“What’s the difference?”
Ultimately what is the difference between one soul that believes the word of God and seeks to live by that word. Apart from that soul is the one who is taken in by the world and its affairs. There will come a day in which the difference is clearly presented. In the Old Testament that day is called a “day of wrath”. Wrath in the Hebrew tongue refers to an educational process that arrives at the truth. We are in that “wrath” in the present moment of mankind’s journey in this world. The lines are clearly drawn in which the just who seek to live by the law of God are mocked by the rich and famous. The wisdom of this world laughs at the just who care more for the kingdom of God than for the kingdom of this world.
What is the difference between the two souls? It will be evident when the day of God’s justice is present. The angels will call forth every soul. Everybody will find its soul and the difference in appearance will stagger the imagination. The just will appear like the stars of heaven encircled in divine light while the unjust will be twisted, blackened bodies with nothing to attract others. The wicked will be oppressive even to their fellow companions in hate. There is a great difference between the ugly and the beautiful. The souls of the just will exude beauty, sweetness and a pleasing fragrance while the wicked will stink, be bitter and curse God.
There is going to be quite a difference in appearance but what caused the physical difference? The cause is found in the revelation of their consciences. Remember that little voice within you that often warns you that this or that action or word should die within you. That voice that wished to guide you to heaven was accepted by the just as the word of God for them. They loved the conscience and lived by it through the instructions given by our Lord Himself. Un-fortunately for the wicked the conscience was a bother. They did all they could to kill that voice which sought to remind them of their eternal destiny. Like the Jew of old they went for the idols, the pleasures, and the power. Their consciences determined their actions and those who were just have a clean conscience and that purity argues for their vision of God. The unjust are blinded by their sins and have become calloused in their approach to everyone.
Finally, the Day of Judgment calls us all to witness the reality revealed by the mercy of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity. Mercy is ours while we are still in this world. We have only to humble ourselves and plead for the forgiveness of our sins. The just did just that and sought the conversion of other souls. The wicked promoted liberalism to the max and cared not about the final general judgment. But now it is upon them and the sign of the Cross shines in the sky causing all to wonder at the power and majesty of God. Then following the Cross in fullness of power and might the Son of God appears and the distinction is made between the just and the unjust. The just are moved to the right hand of the Lord, the divine hand of love. The unjust in their blackened and forbidding shape are moved to the left, the hand of world.
The Judgment of the Just is the movement to their eternal reward and they will leave the valley of Josaphat at first while the Judge of all judges will now reveal the eternal truth to these reprobates: you are condemned to the hell you created by your denial of the incarnation of the Light of the World. You have chosen the darkness and the darkness you shall have. Fathers will be separated from their sons, mothers from their daughters, brother separated from sister, etc. The good will be seen by the wicked as they joyfully go to their eternal reward. The pain of the wicked will be immense and they will never ever have a chance to change this judgment. What a pity!
My brothers and sisters let work for the salvation of many souls by asking our Lord for the sacrifice or the penance necessary to wake up a dying sinner. Pray that that person will convert deeply and confess their sins and offer their death in penance for their life apart from Christ. Through the blessed Mother all these souls can be saved if we are generous with our lives in caring for others. Prepare well for Christmas that the light of the Savior will shine in your hearts and in your eyes. God bless you all with the time to do penance in preparation for the humiliation of the Divine Incarnation.
In the hearts of Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
Fr. Voigt, S.D.B.
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