Jesus describes the signs which shall herald it. “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars; and on earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and expectation of what is coming upon the whole world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.” (Lk 21:25-6)
During his mortal life, Jesus is known only as the good Shepherd who came to seek and save. At this last judgment, he comes with majestic power and to terrify whoever abused his long-suffering and mercy.
When we are tempted to evil, let us recall this last judgment, and the terrible sentence to be pronounced against the impenitent sinners.
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and he will put the sheep at his right hand but the goats on the left. ...
“Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’; ... Then he will say to those on his left hand, ‘You that are cursed, depart from me into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels’. ...” (cf Mt 25:31-41)
Let us try to imagine the joy in the hearts of the blessed at seeing the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. They who have generously carried their own cross here will gaze with delight upon the cross of Jesus.
Consider the confusion of those whom our Lord will place on his left hand, with the reprobates. How terrible will be this separation between friends! Where would we be, should we die now?
When will this last judgment be? “Of that day or hour no man knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mk 13:32) But we all know that death is near at hand to each one of us, and that judgment follows death; as certainly as death, life.
“Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. ... And what I say to you I say to all, ‘Watch!’” (Mk 13:33, 37)
These are the words of Jesus Christ himself. ‘Be you also ready’, says our Lord. Are we?
Ref: Cf “Practical Meditations” by a Father of the Society of Jesus, 1964, pp751-3
Look at death joyfully
Don’t dress death, in your sickly and not very supernatural imagination, with black drapes and decaying flowers: look at death joyfully, as the wonderful conclusion of the Christian adventure.
It is the moment of meeting and embracing: forever between the son and the Father, the brave soldier and his Captain, the lover and his Love, the redeemed and his Redeemer, the creature and his Creator, the good and faithful servant and the just and generous Master, the victorious athlete and his laurels: ‘God, you are your soldiers’ prize, destiny, and crown of laurels’.
For you and for me, my friend, “to live is Jesus Christ”, St Paul tells us, “and death is gain” (Phil 1:21). Together with this thought and this feeling of joy, remembering death also gives us a wonderful sense of detachment for it teaches us how to renounce the things of the earth.
When we think, in the light of death, about our life and the things around us, we discover the great wisdom contained in knowing how to live as someone “who has nothing yet possesses everything” (2 Cor 6:10).
What are wealth, honor, pleasures? Things which slip through our fingers like water, and which we cannot bring with us further than the portal of death.
Detachment. Let us live in such a way that the words of the Angel of the Apocalypse, “Time has come to an end” (Rev 10:6), find us with our heart and our hands empty of the goods of the earth and full of God and of his goods. Let us learn to die, a little each day, through separating ourselves from everything that is not eternal.
Do you know why men, when they reach their last hour, suffer and are in anguish? Because through having lived quite forgetful of the “I face death each day” (1 Cor 15:31), they have to do in half an hour what they ought to have done over their entire lifetime.
How hard, how bitter, is this forced detachment which no one can escape. “O death, how bitter is the reminder of you to one who lives at peace among his possessions.” (Sir 4:1)
Whereas the Christian, the detached soul, dies savoring the truth of those words: “How I rejoiced when they said to me: ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’” (Ps 121:1)
Ref: Salvatore Canals, “Jesus as Friend”, 1981, pp90-91
Preparing ourselves for judgment
Life is a time of probation. We must acquire a profound understanding of ourselves to prepare for this encounter with the Lord. St Paul warned: “If we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.” (1 Cor 11:31)
Let us not be surprised, then, by our past failings. We need to identify our trouble spots and apply the necessary remedy.
“The ‘name of the game’ is examination of conscience. You will teach yourself to love God and make good use of your days by making clear, effective resolutions. Take up the book of your life, turn its pages every day, so you won’t be surprised when read on the day of your judgment, and won’t be ashamed on the day of the universal judgment.” (cf Salvatore Canals, “Jesus as Friend”, p76)
How much time is left to correct and improve the manuscript of our book? The examination of conscience helps us to ask pardon for our mistakes; gives us time to correct our behaviour. If we examine our conscience each night we will be well prepared for a good Confession.
Let us go to Our Lady, ‘Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope’. She will help us to purify our soul so that it may bear abundant fruit.
We should pray to our Guardian Angel as well: “... It is he who, at your particular judgment, will remember the kind deeds you performed for Our Lord throughout your life.” (St Josemaria Escrivá, “Furrow”, 693)
Ref: Cf F Fernandez, “In Conversation with God”, 5:417-9
• Our Lady of the Crown (Palermo, Italy). (maryfest.htm / www.starharbor.com/santiago/m_feasts.html)
• Our Lady of the Crown. Palermo, Italy. ["...so called because was there that the kings of Sicilty received the royal crown, as holding it from the Mother of God, and unwilling to wear it for any but her. (Thom. Facellus, book 8, prioris decad. de rebus Siculia.)"] (“Catholic Gems or Treasures of the Church” Historical Calendar; www.bethlehemobserver.com)
• Our Lady of Beauraing - The Virgin with the Golden Heart. Belgium 1932 Apparition. (www.miraclehunter.com/marian_apparitions/calendar/index.html); (www/divinewill.org/feastsofourlady.html); (www.iskandar.com/ourlady/ourladyfeasts.html); (http://mariedenazareth.com); (www.marylinks.org/Mary-Calendar.htm)
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