It is the normal desire of everyone to have a beautiful house of one’s own. That is ok as it is not a sin to make our lives comfortable here. But let us not forget that we are only pilgrims here and ‘our citizenship is in heaven’ (Phil. 3.20). Most of us seldom consider what our Lord has in store for us. “In my Father’s house there are so many dwelling places…..I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn. 14. 2,3). But responsibility is laid on us to make our house beautiful. While trying to make our stay comfortable in this pilgrim land spending much time, energy and money for it, let us also try to make our stay in our eternal house as beautiful as possible. Let us not be always preoccupied with ‘storing up for ourselves treasures on earth’, but let us also take time and effort to ‘store up for ourselves treasures in heaven’ (Mt. 6. 19, 20). We have to live for all eternity in that house and let us strive to build it in the best possible way- through leading our lives in a way most pleasing to the Lord. In our lives when we give the first place for God, duly honour Him, and when we do works of goodness and kindness to others, we are beautifying our house more and more. God is giving all of us the grace and time in this life to build our house in our eternity- through our prayers, Sacramental life, in every way ‘living our lives in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ’ (Phil. 1.27). As St. Paul puts it: “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder, I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw- the work of each builder will be visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only through fire” (1 Cor. 3. 10-15).
Let us not bury the talent that the Lord has given to each of us, and we make use of time in proper way so as to bear ‘lasting fruits’ (Jn. 15.16) which will help us to attain all glory in eternity. We all strive to make a name, a good reputation, good possession and the like, but all these are not lasting. The good things we do for the glory and honour of God, and for the good of others, are the ones which will earn for us the due reward from the Lord on the Last Judgement Day. Let us hear from our Lord on that Day: “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trust worthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Mt. 25.23)
Mary Pereira