By KRISTINE SCHROEDER
LESSONS LEARNED
Sometimes, small children are full of innocent wisdom we all need to embrace.
When grandson Matthew was five, he walked into our kitchen and, without any preliminary greeting, said, “Mamaw, you are going to die.” After thanking him for that profound thought, I inquired as to what motivated such a somber conclusion. His answer: “You are old.” Momentarily, I considered dropping him from my Christmas list, but decided his youth was a sufficient excuse.
Besides, Matthew was correct. All of us are going to die. Paradoxically, death is one of a few certainties of life. That thought (and the story) came to mind while I was reading “Humility of Heart,” by Father Cajetan Mary da Bergamo, and “Salvation: What Every Catholic Should Know,” by Michael P. Barber.
In the first book, Father Bergamo states, “Death is the best teacher of truth … The thought of eternity should keep us humble…King David was most humble of heart because he was filled with dread of eternity.” Father Bergamo suggested that keeping our mortality front-and-center is the best deterrent to wandering from God’s will.
In “Salvation,” Barber discusses heaven, hell and purgatory. He defines heaven as “essentially being in union with God.” Purgatory is the place of final cleansing from the stain of sin before our souls can have this communion. Hell is the “sad and lamentable reality of eternal death” (CCC 1056). That last definition is a frightening thought!
However, understanding and believing in these three possibilities can create a fear of the Lord. According to Job, “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” and wisdom will aid us in making the positive choices that will lead us to salvation and joy.
God desires communion with us in heaven, but He will never force us to choose Him. Free will gives us the opportunity to decide our life’s path. That is again why it is imperative that we understand the eternal consequences of our earthly choices. In St. Faustina’s 600-page diary, the phrase that alarmed me most was, “Most of the people who are in hell didn’t believe there was a hell.” She went on to explain that they weren’t all necessarily evil people, instead people who led self-absorbed lives.
“Life is a breath” (Job 7:7). None of us knows when our time on earth will end, but we do understand that each day is one less day on earth. We must not squander it worrying about trivial matters: what others think of us, whether we hobnob in the right social circles, what cars we drive or homes we own. God doesn’t care! And, In the end, His judgement is all that matters.
Scriptures give us the road map to heaven. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you… for the measure you give will be the measure you get back” (Luke 6:37-38). Poetic advice that is often difficult to follow.
Matthew (not the five-year-old) reminds us that God expects us to live a life of service just as Jesus modeled during his sojourn on earth. He says, “When the Son of man comes in his glory … before him will be gathered all the nations and he will separate the sheep from the goats.” The sheep are those that followed the Lord’s commandments and served others. They will be on his right (heaven). The goats are those who turned their backs on God and chose a life of self-indulgence. Jesus will say to them, “Depart from me, into the fires prepared for the devil and his angels.” Strong words of warning.
We cannot reach heaven alone. We need God’s continual graces which are available through the Sacraments, prayer, and good works. Death need not frighten us. Instead, let death inspire us to pray more fervently, care more genuinely, appreciate our blessings continually, and especially, love more freely. Let us leave a legacy that lasts long after flowers fade and new saplings become stately oaks in the cemetery.