Storms come in different forms. I've just finished battening down the hatches for our first strong storm of this spring. Earlier, I took a walk in the neighborhood, while the sun was still shining, and a strong breeze was just picking up strenghth. Now, I'm back in the safety of my home, my husband is done running errands, and all the windows are closed (pets are ALWAYS in the house!).
The sky is getting dark now, and the thunder is rumbling quietly, slowly building in noise and duration. I've done all I can, so now we just wait it out, hoping for no electrical outages.
But how do we prepare for the other kinds of "storms" in our lives? Maybe you've had a storm of loss, a loved one has passed away, or a pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. Sometimes, it's an older grandparent growing more and more frail as the days go by. How are they preparing for death to come visit? This is truly a situation to be fully anticipated. I prepare for death by drawing closer and closer to God, day by day. I do the things that make my relationship an intimate one. I pray regularly throughout the day, I go to Mass every Sunday, and during the week, when my schedule and my health allow. I go to Confession on a regular basis (I have that very thing on my calendar for today, at a nearby church later this evening, so I hope the storms move through gently, and quickly, so I can get to church later for the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation.) I read scripture daily, and pray a rosary with my husband daily, and a Divine Mercy Chaplet when I lay down in bed in night.
I listen and respond when the Holy Spirit calls me to make changes in my life, or to do something that needs to be done. I offer all of my gifts and talents for the proclamation of the Kingdom, and for serving others in need. These are the things I do, to prepare my soul for entering into eternity. It could be any day, or maybe it will be many years from now. No one knows when this earthly life of ours will end, and so we must plan for it, with a strong knowledge of, and love for, God.
The rain is pouring down here now, as I sit in the comfort of my warm and dry house, but what if I had put off my walk until later? What if we had failed to maintain the reliability of our roof? What if we had gone away and left all the windows open? Those questions may sound silly to you, but death is so much more important to prepare for. None of us can escape it, and all of us should be ready for death
The Catholic Answers' web site has this to say:
"To come to God and be saved, you need to repent, have faith, and be baptized. If you commit mortal sin, you need to repent, have faith, and go to confession."
Of course, we must also remain steadfast in our convictions, and our love for The Holy Trinity. It's easy to get lead astray, and to lose our faith, and to get lazy in our practice of the faith, so, just because you were raised in the faith, and baptized in the faith, doesn't really mean that your heart is steadfastly bound to Christ. We have to make sure that is the case, by taking advantage of the opportunities that God offers us, to keep us close. Do you go to Mass, or Church every Sunday. Are you faithful members of your faith community? Do you support your church financially, as much as you are able? Do you volunteer at your church when asked for help?
Because, even though the quote from Catholic Answers makes salvation seem somewhat cut and dried, there are many nuances involved. Our love for God comes from our heart, and we can say and do many things that look and sound like "faith in action," but if our heart is not given totally and completely to Christ, no matter what hardships and challenges come our way, then we don't really love God the way we should. In these last few weeks of Lent, set some new goals for your self. Talk to God daily, in whatever way you feel called, and ask friends to pray for you, too. If you're hurting, complain to God. If you're struggling in relationships, or just getting by financially, tell God how scary and stressful it all is. Some of the most beautiful prayers in the Bible are the laments found in the Psalms. Sometimes God might even "allow" your suffering, just to entice you to turn back to Him. We live in a broken world and this world is never going to secure the joys and assurances given to us by God, but a heart truly focused on God is the best way to navigate this life successfully, and find ourselves in heaven for all eternity, when our time comes. Prepare yourself and your family for the storms of life, so that you may know the eternal sunshine and joys of heaven-to-come!
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