ACTIONS THAT LEAD TO HEAVEN

 

2023 MAY 18 THU: EASTER WEEKDAY/ JOHN I, PP, MT 

Acts 18: 1-8/ Ps 98: 1. 2-3ab. 3cd-4/ Jn 16: 16-20 

‘Because I am going to the Father.’

In a little while, we shall be celebrating Ascension Sunday.  From here on, we shall not see Jesus until his second coming. But he will give us the Advocate to guide us in our daily decisions and actions. 

Jesus said, “I am going to the Father.” I am going up to heaven, he says.  Let’s reflect if our actions lead to heaven.

We know our daily existence – food, work, personal, social, family, and community. 

We know our weekly and monthly existence – salary, going to malls and churches, and family bonding.  But which of these activities add up to heaven?

First, the heavenly actions or those that lead people and self to holiness of life lead us to heaven. Those activities that help fill us with knowledge of the divine amidst our busy schedule – prayer, bible, Eucharist.

Second, actions the build people’s lives lead us to heaven – acts of kindness to help the poor, those who are alone, the elderly, and others. 

Third, actions that purify us and the world lead us to heaven.  Here we enter persecutions in our loyalty to Jesus and abhorrence to worldly things.  We suffer persecution because others could not believe that we could live holy lives. 

Let’s not be fixated with day-to-day affairs.  The Lord provides for our daily needs.  Let’s be more concerned if our lives journey up to heaven or not. Then we shall know if our actions make sense, in that they lead us to God.