The First Thing

I don't know where this thought came from but it leapt unbidden into my mind one morning. It's not an original thought, or in any way a new one, in fact St Paul said something similar 2000 years ago, but coming as it did it had a transforming effect on me and it has taken several days for me to digest and treasure it. It was this: When I die Jesus is not going to ask me how many rosaries I've said (and I love the rosary) or if I went to a Latin Mass or even if I was faithful to Church teaching: no, He's going to ask me how much I have loved. He's going to want to know how much I loved Him and how much I loved others. To change St Pauls words: if I have attended a Latin Mass every Sunday and said a hundred rosaries a week it means nothing if I haven't loved. Praise God, deep prayerful thought assured me that I said my rosary and went to the Latin Mass BECAUSE I loved Him so much, but loving MUST come first. Please God I'll never forget this lesson.