Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.” Lk 21:34-36
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “1040 The Last Judgment will come when Christ returns in glory. Only the Father knows the day and the hour; only he determines the moment of its coming. Then through his Son Jesus Christ he will pronounce the final word on all history. We shall know the ultimate meaning of the whole work of creation and of the entire economy of salvation and understand the marvellous ways by which his Providence led everything towards its final end. The Last Judgment will reveal that God’s justice triumphs over all the injustices committed by his creatures and that God’s love is stronger than death.628 (637, 314)
1041 The message of the Last Judgment calls men to conversion while God is still giving them “the acceptable time,… the day of salvation.”629 It inspires a holy fear of God and commits them to the justice of the Kingdom of God. It proclaims the “blessed hope” of the Lord’s return, when he will come “to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all who have believed.”630 (1432)
Jesus is giving us a warning but at the same time a message of conversion. Striving for sainthood has daily battles and crosses. It is through these battles we are purified and brought to Christ. We must have a “holy fear of God” and understand that we will be judged. If we do not know “the day or the hour the Master will return”, we must live a life full of prayer and vigilance. God’s grace flows through the sacraments, prayer, and good works. Be vigilant in these areas and use your intellect and will to fight the Devil and his deception. Each choice we make has a consequence. These choices mold who we are and what our salvation will be, choose wisely.
Today’s challenge: Choose one area of your life to convert.
Become a saint!
Christian YOLO
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