The Threadbare Quilt

As I faced my maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with the others. Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles; an angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that was our life. But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares were. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else seemed to have such squares. The other tapestries seemed to be filled with rich color and bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened. My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, almost like binding air. The time came for our lives to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. Each person rose at their turn and held up their beautiful tapestries. Their lives had been so full. Finally it was my turn to rise. My eyes dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn’t had all the earthly fortunes, mine had been a simple life. I had love and laughter, but there had been many times of trials, illness, and false accusations. Many times, facing adversity I had wanted to quit, only somehow to muster the strength to pick up and start over. I had spent many nights on my knees in prayer asking for help and guidance, offering my suffering up to the Father in faith. And now I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was. I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the Light. A gasp filled the air and I found the courage to look around, the others were staring at my tapestry with wide eyes. Then, I looked at the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with love in his eyes he said, “Every time you gave your suffering to me, it became my suffering. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let me shine through, until there was more of me then there was of you.”