Live a Life Worthy of the Lord

A Reflection on the First Reading for Sunday, August 6th, 2023:
Feast of the Transfiguration

Daniel 
7.9-10, 13-14 

As I watched, thrones were set in place, and the One who is Ancient of Days took his throne. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and flowed out from his presence. A thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him. The court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the One who is Ancient of Days and was presented before him.

To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Judgement. Our society is filled with it. Every day we make decisions that are actually judgements. Some are based on wisdom and discernment, while others are less charitable. 

My eldest stepson and his young family live with us, so we have the privilege of watching them parent our beautiful granddaughter. This child is a loving, active, vibrant girl. Bedtime can be a struggle. She wants them to cuddle her and read books, which they always do, and when it’s time for lights out, she often doesn’t want them to leave. My heart breaks as I hear her crying when they leave the room, and as I see the frustration her parents experience on those rough nights. Many nights I have sat in judgement of their approach, thinking, “if they would just…” and inserting my solution after those words. 

You see, my beautiful granddaughter’s father also struggled with bedtime when he was young. He wouldn’t go to sleep unless his father was with him. In those early years I would get frustrated and try to tell my husband that he had to “just let him go to sleep on his own”. My ever-patient husband would often remind me that the day would come quickly when our son wouldn’t want his kisses and cuddles, and so he was going to soak up every one of them. My husband understood how a father has unconditional love for his children, and exercised patience through those nights. Thanks to him, bedtime was peaceful, unless I decided to get involved with my judgement and less-than-wise advice. And now, about 25 years later, I recall his example and actions, and exercise wise judgement in keeping my opinion about their bedtime struggle to myself unless asked.

This may seem like a small example of exercising judgement. It’s certainly not the type of judgement described by Daniel in our second reading, but when I think about being called before the throne of God, I know that my final judgement will be based on a million decisions like this that I have made throughout my life.  

When I pass a person on the street asking for money, do I respond with kindness, even if it’s only a simple meeting of eyes and offering a blessing, or do I avert my eyes and pretend not to see? When someone tells me how strong I am for having endured a particularly challenging life event, do I take the credit as my own or do I take the opportunity to evangelize and share with them that my strength came from Jesus? Do I stand for what is right in the face of injustice, or do I assume the role of bystander? Do I willingly answer the call to use the gifts God has entrusted to me to build up His kingdom? All of these decisions form the answer to whether I am living a life worthy of the Lord.

Let us pray:  Father God, thank You for calling and equipping me to live a life worthy of You. May I always exercise wise judgement in serving You and Your people, and may my life be one that will be judged worthy of You. Amen.




Sandy Graves

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