Prayer-Soldier Newbie
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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2014 4:07 pm Post subject: The One Who Judges and Mends Souls |
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The One Who Judges and Mends Souls
Scripture:
For thus said the Lord God: Behold I myself will seek my sheep, and will visit them. As the shepherd visits his flock in the day when he shall be in the midst of his sheep that were scattered, so will I visit my sheep, and will deliver them out of all the places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.
I will feed my sheep: and I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost: and that which was driven away, I will bring again: and I will bind up that which was broken, and I will strengthen that which was weak, and that which was fat and strong I will preserve, and I will feed them in judgment. And as for you, O my flocks, thus says the Lord God: Behold I judge between cattle and cattle, of rams and of he goats. (Ezekiel 34:11-12, 15-17)
But now Christ is risen from the dead, the first fruits of them that sleep: For by a man came death: and by a man the resurrection of the dead. And as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But every one in his own order: the first fruits, Christ: then they that are of Christ, who have believed in his coming. Afterwards the end: when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God and the Father: when he shall have brought to naught all principality and power and virtue. For he must reign, until he has put all his enemies under his feet. And the enemy, death, shall be destroyed last: For he has put all things under his feet. And whereas he said: And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then the Son also himself shall be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. ( 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28 )
And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. And all nations shall be gathered together before him: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, you blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink: I was a stranger, and you took me in: Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me.
Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see you hungry and fed you: thirsty and gave you drink? Or when did we see you a stranger and took you in? Or naked and covered you? Or when did we see you sick or in prison and came to you?
And the king answering shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.
Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty and you gave me not to drink. I was a stranger and you took me not in: naked and you covered me not: sick and in prison and you did not visit me.
Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you? Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen: I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me. And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting. (Matthew 25:31-46)
Reflection:
Our days are spent learning; learning who we are, learning about the world, learning about others, and learning about good and evil. Through His Word, the truth is before us and His desire for how we should treat one another; but through the deceptions of the evil one, we are pulled to travel paths away from His purpose. Without the Word, there is no compass to what is right and just. As we are left to wander worldly ways, what becomes convenient becomes our test of morality. It matters not who is harmed as long as there is no other of power to dissuade us. As long as we can persuade others to our cause, we believe we control the definition of morality. We care not what evil becomes unleashed or the injustice brought upon souls. The evil one tempts this among us when we believe we can act because others do not see, do not care or we believe we are superior over who might oppose us. It is in this perverted order that evil reigns and innocents suffer as the corrupt clash and the unjust seek to impose their will.
From the time of the first man and woman, the evil one has sought to pull the children of His creation away from their Creator. The evil one may have his day, but God is not complacent. Though He has left the choice to those He has created as to the path they will travel, His desire is to gather in the lost and bring all souls to His warm embrace. The evil one seeks to lure the heart to darkness, but God will guide to the light those who turn to Him. He will lift up those who have fallen. Though the evil one seeks to rend souls, there is no one so broken that God cannot mend.
In a world of darkness, His Holy Spirit is the refuge for the soul which seeks truth, His only begotten Son the light unto the path of what is right and just. Those who turn to Him will be gathered and delivered from the evil which surrounds them. No one who cries out to Him shall be denied. He will answer the prayer of the contrite heart and repentant soul.
What is broken in this world will be made whole in the next. The Holy Father sent His only begotten Son so that the world would see the conquest of death and that the ways of evil cannot prevail. The day will come where the just shall be raised up and those who did not believe in the Son shall be rendered to the abyss they have chosen.
The day of judgment will bring lives into focus. What was done or not done will be judged greater than words. He will judge those who delivered kindness and those who delivered evil. He will judge those who have spoken His Word, yet lived by the ways of the world. He will judge those who tried to do what is right and just, failed, yet tried again. He will judge those who studied His Word and prayed, but did not lift a finger in love. He will judge those who judged others for their iniquities, but failed to witness their own sin. He will judge those who quote scripture as if it were a weapon through which to gain superiority over another rather than the message of truth, inspired by God, meant to be shared in kindness and love. He will judge those who profess righteousness, yet cannot sweep the hate from their heart. He will judge those who begin the day in prayer, asking how they might bring blessings to others. He will judge all who have hearts filled with love and those who cannot let go of hate.
He will see the hands held out in love. He will see the hands which have withheld from those in need. He will hear the voices which share the good news of His blessings. He will hear the voices which misuse His Word. He will hear the voices which share His truth. He will hear the voices which denounce His existence. He will hear the voices raised to praise His Word. He will hear the voices raised to pervert His Word. He will hear the prayers of sinners who ask for forgiveness. He will hear the silence of the heart empty of love. In all He will hear all, He will see all, and He will offer the grace and mercy of His forgiveness to every heart which turns to follow Him. On the last day, all will be brought into focus and many will curse what they have done and what they have failed to do. Blessed will be those, who though they have not been perfect, have opened their hearts in love, for it is through His love that forgiveness shall be theirs.
May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier
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