In today’s first reading we hear once again that Jesus is Lord, the Lord of all: “This is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.” This means, Paul suggests, that none of us is our own Lord but Jesus is our Lord alone. “None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”
This month as we remember those who have died, Paul’s words are a source of comfort and of hope for those who have died and for ourselves. Paul posed the question earlier in this letter: “What will separate us from the love of Christ?” (Romans 8:35). Paul’s resounding answer is that there is nothing, not even death, can separate us from God:
“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39).
This love of God is made concrete and real in the life and teaching, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Since Jesus is Lord not us, it is not up to us but to Jesus to judge. Echoing the teaching of Jesus Paul asks:
“Why then do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you look down on your brother or sister?” (Romans 14:10).
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged…. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1-3).
Paul invites us today to examine and judge ourselves not others. As we examine our life God invites us to see not only our faults and failings but also the holiness in our daily life: “So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God.” Once again let us proclaim that Jesus is Lord and to follow in his footsteps as his faithful disciples.
Image: “The Wounds of Mercy” by Lawrence OP is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.