LOVE, Kloudiia

Last week we were asked this question: “Are you prepared for Baptism? What have you done in preparation for this day?”
Until now, I’m still as clueless as three months ago when I was first posed the same question.

Seriously, we really cannot be blamed. If there is anything to prepare for our big day, whatever that needs to be done has been planned, organised and executed to perfection by our committed and dedicated RCIA core team members in our church. Kudos to them!
So, I can’t think of anything that’s being left out!

Conversely, ask me am I prepared for my book launch this Thursady, and what have I done? I’ll give you the to-do list in 10 seconds or less and tell you which are the outstanding ones. My speech, for one. Not a single word has been prepared yet, not to mention my slides for the talk. Gosh!
So, which one needs more preparation?

Seems like the obvious answer is my book launch, right?

Well, it depends.

It has come to my senses that I am taking the question too literally at face value.

External preparations, like what I’m busying with my launch now, are merely tasks. Do they require any form of introspection? Not really.

But, when they ask if we are ready for baptism, and what preparation are we making to make us ready to be submerged into the water come Easter Vigil, really, what are they asking?

Are we ready to welcome God into our lives? What makes us totally ready?

Should we be totally ready?

I don’t have the answers, and I don’t plan to be so pressured to seek them out now. That’s the beauty of the on-going journey of faith isn’t it? That we are to discover more truths, and know more about God and his teachings and get closer to Him.

But I believe there ought to be a certain amount of time spent to totally devote ourselves in a silent reflection and check what is the missing part in our spiritual soul to make us at least ready for baptism, the beginning of our life journey in this faith.

I guess the church knows this as well, and hence has organised a compulsory retreat for all Elects to get us more prepared.

Why am I writing this? Not to preach, certainly, as you know me.

But to use this as way to bring the other topic up – marriage.

For those who are planning to get married, how prepared are you to take this step into a life long commitment?

I assume you already knew what I meant by preparation. It’s not the slimming package that you need to sign up 6 months in advance, it’s not the badly needed home renovation, it’s not the gowns and suits that need to be custom made.

I hate to say this, it’s not the diamond too.

It’s the mind, the heart, and the soul.

What have you done in preparation for a new relationship?

What have you done in preparation for your marriage?

The preparation process is crucial, because it is the stage where memories are plentiful. Once you are over that stage, it is over. Relish this process, as a couple if it is towards an upcoming wedding.

Savour this process if you are gliding towards a potential relationship, or a potential better self-discovery.

Then again, we can’t be completely ready and fully prepared. We can only do the best we can, isn’t it? And leave the rest till the next beginning…

[tags]preparation, baptism, new relationship, marriage, self-discovery[/tags]