Heaven is the Goal

 Heaven is the Goal
Meditation for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
(Acts 7:55-60; Rev 22:12-14, 16-17, 20; Jn 17:20-26)

Do people still have their two eyes closed in prayer, in contemplation of divine mysteries and the glory of God? Modern man has eaten the fruit of knowledge, the only issue is that we know less about the mysteries of God. Many people that flood church programs have their one closed in prayer, and the other eye opened to see miracles or quick solutions for their problems. When this miracle is not forthcoming, despair sets in, and some people may abandon their faith or become aloof to spiritual matters. When religion is reduced to only solving human problems, it becomes a problem unto itself. In other words, if heaven is not the goal of worship, even prayer will appear to be part of our problem too.

 

The first reading of today says, “Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.” Think about a committed religious man like Stephen, over whom heaven opened to directly at his most difficult moment, yet, his enemies cut short his life! It seems his prayers did not attend to his immediate human needs at that time. At least, that is how it appears if we look at his practice of faith from the point of view of problem-solving. But Stephen himself understood that heaven is the goal! This he demonstrated by commending his soul to Jesus, and asking for forgiveness for his persecutors.

 

With his eyes gazed into heaven, and by seeing Jesus, Stephen took the particular posture that ought to characterize Christian worship and exercise of faith. The eyes that are opened to heaven should be closed to earthly life! Then the heavenly light gives vision and life to man here below. That is why the vision of John in the second reading saw Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega, the Bright morning star. In his hands is the solution and answer to our prayers here below, for He says, “Let him who is thirsty come, let him who desires take the water of life without price.” Heaven remains the ultimate answer to our every prayer; heaven is the goal!

 

Therefore, in His farewell message, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed for His disciples and for all the faithful who would believe through their preaching.  He said, “That they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Jesus prayed that the unity of the Trinity be lived out in the unity of believers. And believers can only replicate this divine unity by lifting up the eyes of their faith to heaven. With such uplifted heart and mind into the divine glory, believers can worship God for His own sake, and view their earthly affairs with the vision of heaven. In this way, they can have a COMMON VISION despite their differences and variety of activities.

 

Thus, if heaven is the goal of our worship and action, it gives all believers a common vision of life, which gives birth to unity among believers. But there is so much disunity among Christian families and church communities today. This is a sign that we have other hidden visions of life apart from those inspired by heaven. It shows that not all who claim to believe have their eyes gazed to heaven as their goal. Still, the desire of Jesus for all believers is for them to be with Him in Heaven, to behold His glory. Let us meditate on this awesome desire of Jesus for us, and mingle it with our human desires! Then, His love and unity will shine out in us, in our families and society. Jesus says, “O righteous Father…that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” Amen.

 

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R

Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,

Tedi-Muwo, Ojo, Lagos.

Sunday May 29^th, 2022.

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