“I beg you, join with me in love. Run with me in faith. Let us yearn for our heavenly home. Let us sigh for it. Let us realize that we are strangers here below.”
READ: MATTHEW 25:31–46
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. Then the King will say to those on his right hand, ‘Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.’ Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?’ And the King will answer, ‘I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.’ Next he will say to those on his left hand, ‘Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you never gave me food; I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink; I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, naked and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me. Then it will be their turn to ask, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?’ Then he will answer, ‘I tell you solemnly, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.’ And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the virtuous to eternal life.”
YOUR THREE-STEP GUIDE TO DAILY MENTAL PRAYER
REFLECT
Our God does not sit idly by as we struggle through life, waiting to pass judgment on all our failings. True, judgment will come because God is fair, but Jesus Christ does all He can to prepare each of us ahead of time. In the first place, He came to earth; He became one of us, so that He could teach us using words and actions that we would understand. Second, He stays with us “until the end of time” (Matt. 28:20) through the ministry of His Church. The Church makes His teachings ring out in every age and place, constantly reminding us of the gospel’s saving truths; through her, the Holy Spirit vivifies the sacraments in order to bring each of her children into intimate friendship with God; above all, through her, Christ stays literally at our side in the Eucharist, accompanying us patiently and lovingly in every tabernacle throughout the world. In this way, He hopes to make the Last Judgment a joyful reunion of intimate friends, not a surprise encounter between hostile strangers.
RESPOND
How could You have been clearer? You care about how I treat my neighbor, what I do for those around me. It seems so burdensome to live with my attention focused on others. I have so many needs, desires, and dreams of my own! But what matters most is not what I do, but who I am. Am I someone who loves, who gives, who serves? Self-giving is the one law of Heaven. If I can’t learn to obey it now, I won’t ever want to obey it later.
REST
In the end, You will make all things right. All the injustice and misery of the world will not escape Your goodness and Your power. I believe that You will come again, to judge, to rule, and to set things right. You wouldn’t have promised this if You weren’t planning on doing it. Help me to prepare for that day and to help everyone around me to prepare as well.
RESOLVE
How can I carry this encounter with me into the day? (Write / Journal)
CLOSING PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Most Blessed and Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, thank You for Your love and Your grace in allowing me this time of prayer with You.
The world, the flesh, and the devil will all propose things I should focus on and run after today. I beg You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit and help me instead to know and embrace Your will. Help me to see what You desire of me each moment of this day. Give me the wisdom, strength, and fortitude I need to avoid distractions, discern Your will, and focus on and carry out that which Wisdom reveals. Help me to work and live at a pace of peace and prayerfulness, always attentive to You, able to hear Your voice and to say no to anything that hinders my journey to You and a complete yes to every Holy prompting from You.
Help me to humbly and purposefully live, light, and lead others to the path of union with You and to tell everyone about this way of life. Amen.
About the Author
Fr. John Bartunek was ordained in 2003. He has taught moral theology at various ecclesiastical institutions at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and has authored many books, including the Gospel companion, The Better Part, and Inside the Passion, the only authorized behind-the-scenes look at the film, for which he provided on-set spiritual support. His online retreat guides are available in multiple formats at RCSpirituality.org. Fr. John currently resides in Atlanta, where he is serving as territorial vicar for the Legionaries of Christ.
