If we love Jesus, we will obey Him (Jn 15:10). Therefore, a life of love is a life of obedience (see 1 Pt 1:2). As our lives on earth come to their conclusion, we reach the point that there is one thing more we must do. This last command is:

• a "must" (Mk 10:21),
• hard (Mk 10:23, 24),
• humanly impossible (Mk 10:27), and
• often including persecution (Mk 10:30).

Because this is the devil's last chance to rob and enslave us, he will do everything he can to make our obedience to the Lord's last command as difficult as possible. We have prepared for obeying this last command by repeatedly asking Mary to pray for us "now and at the hour of our death."

The key to obeying the Lord's last command and all His commands is to rely on His grace and not on our strength. The same Lord Who has given us His humanly impossible commands will fill us with His love, which will impel us to obey His final command (2 Cor 5:14).

Live in grace and love so that you will live in obedience until the very end. The one "who holds out to the end...is the one who will see salvation" (Mt 24:13).

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, March 22, 1997

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 26, 1997