​Saint John of the Cross revealed to us the truth that at the twilight of life we will only be judged by love. The Beloved Apostle, Saint John wrote that God is love. If God is love, then we will only be judged by God who is love.

In today's gospel, the disciples were arguing who among them are the greatest. They were probably trying to prove their greatness from the argument of doing or having. We see these arguments nowadays from the many posts that we see from different social media platforms. People are trying to prove their worth and their greatness from the place they have been, or what kind of food they have eaten for dinner or the kind of fancy restaurant or hotel they were staying.

"Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child..." A child knows that he is beloved without having to be do anything or have anything to prove it. When we were children, we simply knew that mom and dad love us. This is reality is even more a reality with relation to God who is love.

In the eyes of the loving Father in heaven, you are a beloved and will always be a beloved. The whole world may never see what you have eaten, or have done, or have acquired as your possession, but as long as you are convinced of the Father's love for you, blessed are you.

"Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child..." You are that child that Jesus took, I am that child that Jesus took to His side. If we let Him take us to His side, we will realize that the greatest reality is simply that you and I are deeply and eternally loved. In His eyes, every single one of us are great because we are patterned into His great image and likeness.

When have you tried to compete for God's love? How have you realized you cannot do that?

Do you believe in God's love for you?

​How can you live out the Lord's call for greatness?

"I am beloved."

"The Lord calls me to greatness."

​"The Lord loves me."

You don't need to compete for the Lord's love, but He wants great things for you. How can you live His call to greatness today?

As someone who struggles with follow through, today’s Gospel reading hit me hard.

Even though my day job is a writer and editor, I very much struggle with procrastination and deadlines. It is often only under the wire that I can find the motivation to write. (I say this as my reflection for this blog is far past its due date).

I organized a letter writing campaign a few months ago, but totally forgot to sit down a write my pen pal a letter.

My boyfriend still has an empty picture frame on his desk from Valentine’s Day. I gave him the frame with the promise to print the picture when I had time. It is now almost October.

My intentions are almost always good, I truly do want to meet deadlines, and I want to bring joy by writing a letter or giving a gift. But I always end up falling short, and in turn, I leave other people hanging.

In today’s Gospel the first son had no intention of following through with what his father asked of him. But he later changed his mind and did what his father willed.

The second son had every intention of following his father’s will but did not follow through. Maybe it was pride. Maybe it was disobedience. Or maybe, like me, he simple struggled to do the things he said he was going to do.

But, as the Gospel says, it was the first son who did the father’s will.

Now, my example may not be totally comparable to the situation of tax collectors and prostitutes. I am not committing mortal sin in forgetting to mail a letter - I am not intending to sin and then changing my mind. But there still is a huge lesson here on follow through: even with the best of intentions, the result that will bring holiness is following through. The result that will end in doing the father’s will is not the one who only intends to do the father’s will, but the one who at the end of the day actually does the father’s will.

So, think about that this week. How can you follow through and do what the father is asking of you? How can you follow through and do what your state in life and your vocation and your loved ones ask of you?

It is those things that will lead you to Heaven and to holiness.

"Help me follow through."

"I want to do your will."

​"Jesus I trust in you."

What have you been procrastinating on? Make a commitment to do it before the end of the week. 

I remember stressing out about homework and tests in high school and people older than me would say “Ha, just wait until college- you’ll be wishing you have high school homework and tests then!” And when I would go trick-or-treating on Halloween and be excited about all of the candy I scored and I heard, “Enjoy it now because when you’re older you can’t eat all that sugar”. Or when I shared my dilemma about whether or not to spend my lunch money on something cheaper so I can save the rest and they said, “You don’t even know what a real financial burden is; wait until you have to pay bills and taxes and support a family and…”

As I’ve gotten older, yes I’ve had those thoughts – that high school is easier than college, that I can’t indulge in sweets like I used to, that teenagers have less to worry about financially, and so on; but that’s only because my situation and experiences are different now. Our joys and struggles are real, relevant to our current state in life and other personal experiences; they evolve with us.

Just this morning I found out that someone I have known since we were in Kindergarten has passed away. She was 25. Death is guaranteed, but old age is not. Although it seems like this passage is just a continuation of what people older and wiser have to say to us about growing old and how much more difficult and unpleasant life becomes, I think it is relevant to all of us no matter the age we are now nor the age we will be when we die.

I wish those people in my life instead told me that young age is not a “free pass”. I needed to keep striving in my school work, acknowledging that the habits I build in high school to handle hard work will carry into college and beyond; to enjoy sugar in moderation, appreciating both my present joys and preparing for when those joys may no longer be present; and to embrace my struggles and dilemmas, however small they may be, so I may not become naïve. This passage is that for me.

“Follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes” with your creative and blessed youthfulness, but do not become blind to the fact that “God will bring you to judgment”. Youth is not a free pass. Maybe we have until age 25, maybe 75, maybe more, maybe less. We must both rejoice in the gift of life and prepare to give it back, while we still have it.

What are some of the things in your life right now that God is calling you to grow in, at whatever age you currently are? 

In what ways in your life today are you experiencing God's goodness, patience, and the gift of his Holy Spirit to help you learn and grow?

When you look back at your life, where do you see evidence that God was present even if you did not see him in the moment? What can you learn from that reality?

"Jesus, I trust in you."

"Lord, help me hear your voice."

"Come, Holy Spirit."

​Find a new way to offer up your sacrifices and challenges to the Lord today. Instead of complaining or avoiding things, practice giving them to God and trusting that he will teach you through this experience. Be true to your state of life, and give those moments to God.