothing: yesterday, for it’s gone; and tomorrow; for it’s not here. That leaves today.