Man's Natural End

ought to guide the rest of our lives:

...We are made for joy.  We are made for heaven.  But we have alternatives.  The November feasts of All Saints and All Souls, which we just celebrated, draw our attention to the reality of the end of our lives.  One day, we will die, and the people we love most in this world will die.

When we really understand that life as we know it is temporary and transitional, it changes the way we live.  We begin to see that relationships are more important than things.  We become aware that love of God and neighbor should drive our lives, rather than possessions and self-centeredness.

In Scripture, Jesus makes it clear that our salvation isn’t assured, nor is it easy.  We will be judged on whether we loved God with all of our strength, and whether we loved our neighbor as ourselves.

Knowing this should motivate us to evaluate our lives.  God takes our choices and our actions very seriously.  Do our lives reflect an understanding of this simple truth?

The examination of conscience has been a Christian practice throughout the centuries.  At the end of the day, before going to bed every night, we should examine our conscience to see what we have done, or left undone, to please or displease God and to serve or not serve our brothers and sisters.

Praying for the dead has been a Catholic tradition from the earliest days of the Church.  At every Mass, we pray for the dead.  We should also pray for our beloved dead in our personal devotions.  When we die, we hope the family and friends we leave behind will pray for us with great intensity so we might be worthy of the purifying love of God...