Christians to be judged harshly?

[Lady Love]

I was thinking a lot about lost souls today and it occurred to me how great a responsibility I have as a Christian to minister to others. If Christianity is not flourishing we have no one to blame but ourselves. I thought about how harshly complacent Christians will be judged because they know Jesus yet do not take risks for His kingdom. I thought about Christians who may not always give the message that Jesus gave. I know that sometimes Christians promote Christianity as a way of making themselves look good instead of others. How sometimes we compare and compete instead of encourage. I think about Christians who are slaves to their egos. Especially, those interested in picking out every flaw they see in another. I know Christians who do not "lovingly" try to turn people away from their sins and remain silent. I think about Christians who do not live by example. I know Christians who seem more interested in being "right" than in moving hearts.

I have fallen into this category many times throughout my journey with the Lord. It makes me so sad to think that possibly through my arrogance I have ever turned any one away from the Lord, that I lead with my head and not my heart. How grave a matter this would be.

I wonder if we Christians should be the ones with our faces planted to the floor begging God for mercy for being so careless with His lost children? Will we be like Schindler in the movie Shindler's List where he looks at his car and says, "This could have bought 50 more Jews..."?

O God, transform our hearts and open them to your Holy Spirit. Give us the grace to be your vessels and never restrict your promptings. Guard us from Ego when doing your work. Give us a mind that focuses on our purpose in this life which is to lead souls to you. Give us the ability to focus not on the rewards we will receive but the relief we will give to your thirsting heart. Give us energy and joy so we do not delay in doing your will. May we be caught up in love for you that we forget ourselves and see only you and desire to meet only your desires. You have called us to be "set apart" from the world. You have called us to be different, to be a light. Have mercy on we whom you have chosen to serve you and your lost children.

[Veronica97]

Yes, it's an awesome responsibility--one which I have only in the last year taken seriously. I have begun to pray for family and friends and priests and those in purgatory and the pro-life movement and LOTS of things!! I think we do the best we can with God's help. We're only human and He knows that. If we TRY to live the best lives we can, praying for others, and talking about Jesus when the opportunity presents itself, then that's about all we can do. I love your reference to Schindler! That's something to think about when I think of skipping the Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet--how many more people could I help save by praying on those days? If Our Lady of Fatima says that many souls go to Hell because there is no one to pray for them, do we take that seriously or not? I think we'd better take it seriously! So often I think of someone to pray for--someone who has no real religious upbringing and no family who are Christians...and I think, "If I don't pray for this person, WHO will?" It's an awesome responsibility indeed!