Coffee With God

Reflection: Matthew 25: 31-46

Today’s Gospel opens with a solemn introduction to the narrative of the Last Judgment. Pope Francis his message for the World Day of Migrants wrote: “Every stranger who knocks at our door is an opportunity for an encounter with Jesus Christ, who identifies with the welcomed and rejected strangers of every age.”. This season of Lent brings us the special opportunity to encounter the Lord. We have been fighting the pandemic for over two years but then the human aggression of war poses a greater threat to humanity. The Word of God invites us to care for those strangers who are sick, helpless, homeless and stranded in a strange land. In the midst of these uncertainties and atrocities, the voice of Jesus revibrates in our ears – “I am there! When you did this for the stranger, the sick, the homeless, you did it for me.’ We are created to make God’s dreams come true in this world. The works of mercy are the most beautiful works in life. Because, the works of mercy give glory to God more than anything else. In the end we will be judged, not for the sins we have committed, because our God forgives; but we will be judged on the basis of our works of mercy. The Judgement scene in the Gospel was on the basis of what was done and what was not done. The Lord will judge us on the choices we have made. In fact, the Lord does not judge, rather he only draws out the consequences of human choices, brings them to light and respects them. Life is a time for making robust, decisive, eternal choices. Great choices lead to a life of greatness. Indeed, we become what we choose, for better or for worse. If we choose to steal, we become thieves. If we choose to hate, we become angry. If we choose to spend hours on a cell phone, we become addicted. Yet if we choose God, daily we grow in his love, and we choose to love others, we find true happiness. Pope Francis gives us a piece of advice to train ourselves to choose well. He writes: Ask yourselves these questions daily: “What do I feel like doing?” and “What is best for me?” This interior discernment can result either in silly choices or in decisions that shape our lives – it depends on us. Let us look to Jesus and ask him for the courage to choose what is best for us, to enable us to follow him in the way of love. And in this way to discover joy. To live, and not just get by.