The first one that came to mind is the opportunity to sacrifice and gain merit. In Heaven, if we use the analogy of ourselves as jars, we will all be completely full, though we will all be different sizes and therefore capable of holding more or less eternal glory. We will not feel anything lacking, since we will all be full no matter what, but while on earth, we can "grow our jars", in a sense, through prayer and sacrifice. We have up until the moment of our death to gain merit and to grow as close as we can to God. We will continue to grow closer to God in Heaven as eternal truths are revealed to us there, but on earth, we have a unique opportunity to be united with Christ in our suffering. Life offers us countless sufferings and struggles, but the beauty of it is that we have Someone to unite our sufferings to and gain greater merit in Heaven.
The second thing that comes to mind is the Eucharist! Jesus told St. Faustina, "If angels were capable of envy, they would envy us for two things: one is the receiving of Holy Communion, and the other is suffering" (Diary of Saint Faustina, Saint Faustina, Marians of the Immaculate Conception, 1998 p. 1805). For suffering because they are not capable of it, having no bodies. They are not able to share in the physical sufferings of Christ as we are able to. The Eucharist because they are not able to receive Him; again, because they are only spirit . We are able to receive our God into our very bodies in a way that not even the Angels are able to experience! While we are on earth, we have the opportunity to receive Him every day! Even then, there are a finite number of times that we will be able to receive the Eucharist. Again, until the moment of our death, we are given this unspeakable privilege! Sometimes I feel sad that I will only be able to receive the Eucharist a certain number of times, but then I remember the bliss that awaits me in Heaven - the union that I will experience with God there. This thought is a reminder to me to savor every Eucharist I receive and to never take for granted the Gift we have here in our earthly exile.
The song goes on to say, "The life that we've been given/Is made beautiful in the living/And the joy that we get brings joy to the Heart of the Giver." Life is meant to be lived! Living our life to the fullest of what God has created us for brings immense joy to His Heart, because that is what He has created us for! St. Irenaus said - "The glory of God is man fully alive, and the life of man is the vision of God" (Pope John Paul II on the Contemporary Importance of St. Irenaus). The glory of God is man fully alive. That means that we need to live fully alive!! No more laziness, no more staying focused in on ourselves! We need to get out, serve our brothers and sisters, enjoy nature, marvel in the beauty of a sunset, take the time to meet our God in prayer, get to know Him, get to know those around us, live like there's no tomorrow and love like you're on borrowed time!
If there were no tomorrow, how intensely would you live your last hours and how intensely and tenderly would you love? Would you forgive all the petty grudges you hold and take time to listen to those closest to you? If you knew your time was running out, wouldn't you drink in every single moment with your loved ones, spend every moment you could in prayer, constantly united to the God you are about to meet? Fix every wrong you've done and make amends to all those you've hurt? None of us knows the hour of our death, and that is not something to be afraid of. The holier the saints became, the more they longed for death in order to be with the God they loved so intensely. But it wasn't because they were tired of living. It was because they were so intensely and fully alive in the way God intended that their lives began to transcend this earthly existence.
While we are alive on earth, we have this unique opportunity to experience God and the beauty of being alive principly through the creation that we are a part of. In Heaven we will not have the separation from God that we now have. However, the search for God in the expression of His creation can be a thrilling adventure, so what do say - do you want to live fully alive?!
Written by Catherine
