Planning for Heaven

“A stitch in time saves nine.” “Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today,” “There’s no time like the present!” These old proverbs echo the wisdom and message of today’s readings. Both St. Paul and Jesus speak about the importance of being ready for the second coming of Christ.

St. Paul reminds us to conduct ourselves so that we may stand blameless before God at his coming. Jesus reminds us not to let the day to day busyness or anxieties blind us to his coming. We do not know either when the end of time will come or when the end of our time will be!

Throughout the Gospels Jesus repeatedly tells us to “stay awake” and not to be “caught by surprise.” Despite the prominence of this message through Scripture, how many of us live with our end truly in mind? It is easy to get caught up in the day to day activities and tasks and forget that there is more for us than this earthly life.

I remember hearing a reflection on how people tend to take their retirement planning more seriously than their spiritual lives. If we are lucky we may have 30 years or so of retirement to plan for, but the afterlife is forever! If we spend time thinking of and planning for the end of our working years, how much more should we plan for the day when we meet Jesus face to face?

The benefits of this truly long term thinking have positive effects for both our spiritual lives and for our mental health. When we live with the end in mind, we are able to keep the ups and downs of life in perspective and entrust them more fully to the Lord.

Consider taking some time this week to evaluate where you are placing your focus. Is it solely on what you need to do this week? Or are you also preparing your heart “to stand before the Son of Man?”