Prayer Prompt before reading MT 25:14-30: Come, Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray, interpret the Scriptures for me so that I may know the Truth about who God the Father is and God the Son so that I may know who I am.
“A MAN GOING ON A JOURNEY CALLED IN HIS SERVANTS AND ENTRUSTED HIS POSSESSIONS TO THEM.” MT 25:14-30
Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
Today, Jesus uses a parable to teach entrance into the Kingdom of heaven requires faithful use of one’s gifts. What gifts have we received from the Father to get back to Him and help others do the same? God’s love and mercy. These gifts from Him can’t be earned, we can only receive them in the measure which we open ourselves to Him. And when we share them they multiply. God’s love and mercy multiply in us when we give them away.
If we choose not to receive them, God’s love and mercy cannot do its work in us. There are consequences for this. This refutes those who believe that faith alone will gain us eternal life. In simple terms, to gain salvation we choose (love is a decision) daily to cooperate with God’s grace and gifts He entrusted us with or we don’t. The other simple truth is that there is a place designated by God where soul’s go if they choose not to receive God’s mercy and share it. Catholics call it hell. Jesus says it is a place where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
God loves all of His creation to the end, but if we choose not to bring ourselves and others to His mercy, we cannot participate in His glory for all of eternity. So, where do we receive God’s grace and mercy? First, we grow in knowledge of the Kingdom. Then, we choose to develop a personal relationship or friendship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (prayer and Scripture). Next, we choose to use the means He gave us (Sacraments) to receive His grace and mercy faithfully and share these with others.
After we have gained knowledge of the Gospel, the Good News, that God loves us and has given us a way back to Him through His Son’s blood, we decide whether we want to bring ourselves to this mercy. If we do not choose this path, then Jesus teaches the Truth that we become spiritual garbage. He still loves us, but we chose not to participate in His mercy. There is no fence to straddle in Christianity
Sin has serious consequences and hell exists. Jesus talks about hell more than anyone in the Bible. He is love and mercy which requires judgment. He is also just. We have a Creator who loves us more than we love ourselves who sent His only Son to die for us to prove it so that by His blood we may be saved and so that we may enter into a relationship with Him. This love requires a response and indifference kills love.
Today’s challenge: Bring yourself to God’s mercy, then share it. We will imitate God when we show mercy and give it away.
Be a servant, become a saint!
#Christian YOLO
Joyfully sacrifice for another today!
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