"Have You Loved?"

by Nolan Chang

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As some of you may know, I joined the Catholic Church in 2015, as Ester is Catholic, and when we got married I wanted to have a united household.  I like it, as it gives me a different perspective and I’ve been learning a lot.  We’ve also been getting involved with the children’s ministry and EPIC Young Adult (and not so young adult) Ministry here at Resurrection of the Lord in Waipio.
 
Last night on Holy Thursday, we visited three churches with EPIC Ministry on a small pilgrimage and got to spend time in quiet prayer and adoration at each.  I got three things from this experience: one was a playback of my personal life, second was that I should write to the people in my life that mean something to me, and the third is the following that was revealed to me.   
 
I had watched a show previously that hinted that when we pass away and move on from this life, we get a broader understanding of why things happened the way they do.  Things like evil and strife disappear, and all that is left is love—the love that we shared and experienced in our lifetime.  I had heard something similar before that at the end; when you are standing before God, the question you will be asked is, “What have you done with my Son Jesus that I sent to you?” And also, “Have you Loved?”
 
So during the pilgrimage, it came to me that in the end, if things like anger, jealousy, etc., all fade, and all that is left is love, then there are three ways that we can live our life:
 
3.  We can spend our lives building up our personal empire, getting rich, getting ahead at work, or even doing evil.  But in the end, all that fades, so we are left with nothing, and none of that is really going to matter anyways.
 
2.  But most of us don’t focus on that, so the real revelation to me is this: if we are just good, follow the rules, stay on the sideline, and don’t get involved, just staying busy in our own little world, most of that will fade away too, and you will also be left with nothing.  If you do nothing in this life and don’t love, in the end you will be left with nothing, if all that is left is the love that you share.
 
1.  What’s really going to matter in the end is the love that we shared with others—family, friends or strangers—whether it be taking time in our lives to really spend time with them, or something small like taking the time out to help someone when you feel that nudge to do so. 
 
So the question to ponder is this: if in the end, love is all that is left, what are we spending our daily time and energy on?  Through the busyness of life, what are we doing with His Son, and the example of love He has given us?
 
Thank you for being someone who has influenced my life, and have a Happy Easter weekend.
 
- Nolan

Members of EPIC Ministry in adoration and prayer in front the altar of repose at Resurrection of the Lord during the Holy Thursday Adoration Pilgrimage.

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Nolan is a member of ROL EPIC Ministry and is married to Ester, Assistant Coordinator of ROL EPIC.