Focusing On Our Goal

In life, for something to be truly worthwhile, it has to fulfill its goal. If that does not occur then its existence is put to question.

Even you and I were created to fulfil our purpose. What is our aim? Why do we exist? In his weekly catechesis of October 25, 2017, Pope Francis spoke at length about our aim in life. He said: Paradise is not a fairy-tale place, much less an enchanted garden. Paradise is the embrace of God, infinite Love, and we enter there thanks to Jesus, who died on the Cross for us. Where there is Jesus there is mercy and happiness; without him there is cold and darkness. At the hour of death, a Christian repeats to Jesus: “Remember me”. And even if there may no longer be anyone who remembers us, Jesus is there, beside us. He wants to take us to the most beautiful place that exists. He wants to take us there with the small or great deal of good that we have done in our life, so that nothing of what he has already redeemed may be lost. And into the Father’s house he will also bring everything in us that still needs redemption: the shortcomings and mistakes of an entire life. This is the aim of our existence: that all be fulfilled, and be transformed into love.

The liturgical readings of Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time show us how to live fruitfully this aim, namely of being embraced with God’s infinite love eternally. In the first reading taken from the Book of Sirach 5:1-8, the text is quite clear. If we want to get to Heaven we cannot rely on our earthly wealth. The text tells us: Rely not on your wealth; say not: “I have the power.” We can’t even get to Heaven if we depend on our strength thinking that we can do what we want simply because we are strong. Sirach is even clearer about this: Rely not on your strength in following the desires of your heart. Say not: “Who can prevail against me?” or, “Who will subdue me for my deeds?” for God will surely exact the punishment.

Even more so, we cannot pretend to go to Heaven by taking for granted that God will forgive us and we resist the need to repent and keep living in sin. He said: Say not: “I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?” for the Most High bides his time. Of forgiveness be not overconfident, adding sin upon sin. Say not: “Great is his mercy; my many sins he will forgive.” For mercy and anger alike are with him upon the wicked alights his wrath. Precisely for this reason, the author of the Book of Sirach counsels us: Delay not your conversion to the Lord, put it not off from day to day. For suddenly his wrath flames forth; at the time of vengeance you will be destroyed. In other words, do not procrastinate, take the responsibility and repent. Turn away from your sin and ask God for forgiveness. Resort to the sacrament of reconciliation.

The Gospel was ever sharper in showing us how to trail on the path of holiness. Mark 9:41-50 warns us that whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. The same text also admonishes us to avoid sin at all cost. Jesus’ powerful word leaves no room for doubt: If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

I came to appreciate Jesus’ word when I read what Pope Benedict XVI said in his Angelus address on the First Sunday of Lent, 13 March 2011: 

In the face of moral evil God’s attitude is to oppose sin and to save the sinner. God does not tolerate evil because he is Love, Justice and Fidelity; and for this very reason he does not desire the death of the sinner but wants the sinner to convert and to live. To save humanity God intervenes: we see him throughout the history of the Jewish people, beginning with the liberation from Egypt. God is determined to deliver his children from slavery in order to lead them to freedom. And the most serious and profound slavery is precisely that of sin. For this reason God sent his Son into the world: to set men and women free from the domination of Satan, “the origin and cause of every sin”. God sent him in our mortal flesh so that he might become a victim of expiation, dying for us on the Cross. The Devil opposed this definitive and universal plan of salvation with all his might, as is shown in particular in the Gospel of the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness which is proclaimed every year on the First Sunday of Lent. In fact, entering this liturgical season means continuously taking Christ’s side against sin, facing — both as individuals and as Church — the spiritual fight against the spirit of evil each time.

Even Psalm 1:1-4, 6; which followed the first reading from the Book of Sirach, spoke about avoiding bad company which can lead one to sin. It says: Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked. Nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent. The Psalm suggests the man of the Lord is to substitute this time spent with bad company in reading prayerfully God’s word. It says: But delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night. The psalmist likens such a person with a tree planted near running water, That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers. For those who do not stick to God’s law for them total destruction awaits them: Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the Lord watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes.

Another fruitful way of focusing on our goal, that is Heaven, is precisely by practising charity. In the Markan Gospel Jesus tells us: Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. Within this context this saying of Jesus makes perfect sense when one brings into play what we find in 1 Pet 4:8: Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.

Let us take up spiritual combat, avoid sin and practice charity. In this way we keep focusing on our goal, that of entering Heaven forever. Obviously sustained by God’s Word as 1 Thessalonians tells us: Receive the word of God, not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God.