To the Ends of the Earth: Character – Week 10, Day 5 – Our Examination Helps Lead Us to a Deep Hatred of Sin
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his Bride has made herself ready;
it was granted her to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure” —
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”
Revelation 19:6–9
On the day of his wedding, a groom waits at the altar as his bride walks down the aisle to join him in the sacrament of Matrimony. She wears a spotless white gown, a symbol of her purity as she gives herself forever to the one who will be her husband. Like a bride preparing for her wedding with a ceremonial bath and a white wedding gown, the Bride of Christ is being purified by her trials and putting on her garment of righteousness so she will be ready for the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ.
As members of the Church, we are called to prepare the Bride of Christ for her wedding. This is part of the legacy we leave behind. How we live as Catholic men helps to shape the Church for what is to come, including her trials. We need to ask ourselves how we are contributing to the Church’s growth and maturity. Are we devoted to Christ alone? Are we striving to live spotless lives, free from the stain of sin?
If we take our baptism seriously, we will accept our role within the Church and see how our legacy is inseparable from the legacy of the Church.
Questions for reflection
How can you work to devote yourself more fully to the Body of Christ?
What does the Church need to do right now to ready herself for the Bridegroom?
How ready do you feel today to be called to the wedding feast of the Lamb?
Praying with Scripture
“For your Maker is your husband, / the LORD of hosts is his name; / and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, / the God of the whole earth he is called.” (Is 54:5)
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