I have often seen the truth in Benjamin Franklin’s words: “You may delay, but time will not, and lost time is never found again.” We need to use our time wisely, because once it’s gone, we can’t get it back. When I was a high school sophomore, I put off a semester project for a class I didn’t like, thinking I’d get to it later, while prioritizing other semester courses. When I was going to work on it, I thought: “I have time, I will do it later in the semester.” By the last week of the semester, the project was much harder than I expected, and I had run out of time. I asked my teacher, Mrs. Quezada, for an extension. She told me, “Mr. Cornejo, this is the definition of deadline: ‘a date or time before which something must be done.’ You had the whole semester to work on this project. I will not give you an extension.”
In that moment, I realised what happens when you waste time. I turned in a rushed project, and Mrs. Quezada gave me just enough to pass, which I didn’t really deserve. That experience showed me that lost time never comes back, and the consequences can be real. Today’s Gospel also reminds us to take seriously the time God gives us in this life.
A Rich Man
The Gospel tells us about a rich man “who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day.” He focused only on enjoying life in the present and didn’t notice Lazarus, a poor man nearby who would have been grateful for just the scraps from his table. The rich man lived as if his life would never end. He didn’t make time for charity or pay attention to the needs and suffering of others. He forgot that everyone has a deadline—“a date or time before which something must be done.”
For us, that deadline is the moment of our death. The rich man learned too late that how we live and use our time matters for eternity. When he asked Abraham to send Lazarus to comfort him after death, Abraham replied, “My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime, while Lazarus likewise received what was bad: but NOW he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.” I think, just as I regretted wasting my time when I didn’t get an extension, the rich man also felt the regret of not using his time on earth to live in a way that would have brought him to Abraham’s side with Lazarus. There was no extension for him.
Wake Up
This gospel is a clear reminder for us to wake up. We sometimes forget that our time is limited. The world often tells us to chase quick pleasure and ignore anything spiritual, with ideas like “YOLO” leading the way. We should see ourselves in this story. There is still time to ask God for the grace to notice others’ needs. And, to remember that what we do or don’t do affects our eternal life. We can still ask God to help us live with eternity in mind, not just for today. Lent is our chance to wake up! Get ready for Easter. And, accept the joy and peace God offers us in Christ. God bless you!
