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than those who had never heard of him, such as those poor pagans in Africa.
This actually frightened me as I feared that, come ˈJudgment timeˉ, I would defi-
nitely be found wanting.
Now, as I˅ve gotten much older, I find a great liberation in this story. It encour-
ages me not to wait to ˈlive as I truly want to doˉ. I have been entrusted with
much awareness of Divine Love and my deepest desire now is to share that love
with others. I want everyone to know what I know, that there is profound joy and
mystical communion with God awaiting them, all they have to do is ask for it and
allow God to work in their lives.
There are those who want to throw out any idea of eternal consequences for our
actions in this world because ˈJesus already died for our sinsˉ (certainly not a
new idea) but it is antithetical to Christ˅s teaching. Jesus is almost always ex-
horting his followers to ˈlive this wayˉ and not another way. If it doesn˅t matter,
why does he spend his teaching life telling us that it matters a great deal? This is
certainly true in today˅s gospel, and in the Beatitudes and in the parables of the
Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son and so many more and even when Christ
prevents the adulterous woman from being stoned to death, he does not con-
demn her but he does tell her to ˈgo and sin no moreˉ. I don˅t know what awaits
me in the next life, but I pray every day that I will be ready for it as I have been
entrusted and blessed with the awareness of Christ and his teaching. I know that
the more we love, the more love we will be ˈentrusted withˉ as love always grows
exponentially.
P
RAYER
Prayer to Do Always the Will of God
O Lord, regulate all things by Your wisdom, so that I may always serve You in the
manner that You will rather than in the manner that I will. Do not punish me by
granting what I will if it offends against Your love, for I want Your love to live al-
ways in me. Help me to deny myself in order that I may serve You. Let me live for
You--Who in Yourself are the true life. Amen.
~~St. Teresa of Avila (1515-
1584)
M
ARY
S
CHIMMOLLER
,
Volunteer Coordinator