…AND THEN WHAT?

While ruminating through the vast array of my life experiences, one came to mind. I share it with you because not only do I like it but also because you might like it. You be the judge. I have had to blow off a lot of dust to clean up this event, but I believe I got most of it correct.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE?

Way back in 1967, in Evansville, Indiana, I found myself as an instructor of theology at a local Catholic High School. I was young and full of fire, and later on I realized that I was just too full of myself. As was the custom with theology instructors, we all served as spiritual counselors to the students, which in today’s parlance means a spiritual director. It was in one of these sessions that I came up with a technique to help my charges grow deeper, should they care to dip their toes into the “major leagues” of spiritual development.

I remember on one occasion, someone came to me and asked the question, “What is life all about?” I was quite taken aback at this esoteric question coming from what looked like an innocent young girl. I asked her these questions.

• “What do you want to do with your life?” She said, “I want to go to college to study Accounting.” “And then what,” I said.
• “I want to get a good job and make lots of money,” she said. “And then what,” I said.
• “Well, I want to get married to the right guy, settle down, and have some children,” she said. “And then what,” I said.
• “I would like to retire, travel a lot, maybe write a children’s book,” she said. “And then what,” I said.
• “I would like to grow old gracefully,” she said. “And then what,” I said.
• “I will die,” she said. “And then what,” I said.

If you could answer this next question, what would it be? I know exactly what my answer is. I will continue to live out in heaven what I discovered about what it means to be fully human while on earth. I will take those treasures with me. So, how do you know all of this is not a fairy tale like the apapathic suggests? I don’t know for sure, but the clues that I have assimilated throughout my life as to what my purpose is, what reality looks like, how it all fits together, how to love fiercely, and what comes after death, leads me to have HOPE that the words of Christ are true. I’ll take my chances with Jesus.

The Judgment of the Nations.^*

31^f “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne,

32^g and all the nations^* will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

33He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

35^h For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,

36naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’

37Then the righteous^* will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

38When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?

39When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’

40ⁱ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’

41^* j Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

42^k For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

43a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’

44^* Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’

45He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’

46^l And these will go off to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/25

May the words of the Holy Gospel always be before our minds, on our lips, and in our hearts.

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