That's All, Folks!

 

When we were kids, we watched cartoons every Saturday morning. One of our favorite shows was Looney Tunes. That show included Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote and, of course, Porky Pig. We knew the cartoon was over when Porky Pig spoke his famous line. (Let’s see if adults know the line w/o stuttering.) “That’s all, folks!”

“That’s all, folks!” meant the cartoon was over. You might know how other activities end. Lots of sporting events end when a whistle blows or a horn sounds. Class ends when the bell rings. Divine Service ends when the pastor dismisses you.

Sometimes we are prepared for the end and sometimes we are not. Students prepare for the end of high school or college by taking final exams. Adults prepare for the end of their jobs by retiring, and some are surprised by an unexpected firing.

Maybe you were prepared to turn in your homework. Maybe you were not prepared to hear from your parents that you are moving or that your best friend moved. Prepared or unprepared?

In our Gospel, Jesus talks about the end and how we must not believe everything that everyone tells us about the end, but that we must trust in our Heavenly Father. He also tells us that we must be prepared. Being prepared means trusting in God and His Son, Jesus.

It’s a good lesson whether we are preparing for a test or a game. It’s a good lesson for Christians preparing for Jesus’ return. We prepare ourselves daily by remembering our baptism, reciting our prayers, reading the Bible and eating and drinking Christ’s Body and Blood. So, until Jesus returns, that’s all folks. With that, let us pray.

Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless all children, and give their fathers and mothers the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.