Christian Way a Good One Regardless
Submitted by Ford Prefect on March 19 2000 19:08:52
In reply to What if There Were no Heaven? submitted by Ford Prefect on March 19 2000 10:04:15
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When I was a boy, heaven and hell mattered a lot. Indeed, I often worried about what would happen if I were to die at that moment. This fear probably made me behave a bit better then than I would have otherwise, but really didn't have as much effect as my parents wished it would have. I never really loved God though when I was a kid, or into my twenties and early thirties. I thought of him as someone who had to be pleased or placated and who was in an incredibly powerful position. The idea that he would "afflict" me with forbidden longings seemed quite consistent with my concept of God. I did, however, come to hear a different view of God in my late thirties and found the prospect of a God who was not only loving but loveable quite exciting. But then, what of my "affliction?" I very slowly came to realize that it was not an affliction, but the way I was made.....and for a purpose. Discovering that purpose has pretty well taken up my life since that time (I'm now 57). In the journey of finding purpose, the importance of an afterlife dwindled steadily. I finally got to the point where it really was no longer a factor at all. What I've found is that following what I believe to be God's will for me is the only thing of real importance any more. If there is a reward later, then that's great.....but attaining it is no longer a goal. The more I get into a life of service, especially with boys, where I do my best, the more rewarding it becomes. The greatest influence on what I do or don't do has been learning about the experiences of others......what's been good and what's led to real trouble. I base what I now do or don't do on these results....and it works. The experiences shared as honestly as possible among BL's has been of more benefit to me than any amount of scripture study could ever have been. Writers like Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen have helped me considerably in my spiritual life. But most help in this area has come from my friends and fellow parishoners.....what many of us call the Mystical Body of Christ. I feel I've been truly blessed. Heaven.....it'll be great if it's there, but I've received and given plenty of love already in this life. ---Ford |
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