Our final end. That is the only thing that matters. Do we spend eternity with God or without him?
The decisive moment of our existence occurs at death. When our body’s faculties fail to the point where it can no longer be attached to the soul. It is at that moment our ultimate destiny is determined. If we are found to be in a state of grace, if we love God above all else, we’ll see him in heaven. Perhaps we'll first have to go thru a final purification process (purgatory), but our final destiny will be an eternal joyful experience that we cannot yet possibly imagine.
Conversely, for those who die in mortal sin, those who die with no affinity for God and want to have nothing to do with him, God will grant them their wish. They (the damned) will spend eternity as far away from God as they can possibly be.
Now, from everything I’ve read, you do not want to be counted amongst the damned. Everything in scripture, Church Tradition, and in private revelation experienced by the saints, indicates that the damned are going to be totally miserable forever. And forever is a very, very, very, long time.
Think about it! We’ll spend perhaps up to 100 years on planet Earth. How we live our earthly life will determine how we experience all of eternity. This is of INFINITE IMPORTANCE to us. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!
So how are we to live? We all have different callings. But whatever you do, offer it all to God. Start each day thanking our Lord for getting you safely through the night. Then say a little prayer where you offer to God the upcoming day’s joys, sufferings, accomplishments, failures, challenges, and pleasures. Offer to God EVERYTHING!
If possible, find a short prayer of exhortation that you can say to God throughout your day. Keep God in mind in all that you do. When making a decision, ask God for guidance and wisdom to make the best choice. Throughout the week, make it a habit to find a quiet time and place where you can center your thoughts on God for a few minutes. And, as one priest often reminded me, “when praying, don’t do all the blabbing”. When in prayer, allow your mind to go silent for a while. Give your soul a chance to listen to what God has to say.
When you’re ready for bed, don’t forget to tell God “thank you” for bringing you safely to the end of the day. Thank your guardian angel too for protecting you from the powers of evil and in guiding you throughout your day.
I also highly recommend that you make it a regular habit to read good religious literature and to listen and view religious audio and video programs. That you're reading this web page now is a great start. You'll find in many of the subsequent "Reflections" that I've written, references to books and other religious content that I have found helpful in my own faith journey.
You'll find that, as you come to know and grow closer to God, you'll want to continue to grow in holiness and grace. Not so much because of the fear of Hell, but because you don't want to offend our wonderful God who created you, sustains you, and loves you more than you can currently realize.
Each and every day you spend on Earth is an opportunity to grow closer to our Lord. How close we grow to God here on Earth will ultimately decide how we experience all of eternity. Focus on the one thing that really matters!
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(This article was first posted August 2017. It was last updated December 31, 2018)