MANY OF us Catholics go to Sunday Masses, occasionally talk with affirmation about bits and pieces from the Catechism, then live the rest of the hours as if religion is passing fancy. Our daily lives are run by objectives that matter, literally: new cellphones, luxury tourism sorties, new cars, better houses, big reputations punctuated by awards, “honorable” positions in society.
There’s oxymoron in us. In the Credo, we profess belief in life everlasting, then we live by the statement “life is short” to justify and satisfy urges of the flesh. We venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary yet take pride in our little daughter’s imitation of the sensual walks with eye on flesh focused Miss Universe as lifetime objective.
Jesus Christ has something to say about this, as detailed by mystic Maria Valtorta (1897- 1961) who witnessed details in the life of the Lord as she was brought back in time to witness events from the birth of the Blessed Mother to the resurrection of the dead.
In the following, Valtorta writes about an event wherein a man asks Jesus whether he would be saved, and what the reply was. The verbatim quote:
“Another man from Ramah asks: ‘Lord, are only few people saved?’
“’If man knew how to behave with respect towards himself and with reverential love towards God, all men would be saved, as God desires. But man does not behave thus. And like a fool, he plays with tinsel, instead of taking pure gold. Be generous in wishing Good. Does it pain you? That is where the merit is. Strive to go through the narrow door. The other one, which is wide and ornate, is an allurement of Satan to lead you astray.
“‘The gate of Heaven is narrow, low, barren and rough. In order to enter it one must be agile, light, without pomp and without materialism. One must be spiritual to be able to do so. Otherwise when the hour of your death comes, you will not be able to pass through it. And many will be really seen trying to pass through it without being successful, as they are so laden with materialism, so decked out with worldly pomp, so stiffened by the crust of sin, unable to stoop because of their pride, which acts as a skeleton.
“‘And the Landlord of the Kingdom will then come to close the gate, and those who are outside, those who have not been able to go in at the right time, will knock at the door shouting: ‘Lord, open the gate to us. We are here as well’.
“But He will reply: ‘I really do not know you, neither do I know where you come from.’
“And they will say: ‘What? Do You not remember us? We ate and drank with You and we listened to You when You preached in our squares.’
“But He will reply: ‘I really do not know you. The more I look at you the more you seem to be sated with what I declared was impure food. The more I examine you, the more I see that you do not belong to My family. Now, I really see whose sons and subjects you are: the Other one’s. Satan is your father, the Flesh your mother, Pride your nurse, Hatred your servant, Sin is your treasure, Vices your gems.
“’On your hearts there is written: ‘Selfishness’. Your hands are dirty with the robberies committed against your brothers. Away from here! Away from Me, all of you, operators of iniquity.’
“Then, while Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the prophets and the just of the Kingdom of God will come from the heights of Heaven shining with glory, those who did not love but were selfish, who did not sacrifice themselves but lived in the lap of luxury, will be driven away and confined to the place where there is eternal weeping and nothing but terror.
“And those who have risen gloriously and have come from east and west, from north and south, will gather round the nuptial table of the Lamb, the King Of the Kingdom of God. And then one will see that many who appeared to be “the least” in the army of the earth, will be the first in the city of the Kingdom. And one will also see that not all the mighty ones in Israel are mighty in Heaven, and not all those chosen by the Christ to be His servants have deserved to be elected to the nuptial table. Instead one will see that many, who were considered to be “the first” will be not only the last, but not even the last. Because many are called, but few are those who can turn their election into true glory.”
