by Fr. Roy Cimagala
Chaplain
Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)
Talamban, Cebu City
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com
Preparedness and accountability
IF we have to learn a precious lesson from that beautiful parable about the 10 virgins (cfr. Mt 25,1-13), it could very well be that we should always be prepared to meet our Lord who can call us to himself anytime, and be ready to settle accounts with him who has given so many blessings, talents, resources, etc.
We have to realize that we need always to put ourselves in a state of preparedness which is mainly a matter of spiritual preparedness more than anything else. All other aspects of preparedness can only serve as a means or instrument for this ultimate state of spiritual preparedness that everyone should develop.
Spiritual preparedness is what integrates everything else that also requires some preparation. It is what brings us over the inevitable things in this life and world to reach our final destination.
Sad to say, hardly anyone talks about this. And if ever it’s taken up, it most likely will be handled by a priest in a strictly religious environment or some weirdo who makes it a hobby to talk about the end of times.
This should not be so. I feel that everyone should be not only aware of this necessity, but should also do whatever he can to help the others attain this state of spiritual preparedness. In short, everyone should take care of his spiritual preparedness and should do all to make this concern widely discussed.
For this purpose, we should infuse ourselves with the deep sense of accountability. We should all have an abiding concern for accounting everything that we are and that we have. We just cannot go on with our life as if we are not answerable to anybody, especially to God, from whom we all come and to whom we all belong.
This is an indispensable part of our life, an unrelinquishable duty to perform. Our problem is that many still are ignorant of this duty, and of those who already know about this, the tendency is to take it for granted or to do it badly or to avoid it if given the chance.
We need to find a way of instilling this duty in everyone, starting with our own selves and then encouraging others to do the same, in the context of the families, schools, parishes, offices, etc.
We always have to remember that what we are and what we have are not self-generated but are always given to us one way or another, if not by someone or by some other institution and authority, then by God ultimately.
Yes, we are always answerable to some people in varying ways and degrees. These people can be our parents, teachers, friends, neighbors, public officials, etc. In the end, we are all answerable to God who has given us everything, starting with our life and all the endowments that go with our life.
We need to smash the thought that what we are and what we have are just our own. That is a thinking that is completely false, that stands on no objective foundation. It needs to be corrected drastically and urgently.
We have to learn how to be accountable to God and to others. One concrete way of doing that is by making a daily examination of conscience before going to bed. This will allow us to see how we fared during the day, whether we were fruitful or not, and to make the necessary plans for the following day, so we be on track to our final destination.