We have come to the last week of the liturgical year! While Christmas tunes have been playing for a while already, we Christians are keenly aware this IS NOT the Christmas season. We are called to remember this week that the end of time will come to each of us the moment we die. When that happens how will we be judged? By how many times we were baptized? By how often we sat in church pews?
Ezekiel points out that God will himself shepherd his sheep. He also says, however, he will judge between one sheep and another, between rams and goats. Which category do we belong to? Jesus clearly challenges us to remember his words of the two great commandments. Here we hear him emphasize the latter one. How well do we love those around us? How can we say we love a God whom we cannot see, if we cannot love our neighbors whom we can see? As we conclude the year let us examine ourselves as to how we are doing in the area Jesus considers important at the final judgment!
Countenance of God 