We Will Give An Accounting Of Ourselves
“Life as we know it, with all its ups and downs, will soon be over. We all will give an accounting to God of how we have lived.” ~ William Wilberforce
In his letter to the Romans, St. Paul reminded the early Church that on one lives as his own master and no one dies as his own master. Rather, at the end of our days, we will have to give an accounting of ourselves to the Lord. This is the same sentiment that Wilberforce shares with us today.
There are those who might believe that they are in charge, that they are their own master. They do their best to exert control over others and over situations. If they cannot do so, they usually become extremely frustrated as well as disgruntled and difficult with others.
While we have to exert a certain amount of control upon ourselves and the world around us, we need to remember that we are not the architects of the world and, therefore, we are not the ones in charge. We need to abandon ourselves to the will of someone higher and that would be God.
It can be quite disconcerting, if not downright frightening, to think that, ultimately, we are going to have to give an accounting of ourselves before God. I remember, at a very young age, one of the favorite topics of Bishop Grutka. He told us before our Confirmation that we had to be responsible to God.
This was right around the time of videotape recording devices. He said that, at the end of our lives, God would bring out the Betamax of our lives and show us everything — everything — that we did or failed to do. There would be no getting around this moment and, the bishop said, God would stop the recording many times to inquire why we did or didn’t do certain things.
Now, to be honest, I don’t think God owns a Betamax. But I do believe that there will be a judgment and that there will be an accounting of ourselves that must take place for God is truly the one in charge and not ourselves. Let us live, therefore, for God today and not for ourselves.
FAITH ACTION: Pray for the grace necessary to remain on the path that leads to the Kingdom.