There is an attitude in our society and even sometimes among churchgoers that if there is life after death, however you might think of it, everyone will enter beatitude - no questions asked. In other words, there is no sense that there is a judgement or accountability for what we have done during our lives. St Paul is clear on this: "For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each must receive recompense for what has been done in the body, whether good or evil." (2 Cor 5: 10) In today's Gospel the Lord says: "For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." (Mtt 25: 29) God cannot lie! He will not invent a life of good deeds and truth when what was there was in fact a lie. Such people who lack any reception of God's grace will experience further loss in eternal death while those who have cooperated with grace will receive even greater grace in eternal life. The onus is on us, assisted by grace, to use that beautiful gift to love God and our neighbour in such a way that we all hear the words: "Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master." (Matt 25: 23)
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