In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.

St. John of the Cross

It always comes back to love, doesn’t it? As it should! What I like about this particular quote is that it reminds me that God doesn’t care about any of our other accomplishments, only how much we loved. But what makes this one of my favorite quotes is its double meaning. We are judged on love alone can also mean that the one who judges us does so with love alone. The one who judges us, after all, is the one who loved us enough to die for us. As Paul’s Letter to the Romans reminds us:

Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ?

Romans 8:34-35

And because of that, Paul answers his own question with these unforgettable words:

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

In the evening of life, it is true, we will be judged on love alone – on how much of our life was devoted to loving God and neighbor. But when we are judged in the evening of life, it will be by the One whose love for us is stronger than anything else in all creation. Thanks be to God for this love shown to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.