Memento Mori – What Does Your Eternal Retirement Plan Look Like?

   Most of us have a retirement plan.  We are looking far into the future.  Indeed, many just starting their careers already start one.  And yet, most people do not treat their eternal retirement plan with the foresight that they do with their financial retirement plan.  I wonder which one has a larger impact on one’s existence?

   We can look to the future.  And in many ways, a standard retirement plan is almost forced into our face.  “Are you saving for retirement?” others ask us.  And that is well and good to a point, but what is your plan for after you die?  And I do not mean how will your funeral go or who will get your stuff?  Where do you want to go after you die?

   Are you planning for Heaven?  If so, let’s see the proof.  What is your plan on getting there?  If you are planning on getting there based upon the mercy of God, you only have it part correct.  And part correct does not get you into Heaven.  I think the better question is, do you want to spend eternity with God?  Do you truly love Him, or are you at least trying to?

   If you say “sure, I want to spend eternity with God”, again I would say prove it.  Do you spend time with God right now?  At Mass, in Adoration, in prayer?  Now, that is not where you should spend every second of your time, but if this is what you want to do for all of eternity, why wouldn’t you want to do it right now?

   If we make time for everything and everyone else and not God, we make it obvious to God that we truly do not want to spend eternity with Him.  He is not our priority.  We do not love Him; we just want Him to give us good stuff, in this case Heaven.  You will not regret the TV shows and movies you never watched, but you will regret that you never spent any time with the God that died for you.

   “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” Pope Benedict XVI

   Jesus, help us to remember what our lives are for and help us to have an eternal retirement plan aiming for Heaven with You. Amen.

P.S.  ‘Memento mori’ means remember death.