As we ponder the passion of Christ … I am always reminded of my own mortality. Ash Wednesday reminds us we are mortal beings and Lent helps us realize we are beautiful creatures of God but fragile and sometimes frail. I recently read an article where the person asked the question:
“If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say?
… And why are you waiting?”
In the movie Love Actually, Hugh Grant’s character makes the observation, “When the planes hit the twin towers, as far as I know none of the phone calls from the people on board were messages of hate or revenge. They were all messages of love.”
Don’t Wait to Say What Needs to be Said
Many of us spend too much time thinking of things we’d like to say — how we would like to tell that person what we really think, how he/she needs to get his/her life in order.
Or we think of things we wished we’d said — I always think of a snappy comeback about a month after the fact, but that doesn’t prevent me from rehearsing it a time or two, you know, for future reference.
Instead, we should be thinking of things we ought to say — such as: “I love you … I thank God for you … You’re special to me … You make a difference in my life … I appreciate you.”
The first chapter of Philippians gives us a good example to follow. As Paul was facing what could have been his final days, he made it a point to share his heart with his friends…
(1:3) Every time I think of you, I give thanks to God for you.
(1:4) I always pray for you and I make my requests with a heart full of joy.
(1:7) It is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a very special place in my heart.
The odds are that today isn’t your last day on planet earth. But don’t use that as an excuse to put off saying that most important thing to one who needs to hear it.
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