Our Reward

A while ago, I saw a movie called The Robe. It was about the Lord’s garment that the soldiers cast lots for at the foot of the Cross. In the Scripture we hear that His garment was “without seem, woven from top to bottom” (Lk 19:23) (like the priestly caste), so that instead of tearing it up, the soldiers cast lots for it to see who would get the whole thing. Well, the movie was following the fictional history of this red robe, and how it had a powerful effect of conversion on the people whose hands it ended up in.

Whoever had it became the Lord’s.

Back in October, on the Sunday that was the Feast of Christ the King, I returned from teaching religious ed in the school in my local parish and headed over to the chapel to spend time with Jesus in the tabernacle. When I got in, it was just me and Him alone in the church. It was good to have that time.

I had been kneeling for only a few minutes with the Lord when I heard the voice of a priest speaking with another parishioner. They are two friendly voices I hadn’t heard in a little while, so I went out to meet them and catch up.

Well, when it was time to go, I was leaving with my friend and his family, when we came across two women in the church parking lot. One was standing, the other, Paula, was paraplegic and in an electric wheelchair. The woman standing asked us if anyone had a cell-phone. “I do,” I answered, and she told me that Paula was waiting for The Ride. That’s the public point-to-point van that picks up elderly and disabled folks to give them rides to places they can’t get to on their own.

OK, I can call them, I said, and I told my friends to go on ahead. I started to make calls to The Ride, and finally I was able to make all the confirmations that were needed. The van would be there in about 5 minutes, I was told.

Well, the other woman had to go to Mass, and so I was left alone with the woman.

With a big smile and filled with relief, she said to me, “Thank you very much, you don’t know how much this means to me.” “Oh, don’t mention it, it’s nothing to make a few cell phone calls.” And as we were saying these things, I noticed that she was covered in one of those fleece blankets. It was pure blood red, “without seem, woven from top to bottom”.

It suddenly struck me like a lightning bolt. The Robe … It’s HIM! I was with the King. Inside, I told myself, “Listen closely, dummy.”

“You know, people are cruel, but then someone like you comes along and does one little thing, it seems so small, but it makes up for everything. All it takes is one little thing. It changes everything. It means everything to me. Thank you so, so much.”

The Lord loves little things, little ones and little acts of love. The world thinks big impact and successful – even in the Church – and ends up missing out. The world can’t be alone with Him, it can’t hear His voice. But one prayer from the heart, one cup of cold water, one simple phone call makes His day. It changes everything. It makes up to Him for all His rejection by the world.

“And whoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” (Mt 10:42)

If you give Him something little from your heart, prepare yourself for your reward. You will have private one on one time with the King. And you will hear His voice.