From Here to Eternity: Four Tips to Prepare for Heaven

Our time on Earth is precious and short, but our time in heaven is eternal, presuming we get there. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day trials, the current trends, and the court of public opinion. We all fall victim to those things in one way or another. We must, however, consider our souls in our decision making. Just as we save up for a new car, mortgage payment, or college tuition, we need to plan for the long term regarding our souls.

The best ways to do this can be found in the Catholic Church. Our guidance comes from heaven as God desires for us to be with Him forever, so much so that He died on the Cross for our sake. With that in mind, here’s some daily habits to build upon in order to better our preparation for eternity.

First, do a daily examination of conscience. There are some great guides (married, single, for children, etc.) with the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, but whichever you choose to use, be sure you’re examining your own conscience and not someone else’s. Sounds like strange advice, but some people get caught up in the ‘yeah but’ portion of examinations. “Yeah, but she started it.” “Yeah, but he forced my hand.” “Yeah, but I had no choice.” In the end, God’s justice is perfect whether we like it or not. Finish this with an Act of Contrition.

Second, begin and end each day with prayer. The same could be said about stretching one’s body as this helps blood flow, flexibility, and many other physical aspects of a person. Prayer takes care of our spiritual selves, so we need to pray early and often, and late too! St. Paul said to pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17), so we should always have our hearts toward the Lord with open dialog. A great morning prayer is a consecration to the Holy Spirit. There are many versions, but as long as you set your day to the Lord to start our right, you’re doing well from the beginning.

Third, ask, “What would Jesus do?” This mindset can apply to all moments in life from the mundane to the insane. This thought process helps us to not only rationalize but also empathize and pause, thinking of our Lord in a moment of decision. We’re asking Him to guide us the moment we use this technique. It helps to push off worldly views and put on heavenly thoughts. This could prevent a person from making a rash and terrible mistake, or simply calms one’s mind in an otherwise stressful situation.

Fourth, and here’s where the Catholic Church really gets in your corner, receive the sacraments. Go to Confession when you can and as often as needed. Go to Mass and receive Holy Eucharist. Keeping the commandments could be difficult for some but that’s why we have confession. Going to Mass shows the Lord the respect and reverence He deserves and we receive graces when we do! Also, receiving the Eucharist is a sacrament we can do often!

There are loads of ways to live out a Christian life and these are just a few. We need to endure much suffering in this life, some more than others (pray for them!), but with our minds set on eternity we can get through this life and look forward to an amazing time of joy and blessings. Check yourself, pray, think of Jesus often, and be the Church He asks us to be. God Bless.