What is the criteria for salvation? Father Steve Bruno, pastor at St Rita of Cascia Church in Harahan, said it is how you treat others.
Closing out the liturgical year on the Feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Eucharist, Father Bruno and Father Sylvester Adoga, parochial vicar, led a Eucharistic procession around the church reciting the Stations of the Cross.
The first station was held in the church; the remaining 11 were mostly at homes of parishioners in the surrounding neighborhood. In the Mass homily that covered the corporal works of mercy in Matthew 25 to feed the hungry, clothe the naked ... Father Steve said on Judgment Day, when the son of man comes, he will sit in the throne and separate all nations and people on his right and left. Whatever you did for one of my least brothers you did for me, Jesus will say to the people on the right. The righteous will have eternal life.
Father Steve shared a story of Charles Dickens’ “Christmas Carol.” There are consequences for the way we speak to and treat people. Ebenezer Scrooge discovered this from the ghosts who visited him. While God is merciful, we need to see him in each of us. Jesus expects us to be his presence in the world. Does everyone witness Jesus in our behavior? “We are the body of Christ.” What is your attitude toward others and the way you speak about them?
The Gospel should be a wake up call for us - all our actions have consequences. The procession ended with benediction.