There’s an old saying that says, “if you don’t care where you’re going, it doesn’t matter what road you take.” This little philosophy of life is the mindset of many people. Other thoughts go along with it . . . “live for the moment”, “go with the flow”, “see what turns up.”
This approach to life works just fine . . . when you’re lying on a beach; when your longawaited vacation has begun; when you’re sick in bed with a cold. But they don’t work so well if you want your life to accomplish something; if you want your life to “say something”.
I’m not saying we have to win an election or be chairman of some board, or get that house on the hill. I am saying that to live our life to its fullest we need to follow the principles that God has placed in our hearts. These principles give glory to God and fulfill our purpose as God’s children.
Without that, our lives have no meaning. Two weeks ago I asked you to consider what you’d like your tombstone to say. I’m thinking what some “go with the flow” markers might say . . . “He loved Bud Light”, “Great Bills Fan”, “She was so stylish”, “Knew where to go for good Italian”. (W. C. Fields’ marker said, “I told you I was sick!”)
So where do you want your life to go? Our Faith has a ready answer . . . Heaven.
How old fashion that sounds, eh? Back years ago, Sr. Irma asked her 5th graders, “How many of you want to go to heaven?” Hands shot up immediately . . . “oh me! Me! Me! I want to go to heaven.” We went nuts.
And we meant it. What was heaven like? We didn’t have the slightest idea. But we knew it was very good. And we knew we needed to be there so we could be happy with God and all our friends. And we knew as children (get this, it’s important), that we had to make the right choices and avoid the bad ones to get there. Good and bad choices lead in different directions. And yes . . . the Devil was there to try and trick us. Take care!
People feel different these days. Ask someone if they want to go to heaven. “Yeah, sure. Why not?” Or “Okay, but my heaven is different than your heaven.” Or “Whatever?”
Added to this is the notion that it doesn’t’ matter what we do with our lives, we all are headed to heaven cause that’s just where humans go. So don’t sweat it.
Jesus had a different message. He told us there would be a judgement. (Mt. 25:14; Mt. 25:31ff). In the Parable of the Tenants (Mt. 12:33ff) Jesus tells us that when God fully reveals Himself there will be a reckoning for each of us as to how we have spent our lives. How did we effect goodness (or evil) in the world? How did we use the gifts (talents) we were given? Did we dedicate ourselves to anything in this life?
In the Parable of the Sheep and Goats (Mt. 25) Jesus points out that it is our actions themselves that become our judge. “As often as you did (or didn’t do) these things, you did them to ME. . . And these will go off to eternal punishment (those who ignored their neighbor) but the righteous to eternal life.”
So dear friends this life is real and earnest. It’s the only one we’ll ever get. We will be judged on how we use our time. It matters greatly what path we choose. Jesus made this path simple. Love God first. (Everything we have comes from Him). Secondly, love your neighbor as Christ has loved us.
Remember, Christ has a place for you in heaven.
Summer blessings.
Fr. Tim
