October 22, 2025

Fr. John Riccardo

Beloved: I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.

From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance. At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was rescued from the lion's mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safe to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen (2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18).

Hard as it is to believe, November is next week. And November in the Church is a most special month. It begins with a day to give thanks to God for the gift that is the communion of saints, whom we honor all together on the first day of the month. It then moves immediately to a day set aside to pray for those who died in God’s friendship, but not yet perfectly purified, that the Lord will bring them speedily into the Kingdom. Traditionally, the rest of the month has been set aside by the Church to visit cemeteries, pray for the dead, ponder our own deaths, and consider ever more seriously the day of the King’s return. That last bit is what the season of Advent is really all about.

Memento mori was a common expression in days gone by. It’s Latin for “remember death.” The expression served as a reminder that one real day we will be like those we pray for now. Hopefully, people will be praying for you and me when that day comes.

This week’s passage from Paul reveals a man who is totally at peace with the day of his death. He is awaiting certain execution at the hands of the Roman Empire. And yet, he speaks with utmost assurance of the outcome. ”The day of my departure is at hand.I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.” These words are not at odds with what comes later. “The Lord will rescue me from every evil threat and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom.” Paul certainly doesn’t mean by this that he will continually escape death. He knows better. He means that when death comes, it won’t be able to hold him. This is because Jesus has abolished the power of death; he has robbed it of its sting (cf. 2 Timothy 1:10; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57). Death has no more power over a disciple of Jesus, because by his cross and resurrection Jesus defeated it.

How are you and I doing with regards to the day of our departure? It’s coming, after all. It might be tonight for some of us. It’s sobering for me to reflect on the fact that I have far fewer years to live than have already gone by.

On a recent episode of You Were Born for This, Mary and I were talking about many of these things and it led us to consider that a very practical question we might want to think about asking ourselves every day is this: “What am I concretely doing today to get ready for that day, to be prepared to stand before the King of kings and Lord of lords.“ If you’re at all like me, if I’m honest, there are certain things — far fewer than when I was younger perhaps — that I still need to address, to rid myself of, to put to death in fact.

Let us use well these days that are about to begin. Let us take seriously the reality that our departure is at hand, even if it’s still a ways off. Let us put our house in order a bit more each day, so that we can be eager to stand face to face before God.

Life is short. Death is certain. Eternity is long.

Are We Ready?

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