Dear friends in Christ

During this forty day period between Easter and the Ascension of our Lord, the Church asks us to keep our eyes on Heaven, our final dwelling place to which our Lord is calling us. This invitation becomes more pressing as we approach the day on which Jesus ascended to the right hand of His Father. Words are altogether inadequate when it comes to describing the life of heaven. What we know but poorly know by revelation, and can barely imagine in our present state, will one day become a joyful reality. Apart from the immense joy of the beholding God and living with the risen, glorified Christ, there is also the accidental happiness: by means of which we will enjoy those created goods to which we aspire: the company of those blessed whom we most love on earth: members of our family and friends; and also the glory of our risen bodies: because our risen body will be identical in all respects to our presents body. St Paul tells us that this perishable nature must put on the imperishable: and this mortal nature, must put on immortality. When we pray the Apostles’ Creed, we express our hope of this reality. The thought of Heaven gives great serenity. Nothing here on earth is definitive; the only definitive reality is God. The only tragedy for us and for anyone, is to miss the door that leads to Life. There we shall find our Blessed Lady also awaits us.

God bless you!
Msgr Kevin Hale

Homily available at LourdesLeigh.org