Strive For More

1 Nov

“Press forward.  Do not stop, do not linger in your journey, but strive for the mark set before you.”  ~ George Whitefield

Rest.  Peace.  Contentment.  These are things for which we long in our lives and realities that oftentimes never come about, at least not completely.  For a while we might find some rest.  For a moment we might have some peace.  For a time we might be contented.  But, sooner or later, we find ourselves restless again, searching for more.

We will never know true rest, peace, and contentment until we pass from this world to the next.  At that time, if we have been faithful to our God here on this earth, we will be rewarded with eternal life.  That will be the time for an eternity of peaceful rest and contentment.  That will be the day to celebrate.

This is the day we celebrate that reality — The Solemnity of All Saints.  This is a special celebration for us because each and every one of us are “saints in the making”.  What is, after all, a saint?  It is a soul who gets to heaven.  We do not have to wait for the Church’s solemn proclamation.  We only need to hear the Lord say, “Welcome home.”  That is all the proclamation that we need in order to be a saint.

At that time, there will be an eternity of joy.  At that time, all the grief, all the struggle, all the pain that we endured while on earth will have been worth it.  We will be removed from those struggles when our souls are freed from this mortal realm and go to our heavenly home.

That is not something automatic, though.  In order to go home to God we need to be faithful to Him here on earth.  He has called all of us to faithfulness and love.  There are many times that we fail to love, that we fail to be faithful.  Thank God for His merciful love and for the forgiveness that we can find in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  Because God wants us to return home to Him, He is willing to forgive anything if a person is truly repentant.

We know that we are being called to something much greater at the end of our days.  That knowledge should spur us on to do good works this day and every day of our lives.  We will not be perfected until that day.  Keep working.  Remain faithful.  Do not be content with the good that you have done today.  Strive, instead, to do even more tomorrow.

FAITH ACTION:  Do not be content with what you have done in the faith.  Reach out and do more knowing that God will bless your efforts.