A clear ultimate aim: being in union with God for eternity

God’s dream in us continues to unfold during our entire earthly journey. It’s a process that happens in a context of a life journey of unions and raptures, leading to the eternal union with God in Christ. A journey that continues till one day heaven and earth will become one and God’s dream to dwell among his people in peace and unity will be realized. We should look forward to the actualisation of this dream because Christ assured a place for us in heaven: “Do not let your heart be troubled. […] In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places” (John 14:1-2).

We must keep this ultimate heavenly aim always in front of our eyes.

And thus, being aware that the brain, does not make a difference between the real and the imagined and inspired by the words of St. Stephen at the moment of his death, I wish now to invite you to experience “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).  “Look”, St. Stephen said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” (Acts 7:55-56). Thus for a moment, through the eyes of faint and imagination, you can now start imagining this scene of yourself in front of God, and while making this scene clearer, bigger, three-dimensional, also hear the voice of the angels singing  “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is to come” (Revelations 4:8), and while you are hearing this eternal song, notice the smell of incense, and notice ‘the twenty-four elders [..] each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints’(Revelations 5:8).

And now while taking a deep breath, imagine yourself in front of God. And while hearing the eternal song and smelling incense, feel this feeling of timelessness and bodilessness of eternity, and enter in a state of thanksgiving. And while you are in this state hear the words of Jesus: “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me”. And imagine yourself saying “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And Jesus will tell you, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me”(Matthew 25:34-40).  

And while you hear this, turn back and look at your life, and notice yourself at home, at work, in your community, and notice that in every situation you are acting in love because now you know that “Heaven and earth will pass away,”(Luke 21,33) but the word of God does not pass away. And you are capable of doing this because this is written in our heart (Romans 2:14-16). It is there because you are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26), and your heart will not rest if not in Him. And it is easy for you to do so because what is written in your heart was made flesh (John 1:14) so that it will be easy for you to know who you really are because your identity is found in God. After all, you are his image. More than this, you are his beloved child (Ephesians 1:4-5).

Union with God here on earth

This union with God that awaits us in heaven could also be lived here and now on earth. It is a gift that you must be accepted.  This is because the Holy Spirit does not substitute your freedom to ‘accept’ or ‘deny’ this gift; however, it ‘generates’ and ‘sustains’ it. In order to do so, you need to strive to free yourself from what is evil to be free to glorify God.  All this happens through a process of discernment. A process that helps us “not [to] be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that [we]  may [at every situation] discern what is the will of God–what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2). An effort to “be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).