A Heaven On Earth

As most of those giving homilies this weekend probably said, this week's Gospel is a tough one to handle. It involves a story Jesus told, where he talks about a rich man being sent to the netherworld after his death because of riches, while a poor man with sores was carried by angles to Abraham's side. Kind of makes you think doesn't it...

We are all used to the saying that the last will be first in heaven and the first will be last in heaven. Read that one again. Tough stuff to sink in. But it's not like we can go out and just live on the streets in the sheer hope that we are the last so that we make it to heaven. That's not giving an effort, which God wants us to do. You can work and have money and shelter, even Jesus had that, but He helped people along the way too. He spread His gifts and shared them with everyone, both rich and poor. That's what God wants us to do, to get to that next level.

Then the question arises, what does heaven look like exactly? We know, usually with God, it's never that cut and dry. I can't answer that question, Father Carsten can't answer that question, I don't think the Pope can even answer that question. It's not like some ocean side resort we can just go to for vacation. The fact that it's that much unknown intrigues me even more, all I really want is a glimpse. Yet, this is why we must learn patience. We have a whole life to live here on earth before any of that happens.

I've always thought about how I miss the old days, the young days, before school really even existed in my brain, playing on some giant slide or playground with my sisters. Whether you have that kind of memory or not, everything seemed easier back then, didn't it?

Well, that's over, or is it? And it's hard not to want that time back. But then you realize, sooner or later, it's actually coming. Except this time, you'll see it through different eyes. Either you or someone close to you will most likely get married and have children someday, and that's when you relive those days, playing with the kids, while spending time with those you once did the same with. Everything overlaps. To me, that's the secret to getting that kind of happiness back, other than the happy times in your everyday life. You get all the perks of being an adult, but get that kind of youthful wonder of life as well. The college age crowd isn't there yet for the most part, my crowd, it's the in between time. But, we cannot just wish for those future days, then we'll miss this precious time now. Every day is actually a huge chunk of our time on earth, especially compared with something as eternal as heaven.

So why not have some heaven on earth now, and enjoy ourselves as much as possible. Life's too short not to. Sure, we have work and problems and all that other stuff to deal with, but there isn't enough time to let it drag us down. If we live the right way, the way God wants us to, we can have all that extra time in eternity. We don't know quite what heaven is going to look like, but we do know that God wants us to give our gifts as much as possible while here on earth. That will truly determine what our heaven will be.

All that is guaranteed to us is this minute on this day on this year. The next moment can be taken away any second, so take this time now, and do everything you can to make it worth not only your own time, but those around you too.

That's where true happiness lies, in those moments we cherish, whether we are a toddler or a grandparent. And don't forget, there's no age limit for playing on the swings.