“To them indeed, who according to patience in good work, seek glory and honour and incorruption, eternal life: but to them that are contentious, and who obey not the truth, but give credit to iniquity, wrath and indignation. Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that worketh evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Greek: But glory, and honour, and peace to every one that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For there is no respect of persons with God.”
It has been promised, that in this fallen world, fruit will be borne with trial and aridity: “Cursed is the earth in thy work; with labour and toil shalt thou eat thereof all the days of thy life. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee” (Genesis 3:17-18). Work in the divine vineyard is no different, for years of prayer and labor can seemingly produce nothing. However, God does not look upon the offering so much as the heart that does it: “The Lord had respect to Abel, and to his offerings. But to Cain and his offerings he had no respect” (Genesis 4:5). A life of failure with constant love and joy is a magnificent window of stained glass illuminated by divine love, one of success with irritation has no light passing through it. Therefore, feast on the love of God, and do all things with a joyful heart, for the work itself will pass away: “The joyfulness of the heart, is the life of a man, and a never failing treasure of holiness: and the joy of a man is length of life” (Ecclesiasticus 30:23). Now, joyful service of the Lord comes with the rewards of the glory of heaven, the honor of saintly dignity, and the incorruption of a glorified, resurrected body. All of these are parts of eternal life, but are imperfect goals to which to strive. Each is a gift of the Divine Bridegroom, but it is the Bridegroom Himself that you should strive for: “Thy face, O Lord, will I still seek. Turn not away thy face from me” (Psalm 26:8-9). The gifts of God are meant to draw you towards Him, that you may fall in love and hold to love of Him alone: “But cleave ye unto the Lord your God: as you have done until this day” (Josue 23:8). Let love of Jesus be your guide and commander, and you will find the wholeness of yourself. St. Paul then speaks against the contentious, or the argumentative: “A mild answer breaketh wrath: but a harsh word stirreth up fury. The tongue of the wise adorneth knowledge: but the mouth of fools bubbleth out folly” (Proverbs 15:1-2). A meek, quiet love that holds to the teachings of the Catholic Church and the words of Scripture with the obedience of a spouse will be a soul in full bloom: “Set before me for a law the way of thy justifications, O Lord: and I will always seek after it” (Psalm 118:33). To not obey these truths is to live contrary to divine love, and to hold steadfastly to them is the delight of the Sacred Heart: “I have no greater grace than this, to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 1:4). Wrath and indignation are the portion of those that spurn this merciful love, for the Divine Spouse has given everything to His people, and reached out to every soul with the splendors of nature, the conscience, the truths of the faith, and devotions without number. To the lover of Jesus, “The king hath brought me into his storerooms” (Song 1:3), to the one that turns away from these movements will be a Jesus completely spurned and rejected, having spent a lifetime of reaching out and pursuing, but never welcomed: “My people have done two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremias 2:13). Tribulation and anguish, despair at not having loved according to the way laid out in nature and in the Law, will be the portion of those that spurn this merciful love. St. Paul mentions this is to the Jew first, who has the Law and the prophets: “He that loveth his neighbour, hath fulfilled the law” (Romans 13:8). To know the ways of the Lord imposes a stricter way of life, because to know what Jesus wants from you, and do otherwise, is contrary to love. However, to follow them is a beautiful way of life; it may seem narrow, but it is golden and joyous, for all things become acts of love: “I sat down under his shadow,” or His cross and commandments, “whom I desired: and his fruit was sweet to my palate” (Song 2:3). The treasures of the Lord He will give abundantly to those that ran to Him: “Bring forth quickly the first robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry” (Luke 15:22-23), most eminently the gift of Himself: “And whilst they were eating, Jesus took bread; and blessing, broke, and gave to them, and said: Take ye. This is my body” (Mark 14:22). These gifts are open to all, and come to their perfect expression in the next life. No one brings merit before Him, for St. John and St. Mary Magdalene both stood with Him on the Cross, wrapped in sorrowful love. Your past is merely a part of your love story, your heritage minor details, it is your love now, your love of Jesus that is present and happening that matters: “Abide in my love” (John 15:9). He gives favors as He will, letting everyone’s love story play out as He has written: “Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee. Or is it not lawful for me to do what I will?” (Matthew 20:14-15). Focus on Jesus and the love He has given you, and let Him take care of the rest.