The Good Life Points to the Eternal Life

A very large friend of mine from college used to say, “Food is God’s love made edible!” There were times when I wanted to respond, “Perhaps you should have less of God’s love on your plate?” But I think he was on to something — the good things of life are a foretaste of Heaven.

GK Chesterton once said, “In Catholicism, the pint, the pipe, and the Cross all fit together.” He recognized that we are not dour Puritans who refuse to enjoy ourselves! After all, our readings today speak of Heaven in terms of a feast — not as a boring lecture or reading a devotional book, but as a party. This should give us pause!

And it should help us to understand this world. Every “good and perfect gift” is given by God so that it could remind us of Him. Whether it be the beauty of nature, the love of family and friends, the joys of sports, consolations in prayer, success in business or school, good food and wine, music and the arts — all of the delights of this world are meant to be a foretaste of Heaven. Any time we enjoy them, we ought to think, “This is wonderful — and Heaven is even better!” The “good life” points to the eternal life.

Thus, we must never see these good things as an end in themselves. Our hearts can easily become attached to them, and we don’t want to give them up. I am reminded of the story of a young girl who saved up her money to buy a fake pearl necklace. It was only five dollars, but to this girl it was the most wonderful thing she had ever owned. She wore them around the house every single day for months.

Finally, her father said to her one night as he was tucking her into bed, “My daughter, I want to ask a favor from you. Do you love me?”

“Of course I love you,” she said.

“Will you give me your pearl necklace?” the father asked.

The girl didn’t know what to say. Of course she loved her father, but this was too much! It was her prize possession! She refused.

The next night, the father asked the same question. “Do you love me?” She nodded, her eyes filling with tears because she knew what would come next. “Will you give me your pearl necklace?” Still she couldn’t part with it.

For several weeks this happened every night. The little girl wrestled within herself. How could her daddy ask for such a thing! This was the one thing she loved more than anything! How could he ask for it? Didn’t he know how much it meant to her?

Finally, one morning, love won out. Reluctantly she walked into her father’s room and handed him the pearl necklace. The father was touched and gave her a big hug, and then opened his dresser drawer and pulled out a necklace made of real pearls on a real gold chain. “My daughter, because you were willing to show your love for me by giving me your fake pearls, I will show my love for you by giving you this necklace with real pearls and real gold.” Imagine the girl’s delight when she received such a gift!

And this is how we must use the good things of this world — enjoy them, but not be attached to them, because something better is coming when we are finally ready and able to give our lives back to the Father.

Every good thing should lead us to Christ, which means that we use it well. GK Chesterton also said,

We should thank God for beer and burgundy by not drinking too much of them.

St. Thomas Aquinas instructed people,

Drink alcohol only to the point of hilarity!

St. John Bosco used to tell his boys,

Have as much fun as you want — but don’t sin!

(if I had a motto for my life, that might be it!)

Enjoy life, but in moderation. Too much of any good thing becomes a bad thing!

So, my friends, rejoice in the blessings of this life! They are foretastes of the great banquet feast of Heaven, where the joy will never end. But never become attached to the good things here on earth — something greater awaits us!

___

Originally published at The Cross Stands While the World Turns.
Photo: Cornelia Ng, Unsplash / PD-US