Destination Plans

Chart Your Course - Now When we intend on taking a trip away from where we spend our time, it is normal for us to take time to prepare before actually departing. We have the vehicle checked and serviced, or we pay close attention to the airline schedule and seating arrangements, and items allowed to carry on or stow in the belly of the airplane. We, obviously, know our ultimate destination, and of any known stops or necessary changes along the way. To go successfully from “here to there,” you must agree, takes thoughtful planning, and personal attention to detail. There is a much more important “trip" we all need to plan for; someone put it this way: “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans.” That “life” is a trip that is often sudden, unexpected, or with grace from above, endowed with patience for ongoing preparation and attention. How would you say you are preparing for your trip toward your Particular Judgment Day before the general Judgment? Will the face-to-face stop before Jesus, Judge of all, have your soul destined to heaven or hell? Will your soul enjoy the fate of love and the inconceivable beauty of heaven, and seeing the face of God, and being with Him, His angels and His saints – and your departed loved ones? On the other hand, will your soul be relegated forever to the fires of hell, Satan and all his evil spirits? Despite how much you would want to have it otherwise, Heaven and Hell are not fictional or temporary destinations, they exist, and they are permanent. Your judgment is also permanent, final. It matters not what your status is or what your stature is in this life, you were always a child of God, He has always been in charge. At your death no clever negotiations, no arbitrations, no manner of excuses, no pleading after your soul instantly leaves your body when you die can alter the results of your life’s work on earth, period. After your death, it is too late to make amends. You must make your choice whether to hold on to things, which cannot save you, or let go, and fall into the hands of the Lord. It is so critically important for the destination of your soul that you cannot put off any longer the decision to choose for yourself whom you will serve (compare Josue/Joshua 24:15). Perhaps your present state of mind is not ready to believe that heaven or hell exists? More likely it is that you do not want to believe because it would interfere with your life style, or you are too careless to take the time to “think” of what is of paramount importance for your soul now and “after.” Whatever your excuse, it is lame, illogically based. No matter how bad you think you are, there naturally is a lot of good in you. That is, because you were created in the image of God, there is an ever-present tug toward Him in the very root of your being. Stop resisting it. Stop ignoring your conscience that tells you what is right and wrong; stop blotting out God’s voice. He loves you unconditionally. It has always been that way, you just wanted to do things your way – and He freely allows that – for now. Consider this: God has given us the choice whether or not we follow Him; but in reality, we are always at His mercy. “…we are clay, you are our Maker, and we all are the works of thy hands” (Isaias 64-8). What would you make of this short story from Matthew 22:23-32; Luke 20: 27-38) from the mouth of Jesus Himself? It leaves no doubt about our heavenly home and the hereafter. When explaining the question asked of Him by the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection of the body and which concerned the widow and the marriage of the seven brothers to her upon the death of each brother, and in time she, too, died. The question was “Whose wife will the woman be?” Now, carefully grasp Jesus’ reply, because the question gave our Lord the occasion to explain (contrary to people’s way of thinking - and it seems to me to have come full circle with the people of today). First Jesus began by saying: “You err because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God” (Mt 22:29). Further, in answer to the question, Jesus said that the life of the risen will be totally different from that lived on earth. There, they “neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die any more because they are equal to angels and are sons of God (Lk 20: 35-36). The risen will receive their bodies again, but these will be in a glorified state and no longer subject to the laws of the flesh. Being immortal, marriage will no longer be necessary for assuring the preservation of the human race. Their life will be like that of the angels, and like angels, they will be children of God, being the children of the resurrection.” That the dead rise as was shown in the passage about the burning Bush, when referring to the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Moreover, as seen by Peter, James and John (Mt 17:1-9; Mk 9:1-9, Lk 9:28-36) Moses and Elias appeared with Christ at His transfiguration while going up a mountain. His body retained its form but began to shine, His face becoming like the sun. His transfiguration showed what Christ’s glorified body would be like after the Resurrection and of what our bodies will be after the general resurrection. (Commemorative Family Rosary Edition, Holy Bible; Douay, Challoner-Rheims Version, Cath. Encyclopedia P.266, Sept. 1953.) Let us all realize so as not to be in error, that it is an undeniable fact that our God is not the God of the dead, but God of the living. All live to Him. What is more, Jesus spoke numerous times and ways about our heavenly home. He made it abundantly clear that He is in charge of life and death when at the cemetery, speaking with Martha Jesus said, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life; he who believes in Me, even if he die, shall live; and whoever lives and believes in me, shall never die. Do you believe this?” (Jn 11:25-26). What did Martha say? “Yes, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world.” Right then (after