Within the Book of Revelation, John records seeing people who are “marked” with signs of their goodness and faithfulness, and people who are marked with signs of their disbelief in God and all of His ways.

Chapter 13 opens with John describing a beast rising up out of the sea and another rising up from the earth. (Revelation 13: 1-4, 11-12) These beasts represent the evil forces and false prophets of the world. John observes these beasts uttering blasphemies against God, making war on the saints, and deceiving humanity by the signs they are allowed to work. (Revelation 13: 6-7, 14)

People are being tested in the presence of evil; and as the living make their decisions about what to believe and who to follow, one of the beasts requires humanity to be marked as follows:

“It [the beast] causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let him who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty-six.” Revelation 13: 16-18

In Chapter 14, John describes seeing those who are marked by their faith in Jesus and in God the Father:

“Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from Heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; the voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they sing a new song before the throne and before the elders. No one could learn that song expect the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.” Revelation 14: 1-3

This concept of “marking” both symbolizes and affirms the final judgment of all souls in their encounter with Christ, upon their death. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches the following:

“Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ. The New Testament speaks of judgment primarily in its aspect of the final encounter with Christ in His second coming, but also repeatedly affirms that each will be rewarded immediately after death in accordance with his works and faith. The parable of the poor man Lazarus and the words of Christ on the cross to the good thief, as well as other New Testament texts speak of a final destiny of the soul — a destiny which can be different for some and for others.” CCC, 10211

Within the story of Revelation, we see Jesus and God the Father and the angels and saints observe the chaos unfolding on earth and the decisions made by the living. They observe but do not intervene in these decisions. John’s writing here, rich in symbolic imagery, is confirming that the decision to follow Christ is wholly ours to make.

God created us in His own image (Genesis 1: 26-27), which is Love (1 John 4: 16). Love can never be forced. Love sets us free and empowers us to create more goodness. And while the presence of sin in the world threatens to enslave us in its empty promises, Jesus shows us the way around sin and to eternal life. St. Paul describes it this way:

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery … For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love be servants of one another.” Galatians 5: 1, 13

How do we follow Christ to eternal life? Shortly before His betrayal, Jesus says this to his apostles:

“[And Jesus said], ‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you … By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.'” John 13: 34-35

And when asked which of God’s commandments are the greatest, Jesus replies:

“And Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'” Matthew 22: 37-39

The key to eternal life with God is Love. ♥️

As John’s story in Revelation reminds us, we will face trials in our lives. But cultivating a relationship with God enables us to put our faith and hope in His way of living and loving regardless of what happens. God’s kind of love is not merely an emotional response to Him and to the people we encounter on earth. God’s kind of love is a very active thing. It’s about being willing to sacrifice things, big and small, for those we love. It’s about choosing to love when things are going really well and when it seems that all is lost.

St. Paul describes the way of God’s love:

“Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

The mark of the faithful is Love. ♥️

St. John of the Cross once said, “At the evening of life, we shall be judged on our love.”  

We do not have to worry about whether we have what it takes to love like Jesus loves. All we have to do is walk through the open door that Jesus places before all of us and choose to follow Him. Day by day … moment by moment … Jesus will give us everything we need to love and live as He does.

Remember Jesus’ words to us in Revelation:

“[And Jesus said,] ‘Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut; I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept My Word and have not denied My Name … Because you have kept My Word of patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial which is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell upon the earth.'” Revelation 3: 8, 10

If we desire to live and love like Jesus, and to spend eternal life with Him, He will give us everything we need to do that.

It is beautiful how all of this works together.

Thank you, Jesus, for loving us so much.

1Catholic Church, Catechism of the Catholic Church: Revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul II, Ascension Edition (Pennsylvania: Ascension Publishing Group, LLC, 2022), Paragraph 1021, page 284.