FROM HERE TO ETERNITY

My twin brother and I were recently ordained priests. Dad and mother decided they wanted to give us a holiday to remember before we received our posting. So they hit on the idea of us touring the glorious countryside in the family car. Dad was supremely confident he could find his way with the assistance of a road map.  But the time was bound to come when we would be lost...and so it did. Nothing to do but ask one of the ‘locals.’ What to make of his advice, “I wouldn’t start here, if I were you?”

I’m of a mind we get similar worldly-wise, bewildering, advice in politics when a member of the Opposition makes some scathing comment as he criticises the Government’s economic policy. Of course, his own party would never have been so crass as to get the country into such an economic mess, in the first place.  There’s a certain art in giving advice that sounds profound but which is absolutely useless – whether it be to a lost innocent traveller abroad, or the Chancellor of the Exchequer trying to solve the country’s economic problems.

But God shows more respect for us lost sheep, who have gone astray, for us people who walk in the valley of darkness.  He knows we don’t need telling   we should not have sinned and so made such a mess of our lives in the first place.    Instead, God comes to us where we are and helps us to get where we should be...that is en route “From Here to Eternity.” Those of a certain vintage will recognize this as the title of a certain film, which I happen not to have seen. No matter! It serves my purpose well as the title for my present ramblings. “From here to eternity” admirably sums up God’s whole plan of salvation.

He comes to us where we are –our ‘Here,’ and leads us to where we should be heading -‘Eternity’ with Him.  That’s why the Son of God entered our sin-locked world as a human baby –not to condemn us, but to save, so that we could enjoy the “glorious liberty of the children of God.” He entered our world and shared our human life, so that we people could enter His world and share His divine life.  That’s how much He loves us!

My thoughts immediately turn to three wise men, the Magi -highly respected scholars renowned for their knowledge of astrology.   Building on that interest, God used a star to guide them towards Bethlehem...   a long journey into the unknown.  When the star halted its course they came across a newly born infant, to all appearance no different from any other baby. God enabled them to make the enormous leap of faith of believing this child to be truly God.   The wise students of the stars, the Magi, believed, worshipped and welcomed this babe -the creator of heaven and earth!

Like the Magi, we are called to make a journey of discovering Christ.   God will lead each of us by a different route, depending on our backgrounds and interests.   Certainly most of us have already set out on that journey of learning to know and love Christ.  None of us has yet completed that journey, nor will we, till we see God face to face in heaven.  In the meantime we, like, the Magi must follow whatever star God uses to guide us in discovering His will for us at any particular moment.

My way of meeting God is to be sensitive to the pointers He uses to lead me from where I am at the moment to eternity with Him.   The same must be true for you.

Isidore O.P.

Peter and Isidore wish our readers every blessing for the New Year

The next posting will be on 17th Jan.