Jesus Today

A dear friend of my mom had her mother pass away yesterday. When I saw her today, she shared a story with me about the day that her mother died. The woman had been unable to eat or drink or really move at all for at least a week. Her family was surrounding her hospital bed and there were rosary beads hanging above her and a second set wrapped in her hand. The praying of the rosary was playing aloud and as it ended, the room began to smell like roses. As her breathing got slower, she raised her hands and head toward the sky as if she was seeing the light above her and she breathed her last breath. This story and this image really sank deep in my heart. It made me think- how could we deny that she was heading home to her father in heaven? Stories like this help me to know even more so that our God is real and he is the way, truth, and life. And if he is real and he is calling us to live for him today then why don't we? Instead of waiting for that moment at the end of our lives to see him, why don't we seek him in the everyday?

Her story made me realize something that is hard for me to put into words. I guess it eradicated in
that moment any doubt I had about what is waiting beyond this life. And if that is true and the things that Jesus did for us are true and how much God loves us then why wouldn't we live every single moment to get closer to him and closer to his love? I think this makes my desire to go to daily mass every day make more sense. I have been struggling with feeling like I have to go instead of me being able to go and not wanting to feel this way. But when I feel and know with every fiber of my heart and being that my God is good and loves me and is waiting for me, why wouldn't I take every single opportunity to worship and praise and give him glory? And why wouldn't I want to receive the grace of the eucharist and the power of the death and resurrection of Jesus every chance I can so I can live more and more like the way he calls me to live. I definitely can't do that on my own especially in this crazy world. Now, your “daily mass” (the thing you’re being called to do, to do more) may be something else like praying for a few minutes daily, taking part in a bible study, or any other thing that is devoting more time to your faith. But whatever it is, your call to that thing can be explained in the same way.

I want to live every single second of my life on this side of heaven for him so badly, and this desire makes some of the things that my fellow young catholics and I do makes more sense. It makes the call to more than the world says is necessary or “normal”. It explains why we don't always take the easy way out. Why we get up early to go to daily mass and stay up late to pray the divine mercy chaplet. Why instead of watching that extra netflix episode we pray the rosary or skip some time with our friends to bring the Eucharist to that old woman down the street. Why we skip our favorite sports teams game so we can attend a bible study or we miss out on that Half Apps outing so we can go to adoration. Or even why we skip out on the party so we can be ready for Sunday mass. God- his love for us, the future he has for us, his mercy and grace- are the only thangs around us that aren't ephemeral or passing away. There is more to life than what meets the eye and that is what we find in Jesus our Lord and savior. Everything else will pass away and nothing means more than drawing near to him. Especially when one day our future will be to be with him. In this faith in Jesus I intend to LIVE and DIE.

Dear Lord, I want to see you today. I know, with my whole heart, that you are waiting for me at the end of my life to usher me into eternity. I will make every decision based on what will lead me to you. Please help me to live in this faith. Amen

*Rosary drawing done by Shannon Averill.