Jesus Is Coming Back, But Where We End Up Is Our Choice

In the Latin Rite, today is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King. Originally celebrated on the last Sunday in October, it was moved to the last Sunday of the liturgical year. It serves to remind us that someday Christ will return & we will all face judgement. The result will be that each of us will end up either in Heaven or Hell. & no, God doesn't make the choice, we do. All He does is honor our choice.

Scripture is very clear that God created us to, as the Baltimore Catechism says, know, love & serve Him in this world & to be with Him in the next. We were all created with free will that allows us to follow or reject God & His will for us.

The result of our choices is the basis of today's Gospel reading from Matthew 25:31-46. In talking about that judgement Jesus tells us that our actions will bear out our choice. If we are following Christ we will serve others. Jesus puts special emphasis on a certain group. "Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me." & the least of the least is the unborn.

Note that this doesn't imply that if you merely do good works you will earn your way into Heaven, it doesn't. Jesus talks about knowing Him & not knowing Him. he makes it clear that those who did the deeds that are being rewarded are those who put their faith in Him, & those who rejected Him, thus they didn't know him, didn't do the works that are the fruit of faith. (Scripture makes it clear that everyone is presented this choice in some way. It is not my purpose to go into that here other than to say that somehow or other everyone will make that choice.)

What are the results of our choices to follow God, defend the unborn, feed the poor, proclaim the Gospel etc.?

For those He knows: "Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." In other words, "Welcome to Heaven."

For those He doesn't know: "Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels." In other words, since you want to, go ahead & go to Hell.

Bishop Frederick Justus Knecht D.D. in his book A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture compares the 2 & shows us some interesting differences.

Those coming into Heaven are called "blessed of My Father". Because of their accepting Jesus as Lord & doing the will of God (works) God the Father has blessed them. However notice that thopse who reject Christ aren't called "cursed of My Father", but merely cursed. Why? because they brought the curse on themselves by their choice.

Then there is the difference in the reward. The place for the "Blessed" was there from the start of creation. The place for the "Cursed" wasn't prepared until after Satan & the 1/3 of the angels fell. Heaven was where God wants every human to go. Hell wasn't prepared for a single human. But, for those who reject Jesus & opt to follow Satan, they get what they wanted & end up in Hell with him.

Despite the fact that so many people try to pretend that Hell doesn't exist, it does. & Scripture makes it clear that a person who rejects Christ will end up there. Talking about Hell as the reward for sin was at the top of the list of topics Jesus talked about when He came to Earth. He wanted us to know what the ultimate fruit of or sins would be. He also wanted us to know why He had to die on the Cross. & He wanted us to understand that it was our choice.

Jesus is King of Kings & Lord of Lords! He will reign forever in Heaven. & He wants all of us with Him.

There is the old saying: "It is better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven." Guess what? Nobody reigns in Hell, not even Satan. Hell is punishment for our sins. A punishment for all eternity. The worst part of it will be the realization of what he/she could have had in Heaven if he/she had chosen to make Jesus Lord rather than go their own way.

We can chose to serve now & reign with Jesus in Heaven. Or we can opt for Hell! The choice is ours. God will honor that choice for eternity. What choice will you make? Repent, turn to Jesus & follow Him? Or go your own way on what will truly be the "Highway to Hell"???