Encouragement

Whom Have I In Heaven But You?

by Maria Franco
07/20/24
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"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you". (Psalm 73:25–26).
We all know and anticipate heaven to be an even more beautiful place than earth or any other planet or astronomical destination.
Since the start of creation all those already in place in the most beautiful place are seemingly enjoying their eternal life to the full and all those gone ahead definitely do not want to return to the earth. Not only because heaven is the indescribable and exotic paradise but because God himself in his glory, brightness and magnificence is present in heaven.

In the end all that we need is the Lord himself. He sent us down to the earth and he will lift us up to heaven. We may have many of our ancestors up there but the one main person that we need to be there for us is Jesus himself. We may have penned at some time in life to the ones we love that we will go up to heaven and wait for them. Jesus in reality went up to heaven and now waits for us at the right hand of the Father. He was the first to rise from the dead and take with him those who were sleeping in Christ to Heaven as he opened the gates of heaven having conquered death forever.

The prophet Amos (9:11-15) has singled out in beautiful scriptures the glories of the heavenly world, "Thus says the Lord. On that day I will raise up the fallen hut of David; I will wall up its breaches, raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old, That they may conquer what is left of Edom and all the nations that shall bear my name, say I, the LORD, who will do this. Yes, days are coming, says the Lord, When the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the vintager, him who sows the seed; The juice of grapes shall drip down the mountains and all the hills shall run with it. I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel; they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities, plant vineyards and drink the wine, set out gardens and eat the fruits. I will plant them upon their own ground; never again shall they be plucked from the land I have given them, say I, the Lord, your God."

St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians (2:19-22) further says; "Brothers and sisters: You are no longer strangers and sojourners but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit."

The Eucharist is a replica of heaven in its spiritual sense. Do we rush in an excited manner to meet the Lord and on entering the church acknowledge his visible physical presence when we receive him in our hearts? Do we give him first place at Mass or are we distracted by those around us? The blessings that flow at every Eucharistic celebration should not be missed.

St. Alphonsus Liguori once remarked that we should live each day as if it were our last day, we should not delay returning to the Lord by letting even the evening pass by.
Yes, darkness lurks around, prowling, waiting to take us with it. But if we are in Christ even the darkness will be bright for us as God has overcome death.
We can walk through the darkest valley and yet not fear for his shield protects us all around. We can never fall prey to the enemy.

In a thousand years from now, we all are going to taste the next world as the future generations will continue to be born on this earth until the end of time and the second coming of the Son of Man.
Are our hearts ready and stout, not faint but robust to make the transition from one world to another without any dread knowing that the Master is holding our hand? He looks forward to our joyous anticipation of being with him forever and ever. What a beautiful thought to be with the one whom we love and who loves us passionately for endless ages and time.
As we claim the promises in Psalm (73:23-24), "Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory".

Maria Franco