If I die today, where will I be?

If I die today, where will I be?

A question that is always on the minds of theologians, spiritualists, and especially the people who believe in God.  We grew up learning about Jesus who suffered and died for the sins of each one of us.  Our hope is in the resurrection that Christ promised and proved by his own rising early on that Sunday morning, appearing first to Mary Magdalen, his apostles, and finally to numerous believers.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may also be.” “ Thomas said to him, '' Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?  Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you know me, then you will also know my Father.”  (Jn. 14: 3, 5 - 7).

Now what?  The very words of Jesus as he gives hope to those he was about to leave as his Passion was eminently approaching.  “I am the way the truth and the life said Jesus answering the question of Thomas.  

The way!  A most profound explanation of the reason for the Incarnation.  God knew his creatures would eventually reject his tireless efforts to save them to live with him in eternity.  He didn’t need us or depend on our faithfulness.  His desire was to share his love which is God Omnipotent with creatures who just needed to accept all of who he is.  Through Christ being incarnate the path was begun.  I am the way!

Truth!   What is truth, Pilate asked of Jesus as he was on trial.  The question asked of Jesus who answered  “You say I am a king.  For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.”  

Life!  With Christ there is more than a knowledge of who he is, it is a deep coalition of each one who shares the divine with Christ.  Something that cannot be disrupted through earthly possessions or worship of the same.  There is probably no other definition of a close alliance with Christ when two entities cannot be separated.  This life to which Jesus spoke about is far greater in essence than both the way and the truth.  It doesn’t diminish the other two but is the adhesive that unites all three.    

To answer the opening of this writing as to where will I be; no one has actually given a substantial answer to this.  Some may attempt through probabilities by drawing a picture in our minds with abstract views but if we knew all of the ins and outs of where we will be or what heaven will look like then we would have an insight about God that is not ours to know.

Where will I be?  The answer is found in the presence of God, through the Incarnation to his Ascension and our following his way, truth, and inheriting his life as coheirs of God.  “The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if only we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified  with him.  (Rom. 8: 16 -17).

Ralph B. Hathaway