Advent is not simply only a time to reflect on the birth of Our Lord, the Word made Flesh, but also a time to reflect on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgement, Heaven, and Hell. Over these four weeks of Advent, join me as I follow along with meditations of St Francis de Sales, as he reflected on the Four Last Things in his classic work, Introduction to the Devout Life. For each, I’ll post a link for you to follow along as well as some of my own thoughts.

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The Four Last Things: Judgement

St Francis de Sales: On Judgement.

It has been a struggle thinking of what to write on the subject of judgement. I’ve gone through numerous drafts, each leaving me unsatisfied. Nobody likes to feel like they’re judged, much less for the sorts of things that they feel they shouldn’t be judged for. It’s an uncomfortable subject to bring up because, as we all know, we all fall short in some way. We are told to “Be perfect … as your heavenly Father is perfect,” (Matthew 5:48) but none of us are perfect! The thought of God’s judgement can sometimes leave us feeling hopeless as we struggle to live up to this incredible standard. It’s difficult to think of what to say because, if I’m being honest, in my own life it is easier to ignore just how serious this matter is, and thus ignore the matter completely.

There is, however, one experience that has kept coming back to me in my reflections on God’s judgement, so I thought it was time that I wrote about my first confession. By the time I made my first confession, I had twenty-two years’ worth of sins to confess—too many to properly account for! Many of these sins had been weighing on my conscience for a number of years, and I had never felt forgiven for them. I had no peace: God had not forgiven me for my sins, and I couldn’t simply excuse myself by saying that I had changed. Justice demanded more. So, I went to confession. My heart was pounding out of my chest, and I was trembling with nervousness as I sheepishly read off of a list of my errors. In that moment, nothing else mattered, and all I could put my focus on was what I was confessing: it was like I had tunnel vision. I didn’t feel judged by God, but there was judgement in that confessional: I judged myself, and found myself guilty.

When I was finished with my list, I said the Act of Contrition, and the priest began to speak of what a momentous occasion this was: my first confession! He spoke at length about the mercy of God, and then said a prayer which has sounded like music to my ears ever since:

God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins. Through the ministry of the Church, may God grant you pardon and peace, and I absolve you of your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

The Prayer of Absolution

“Go in peace,” he said. So I did. I think I was still in a state of shock for about the next twenty minutes, but after that I felt a strange sense of calm roll over me. It was done. In light of my contrition, God had forgiven me.

This is, of course, an example of God’s mercy rather than His judgement, but how could anyone be merciful if there was no cause for mercy? My sins were still wrong, and most definitely happened: God hadn’t changed that, but He did grant me the peace I was looking for, and this brings me to the point.

God’s judgement doesn’t come on its own, but is in attendance alongside His love and mercy. It’s tempting for those who reflect on death, as we did, to say that because we all die, we should do whatever we please. However, death is not the end of us, even if it is the end of our time on this Earth. After death comes judgement, and it matters less that we lived than how we lived. As I said last week, death can help us to appreciate the time we are given, but on the other hand, judgement gives that time itself meaning: how was it that you spent your time? Did you spend it well? In this way, it’s certainly true to say that God’s judgement is something of a tough love. Nevertheless, it shows how His judgement is something that enriches our lives and decisions, and how it necessitates our searching and growing through the sacramental life to become better men and women than who we were once were. There is, of course, a lot more to be said about God’s judgement, but I hope that what little I have said here can help you to see God’s judgement in a new light.