Our faith clearly acknowledges that there will be a final judgment, and while this reality can bring a grim awareness of our sins, it can also serve as an inspiration to take hold of the gift of today and live our faith with conviction.
The victory of the Saints stands as a reminder for us. For just as Christ sustained the Saints in their trials, so God will also walk with us. They inspire us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus as we encounter the obstacles of life…so that one day we will join their ranks in Heaven.
Like fishermen who cast their nets and then sort their catch on land, Jesus teaches that we will be sorted at the end of time. Knowing that there will come a day when we will judged can help us live each day as a precious gift that is meant to be lived with faithful conviction.
“When will it end?” This common question has been with humanity since the dawn of time. When people ask Jesus, the Lord responds with two simple points of common sense:
Do not be deceived
Do not be afraid
Thus, we live each day as the precious gift it is, ready at a moment’s notice to step from this life to the next.
Every day we have the opportunity to learn life lessons, whether it’s good or bad, pleasant or painful. As we follow the Lord we can take these lessons and become more fully sons and daughters of God…preparing for the day when the Lord will call us to the Kingdom of Heaven.
The Lord’s explanation of the parable of the weeds and the wheat reminds us that in the face of the Final Judgment we have the opportunity today to seek the mercy of Jesus Christ.
We acknowledge that at the end of time there will be a final judgment – where our lives will be examined and we will either be saved or damned in the light of our relationship with Jesus Christ.
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The Last Judgment, Michelangelo, 1536-1541, Sistine Chapel, Vatican.