Dear Brothers and Sisters,

“Eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor. 2:9) The place prepared for those who love God is Heaven. Every human, born and unborn, was created by love, for love or to say it another way, created by God for God. Understanding why you were made changes the way you see yourself and the world around you.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we continue to focus our prayers for our beloved deceased brothers and sisters during the month of November, we also reflect on the “the four last things” - death, judgment, heaven, and hell. Growing in awareness of the four last things can lead one to peace, as well as help a person to grow in humility and trust in God’s love and mercy.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Last week’s reflection on the Christian understanding of death invites us to turn our attention to judgment, which is next in the sequence of the Four Last Things. Judgment in general, is a word which is often misused and misunderstood. For example, you have heard someone say: “You can’t judge me.” “God knows my heart” “Only God can judge me!” These sorts of phrases are often used by those who wish a conversation to end because they don’t want to face the facts that their position may be weak or indefensible.