Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Hialeah shared a message on staying prepared in the Nov. 8 bulletin. 

"As we approach Advent, the Gospel invites us to be always ready for our encounter with the Lord that could come at any moment," the Rev. Rolando Cabrera said in the bulletin. 

We are told in the parable of the five wise and five unwise virgins to not forget and become lazy as we wait for the bridegroom, who is our Lord. 

"Our present life, no matter how successful or happy it may be, is not a final destination in itself but a pilgrimage," Cabrera said. "We all are pilgrims on our way home; that is, communion with God in heaven." 

While we should be concerned about our eternal fate, we must not be scared; as Jesus wants us to live fully but also remain ready to be reunited with him. 

Let us remember to have enough love in our lamps, both for God and those in our lives. 

"We are ready and we are not foolish when we don’t take life and the people we love for granted," Cabrera said. "We are wise when we understand that every single day is a gift, a miracle, an opportunity to love— and we act on it. And this is something that nobody can do for you."

It is only up to each of us individually to ensure that we are ready for the return of our Lord. We must remember to always live in the present but be in a state of preparedness and readiness for when the Lord does come back. 

"If we do that, then the rest will take care of itself," Fr. Cabrera said. "Whether the groom arrives early or late, it doesn’t matter because there will always be 'oil' in our lamps. We will always be ready!"