Is The Hour At Hand?

I was at the wake for a friend's loved one this evening. While I was in Spencer, I got word of his relative's death. As I visited this evening, I found out that the death was sudden. A thud in the adjourning room, and the person was gone. It reminded me of how short our lives are on the earth. I recalled my mother-in-law's passing. It was around St. Patrick's day, because she had called and asked us to join her for dinner as she had made corned beef and cabbage, but my wife and I were exhausted and told her we would be by the next day. That evening she did not answer her phone, and we assumed she was visiting cousins up the block. I will never forget the phone call I received the next day artwork, telling me she was gone. Or having to relay this information to my distraught wife.
  We really do not know when God will call us home. Our time can be short, a mere 13 years like my niece. I little longer, like my wife's mom in here fifties, or even more. But when that  time is we do not know.so we must be prepared as if the time is tomorrow, or tonight. Jesus reminds us that no one knows the time or the place. We must be ever vigilant, like the virgins with their lamps, awaiting the coming of the bridegroom.
  So how do we stay vigilant? We know deep inside that to be ready, we must have followed in the footsteps of Jesus as closely as possible. And that's not easy. We struggle every day of our life to achieve this life, but we all fall short. It is our human nature. We are not divine. We don't have that edge. We do however have a loving God who will do whatever is needed to help us and constantly forgive us and let us begin anew.
  So be ready. I believe we will all see the morning sun rise. But we should be ready, for we do not know the hour.

Peace