The Last Judgment

Matthew 25.


      There is a picture of the "Last Judgment" on the Sistine Chapel wall frescoed with Jesus in the middle. It alone is worth the visit.

     There is only once account in the Christian scripture New Testament of what happens when we die-it is in the 25th chapter of the book of Matthew.

   I will paraphrase.  In the last days Jesus will separate the 'sheep' from the 'goats.'  The sheep will be with him eternally in paradise and the goats go to unending torment, weeping, gnashing of teeth, etc. A parade of horribles and soul torment too ghastly to even write about.

What is his criteria ?
If you see someone you consider the "least, last, lost" - the 'least of these my brethren' and you do these things, he credits it as if you did it to him. If you put clothes on the back of a naked person, if you feed the hungry, or give drink to the thirsty, if you visit or heal the sick, if you visit the person in prison, if you free the captive. If you do this to the least, the last, the lost, the downtrodden, the person who can't do it for themselves, its as if you did it to him. Not For him, To Him. It is as if he comes disguised as weakness -the weakness of an infant who needed everything- and needs to see how generous, how egoless we can be to assist those in want. That is at the heart of Love, not Pity, but Love of fellow mankind.

   It's a really simple formula, but one that only some people take seriously. Apparently Sarge Shriver did, as told by his son recently at a CIC book talk event. This motivated his public life, his setting up the Peace Corps out of nothing, his funding Head Start programs across the country and his War on Poverty.
The book "A Good Man" is really inspirational and I highly recommend it. When the young Shriver talks about his Dad choking back tears, you can tell that he still inspires his life "to be a better father, a better husband and a better friend" as he discussed his father's impact on him and those he touched. Sarge Shriver didn't get into political head games. He went to Mass every day. "Not every other day or when he felt like it, Every Day" said his son.  And he carried a Rosary everywhere.

     If you get a chance to see Mark Shriver talk about his Dad at a book signing anywhere you should go. He will autograph a book for you.