In our Gospel this morning, the Lord is reminding us that there are two options where we can spend eternity. We will either end up in heaven or in hell. I wish it weren’t the case, but I think we need that reminder pretty regularly. For all of us, our experiences show us that there is that spiritual reality that we have to constantly be aware of. We have to stay focused on the bigger picture. Is the way I’m living my life preparing me for heaven? Or are my choices, my decisions, my actions not reflecting that fact that I’m a Christian, that I’m a follower of Jesus?

In our spiritual lives, it’s always good for us to take a pause and reflect on these questions, to look within ourselves and to assess how well we are living that discipleship. It’s important for us to examine how we are following the commands of the Lord, how we are living out His teachings, how we are making Him present in the midst of the world.

Why is this so important? Because none of us knows when the Lord will call us back to Himself or when He might return. As we have just heard in the Gospel, we have to remain vigilant; we must stay awake. We cannot fall into the trap of complacency and sloth; we cannot become lukewarm in faith. If that happens and the Lord returns unexpectedly, the consequences of our actions might be something that we don’t find too pleasing; we might just find ourselves going to the wrong eternal destination.

I know all of us here desire and long to enjoy eternity with God in His Kingdom. We all want to be in Heaven. If we stay focused on following Jesus, if we remain watchful for His return and do what we need to be His disciples, then, in the end, that Heavenly reality will be our reward. The Lord promises us that. But if we fail to follow the Lord and aren’t watchful for His return, spending eternity in Hell is a very real possibility. That’s what is at stake.

Jesus will come, and before long, we will stand before Him. Hopefully that moment will be one of incredible joy! A moment when He will speak such peace to our hearts, He will embrace us, and finally lead us into our eternal resting place. Let’s ask Him for the grace to always strive for holiness, to always strive for Heaven. And when we miss the mark – and we will because we’re human – may we respond to the Lord’s patience and mercy with a firm resolve on repenting, allowing Him to lead us back to the right path.

Photo: Arto Marttinen. Used under Unsplash license.