Today Jesus says something kind of startling in the One Year Bible reading from John 14:15-31. He says that if we really loved Him, we would be glad that He is going away, and going to the Father.
That reminds me of something St Therese of Liseux said to her mom. She told her mother more than once that she hoped that her mom would die soon. Her mom would express her shock and confusion, and Therese would explain that her mother would be much happier with Jesus and away from sin in heaven, so she hoped that she died soon so she could go there.
And while we might not desire to hasten the day for ourselves, neither should we fear it. The day that comes to every man will come to each of us, and the Bible tells us not to mourn like those who have no hope. Instead, we should be filled with peace and grace, knowing that we have a blessed hope of spending eternity with the One who loves us most.
Most of my friends are getting to the age where our parents and aunts and uncles will start coming to that day. As the world has gotten smaller, thanks to the internet, we will begin to see more and more as our friends' relatives go on to the next life. And so we should prepare ourselves to love them the way that Jesus told us we should love Him - by being glad that the day has come to meet the Savior.
God, please teach us to look forward to that day, and not to fear it.
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