For the past few years, I've found myself haunted by Matthew's Gospel story regarding the day of judgment, in which Jesus will separate the sheep from the goats according to how they lived on earth, as measured by the corporal works of mercy.
I've heard priests say that it should be so easy for us to get into heaven -- we already know all the questions on the final exam! All we have to do is live them out.
And so I began to wonder, to contemplate…what if it's true? What if, when I die and stand before Jesus at the gate of heaven, He says to me:
"I was hungry and you gave Me no food, thirsty and you gave Me no drink."
"But I did, Jesus. I sent monthly checks to charities. I even gave up several years of my life for full-time mission work."
"How many times did you see a homeless man on the street and ignore him? You could have handed him food, or a little money, or even just a smile if you truly had nothing else to give. But you looked the other way. That was Me. Every time, it was Me."
………………………
What if, in the end, it's not just about the Ten Commandments? What if it's not enough to have attended Sunday Masses and avoided stealing on a regular basis? This week's Gospels have been the "Woe to you's" directed at the Pharisees. How often am I a Pharisee, following the letter of the law, hung up on the intricacies of right vs. wrong but failing to love Jesus in every person I meet?
This is a chilling reality and a wake-up call for those of us who have grown too comfortable with our superficially Christian lives.
O my God, have mercy on me, a poor sinner! My Jesus, teach me to love as You love.
No comments:
Post a Comment