four days in the tomb) Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. I am right now reminded of the words of Christ on the cross to the good thief, as well as New Testament texts that speak to a final destiny of the soul (Lk 16:19-31; Mt 16:26-28; 2 Cor 5:1-10; Phil 1:23; Heb 9:27, 12:22,23.) Since I am making this treatise an article on my Blog, it is possible that people from all different religions, and in various countries of the world, will read these words. Some for the first time in their lives will be introduced to the One God of all, Creator of heaven and earth, Jesus His Beloved-Son Who gave up His life for all, heaven, and a brief mention of the devil. This article contains information vaguely familiar to many others, still others will have a distinct understanding and, I pray, will make them stop and think of the condition of their souls, making ready for a life in heaven. For everyone, care of the soul should be a priority and not ignored until “the shadows lengthen, and the evening comes, and busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work…” remains. At Judgment, do you expect God in His mercy to grant you a safe lodging and a holy rest, and peace at the last? The answer lies in the destiny of each of us, determined by what we, individually as children of God, have prepared for ourselves by our conduct here. Be aware that the day of judgment will be like a consuming fire for the wicked; for the just, it will be the manifestation of the mercy of God. “I will spare them” says the Lord, “as a man spares his son who serves him” (Mal 3:17). Activate Your Plan None of us is here forever; too many live as if “that’s all there is?” What a terrible perception. As this article intends to prove or show, is, if you believe that this is all there is, you are severely deluding yourself and making a certain guarantee of where you will end up in the hereafter. You need a plan to make sure you end up in the “better place.” What is more, you need to work that plan, it just will not happen without your active engagement. If you are inclined to be a good or better Christian, or desire to become a Christian, the first thing you want to do is seek out a Christian Baptism and have the Holy Spirit in you. Then review the Ten Commandments, begin with the First which is Love, and to which all other commandments are connected. Then, continue slowly reviewing the other nine. Return to the First and understand what God wants us to do. Fundamentally, He tells us that He wants us to know Him, to Love Him, etc. (If you do not know God, you cannot love Him.) What are you doing to be ready at any moment, often suddenly, for your last breath here and to prepare your soul for immediate Judgment? Pause and think logically about this. The only thing you can take with you is love. We are to live with Faith, Hope and Love. Of these, only love can be with our spirit and enter heaven. That is it, period. Nothing material will be piled upon your casket or into your urn. That is fact! My dear departed spouse use to (humorously) say, “I’ve never seen a casket loaded on with personal goods at a funeral.” I dare say that neither have you. Today can be your day of liberation from a prison of sin, fear, compulsive behavior, greed, avarice, envy, jealousy, gluttony, lust, hate, laziness, hoarding, gossiping attitudes and a host of character flaws, including a hardness of heart; ignoring God’s House of Prayer and worship, neglecting praying for others, for yourself, for those that need prayerful help, etc. Even if we have been in these prisons for most of our lives, liberation can come to us. Sincerely acknowledge Jesus as Son of God, Lord, and Savior and today will be not only the day of liberation, but also “the day of salvation (2 Cor 6:2).In our acknowledgement of Jesus, to be saved rightly, we must not only believe in the Resurrection, but believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead (Rm 10:9). We must have a deep faith in Jesus’ Resurrection (see I Cor 15:50-57). Beware; as there is Good in this world, there is evil also, just as clearly as you see black and white. Your commitment to believe draws the devil to you like a magnet, and he targets you. Connect the dots and you will understand the existence of heaven and hell. The devil will not let you alone; he will do all that he can to dissuade you from knowing your Lord and your God. That is his job, to test you and weaken you. Stand firm. God has provided you with all the internal, spiritual strength you need to face the toughest temptation. He has given us angels and saints to strengthen us and for us to call upon in moments of need. Look at the secular world around you and you see evil everywhere. The devil is having a “field day.” This is, because God made us free to do as we please, we do, and God is ignored. Individuals call upon our Father only when they are in trouble. That is insincere, empty faith, in the grip of the devil. Our own resurrection from the dead is part of our salvation in Jesus. Therefore, resurrection is a gift claimed by faith. Let us believe in Jesus, live lives in imitation of Him, and look forward with joy to our death. In Jesus, our spirit will rise immediately at the moment of our passing, and our bodies will rise on the last day when Jesus returns. We who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit (Mk 1:8), believe that the Holy Spirit dwells within us; because of our baptism our mortal bodies will be raised from the dead (Rm 8:11). Like St. Paul, a few readers of this article are on the threshold of dying, going to heaven, seeing Jesus face to face for immediate Particular Judgment. Today could be their last on earth, the first in heaven for their immortal soul’s eternal retribution Judgment, a day of liberation, salvation, death, and life. Is your soul ready for its destination? Will it be the blessedness of heaven, with God our Father, or everlasting damnation with the devil? God’s love and peace be with you, Thanks for visiting. - Bob Romans 15:13