The Answers To Life’s Questions. Make A Difference
As we continue along the way of our Lenten journey, baring in mind our theme this Lent of “Make A Difference,” our Church, the Holy Roman Catholic Church presents us again, with very potent readings that will help us, that will guide us, that will direct us along the paths of life we should choose. Lent encourages us to do an inventory of our lives, to do an honest examination of ourselves, not in keeping with the world’s standards, but rather in keeping with God’s standards.
At the end of our time here on earth, our God who loves us with a crazy love, will also judge us. God will judge and will examine us, and depending on the how honest we were in taking the inventory of ourselves for all the Lenten seasons that God, who is Mercy, has blest us with, will determine to a large extend how we will do at that final examination. Not only does Jesus tell us that we will have a final exam to face, but he does something one of my former teachers did some years ago. Years ago, while still at secondary school, those of us who were doing Chemistry, had a lab to do as part of our final exam. Our chemistry teacher was in the lab with us telling us what to test for in order to get the desired results.
In today’s gospel reading, not only does Jesus tell us that we will be judged at the end of time, but he loves us so much, and he so wants us to pass the exam at the time of our judgement, that he the Good Shepherd, he who is Mercy, tells us what we will be judged on at the end of time. It doesn’t get any easier than that. We know what questions are coning in the exam, so we know exactly what to study. The students reading this will appreciate this. There will be no surprises on that day – at least, there should be none. We know what God requires of us. The basic question that will be posed to us, that will be used to scrutinize our lives is, “Did you make a difference in the lives of others?” On that day we will be asked, “Did you feed me when I was hungry? What about when I was thirsty? Those who hungered and thirst for righteousness, did you satisfy their hunger? Did you satisfy their thirst, or were you busy satisfying your own worldly passions and desires?
I came to you as a stranger in your midst. I was that homeless man who visited your parish. I was not dressed as you were with my torn shirt and no shoes on my feet. Yes that was me. Did you welcome me?
I was stripped of my dignity by all the rumours that were being spread about me. I was the one that was talked about in your town gossip. I was so ashamed to come out in public because of what was said about me. Did you clothe me with dignity?
Do you remember me? I came to Mass every week in your parish. I would either sit in the pew behind you or in the same one as you. I was that little old lady with the walking stick. Do you remember? Then one day I got sick and had to be hospitalized for a long time. I was unconscious for some time, so I’m not sure who came to see me. Were you one of those who came to visit me? If you were, thank you so very much.
And what about me.. I was that girl who came to Mass with my Grandmother; the one that everyone said was trouble. I really wasn’t. You see my dad walked out on us and I guess I was just angry with the world. I tried to be good, really I did. Then one day I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and there was a police bust. My Granny did warn me about that “friend” of mine. I had no idea she was dealing drugs. I really didn’t. For not listening to the wisdom of my Granny, I was imprisoned. I didn’t have many visitors. Granny tried to come when ever she could. By any chance, were you one of those who came to see how I was doing? Thank you if you were.
Sisters and Brothers, our answers to the questions we will be asked, will determine whether we are counted among the sheep or among the goat; whether we are placed at Jesus’ right hand or his left; whether we’ll be eternally blest to hear him say, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,” or eternally dammed to hear, “Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.”
Sisters and Brothers, we all have an open book exam to study for. God will judge us. We do not know when our final exam will be. However, every day we live presents us with a paper we must write and they will all go towards that final exam. Let us all be determined to make a difference, a positive difference. Let us be absolutely determined to love God above all else, for it is in truly loving God that we can love each other as he commands us to. Then by God’s grace, when our final exam comes, we’ll be eternally blest.
