Before the Great Judgement Throne of Almighty God
Brothers and Sisters let us come together to speak on this everlasting truth. We at one point in our lives, are going to die. We don’t know the time or the hour of our end, but as Bishop Augustine of Hippo says, “Our other good and evil, are uncertain; death alone if certain” Preparation for Death, P.55 Why is this topic not talked about more? We as human beings don’t want to think it. Sometimes we act as if, we will live forever on the earth and never die. I remember when traveling through Dubai, I asked a gentleman when his birthday was, he told me “we don’t celebrate our birthday as you westerners do, we believe (Islam) that we have a date that we are born and an end date (death).” I didn’t get his statement at the time, but as I reflect on it now, what he was telling me, that we should live a good life now. It doesn’t matter how much money you make, or how poor you are. It doesn’t matter how big or small of a house that you have. It doesn’t matter whether you own property or not. God is not concerned about that. What he is concerned with is , what have you done with the time and the gifts that have been given to you? A child can be playing with his bike and cross the street in front of his home, a car can come out of nowhere and hit him, “We don’t know the day or the Hour”. A man can go hunting in the mountain, be out of shape and hunting hard. The weather changes and he dies of hypothermia. “We don’t know the day or the hour”. A young soul can get married, have a beautiful wedding. Spend the night together with his wife. Die in his sleep. “We don’t know the day or the Hour”.
St Bernard says, “death may take away life at all times and in all places, we ought, if we wish to die well and save our souls, to live always in expectation of death” Preparation for Death, P.63 By having death before our eyes always, we make better decisions. We would really take our time to choose the right things over the wrong. Have I done good today? Have I shown patience and prudence towards my neighbor? Have I offered my time in service of others? This Sermon is not for the Christian, Jews or Muslims only, it is for every single soul that is created by Almighty God. Even if you don’t know God, his laws are written in your hearts. Your consciences already know what is good and what is evil. Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 1022) says “Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven-through a purification or immediately, — or immediate and everlasting damnation.” Since we don’t know when our time is up. Wisdom 11:20 “Even apart from these, men could fall at a single breath when pursued by justice and scattered by the breath of thy power. But thou hast arranged all things by measure and number and weight” St. Ambrose, St Augustine, St. Cyril of Alexandria, St John Chrysostom, St Basil, St. Jerome, St. Alphonsus Liguori, all these early church fathers, through the grace of the Holy Spirit was revealed that every person has so many graces assigned to them. After all these graces have been exhausted, then God will demand justice for your continued offenses. There have been testimonies that a child who reached the age of reasoning, spoke a blasphemy against God and died and went to hell. There has been testimony of someone committing their first mortal sins and died on the spot, punished for all of eternity. So why would you take a chance and say to yourself, “I’ll change my ways tomorrow”. This temptation is from the devil, telling you that you can worry about it tomorrow. But rebuke him back and say “Can anyone promise me a tomorrow but God?” Who but God alone, know how many chances I will get for repentance? How would you know if your cup is full? How do you know that God will allow you to live until the age of eighty or if you would even make it to twenty?
Job 14:5 “Since his days are determined, and the number of his months is with thee, and thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass” Everyday that you take a breath, you are closer to that end. Don’t put off your salvation until tomorrow. If you know you are not right with God, then repent of your sinfulness and come back to God. Come back to his Most Holy Words and read his Most Holy Book, The Bible. St. Augustine says Preparation for Death P.66“If then you must renounce it at some time, why do you not abandon it at this moment? Perhaps you are waiting til death arrives? But, for the obstinate sinners, the hour of death is that time, not of pardon, but of vengeance. In the time of vengeance, he will destroy thee.”. You will immediately enter the Throne of God for your judgement. According to many Theologians, two books will be brought out. The Gospel and The Conscience of the Sinner. The Gospel will be read on how you should have lived your life and the other, on what you actually did in life. The devil will be present to bring all your sins before God and tell him the day and hour you committed your sins. Your Guardian Angel will also testify before God on all the opportunities you were given. All the graces that God has given to you to turn around and away from your sins. Your own conscience will speak before God and tell him what has become of you. Depending on the state of your death. God will decide whether you will go to Heaven, Hell or Purgatory. It is a terrible thing, to be in the hands of God for your final judgment, if you’re not prepared.
Let us close with this. For I too am included in his matter. Let us join in this prayer. Almighty and All-Knowing God, you have every right to condemn me for my first sins. For the moment I committed it, I sealed myself in judgement and deserve hell. I acknowledge that many have died before me, either by committing their first mortal sins or their one hundredth. You have given me many graces and opportunities to change and I still haven’t. I beg you Oh Merciful God, allow me to no more offend thee and let not the cup of my iniquities full up, bringing your Full and Justify wrath upon me. I beg, through the Mercy of Jesus Christ, who came into the world to reconcile us with God, to wash away my sins by his Precious Blood. To break the hardness of my heart and free me from the grips of my insanity. Break the chains of the devil who holds me to my sins. Let me run to Holy Mother Church and repent of my crimes, receive absolution and turn away from evil. Asking for the intercession of my guardian angel, the saints in heaven along with the Blessed Virgin Mary, for the Grace of FINAL PERSEVERANCE and the GRACE OF PERSEVERANCE. For I’d rather suffer here on earth, then suffer Eternal Punishment, being separated from you. For this we pray for this Mighty Mercy of God, Amen!
Repent and turn away from your sins, before it is too late brethren,
Love
Aaron JP
Lost Sheep for Christ 