The readings from today make me think of two things. The first is my mom saying, “You can’t take it with you anyway.” The second is the late Father Phil Tighe saying, “You should think about heaven every single day.” Okay, three things, that we were warned nearly 2,000 years ago in 2 John about progressive thinking.
Life as Usual
I realize it is very easy to get caught up in the day to day and “doing” life as usual, having a routine and expecting what we expect. Nevertheless, these readings urge us to stop and focus on what is truly important. Many catastrophic events happened on “just an ordinary day.” If the last couple of years have shown us anything, it’s that one day we may be at school, work, or church and the next day the doors are locked tight.
Our perspective needs to be that of the eternal. Whenever one of us kids was too focused on a material thing growing up, my mother always said, “You can’t take it with you.” She meant, we are only here for a while and that toy is not coming with you to eternity. It was her very wise way of teaching us detachment from worldly goods. A lesson many of us could probably benefit from again as I look around at all the stuff that distracts our hearts and minds. It is not just materials either. Status, reputation, money, are all things that can be a distraction from looking heavenward. Are we like Lot’s wife trying to preserve our life? What earthly thing may be sidetracking you?
Heaven
We should think of heaven every day. I remember I could not help but smile when I heard Father Tighe say this. He was smiling and it was contagious, as he said it so lovingly. I’d never heard a priest put it like that, so simply and honestly in a homily. If we are thinking about heaven and all its magnificence every day, hopefully we are a step closer to being there. We know without a doubt, we are leaving this earth one way or another. Wouldn’t it be wise to think about where we hope to be? And then live accordingly to the instructions we’ve been given?
God gave us the guidelines. He gave us the book with complete instructions and warnings. “Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord.” Psalm 119 And, “Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” Luke 21:28.
There is urgency in these words. So many people try to predict the second coming of Christ, but only God the Father knows. Are we focused on what really matters? Or, are we distracted by the world? How can we improve in concentrating on heaven?
The first reading states that our lives must be built on love. I venture to say, let’s start there.
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