This weekend, we honor all who have gone before us and now live as saints in Heaven. Whether or not they were officially proclaimed saints, each lived a life that inspired others and shone as a light in the darkness. We also pray for the departed who are still being purified before entering Heaven. Let’s take this weekend to reflect on our own journey toward Heaven and see where we might need to make changes.
Jesus tells us, “I will not reject anyone who comes to me.” He is the way to eternal happiness, but are we truly following Him? Too often, we let other things come between us and Jesus, and before we realize it, He feels distant. We might place our families, careers, or earthly desires above Him, pushing Jesus to the bottom of our list. Even worse, we sometimes allow sin to creep in until it begins to take control of our lives.
When we need help and inspiration, we can always turn to the saints in Heaven. Choose a saint and learn about their life. You’ll find that they weren’t perfect and struggled with sin just as we do. Many even gave their lives for others. If someone can lay down their life for another, what small sacrifice can we make?
What matters most is not how often we fall into sin, but how we respond when we do. We can give up in discouragement, or we can keep getting back up and fighting the battle. When something breaks in our daily life, we try to fix it. I’ve spent plenty of time researching and watching YouTube videos to fix a problem. Do we put that same effort into resisting temptation and overcoming sin? I’ve never given up on fixing a leaky faucet, and I’ll never give up trying to keep sin from leaking into my life.
This weekend, choose a saint and explore their story. Remember a loved one who left a positive mark on your life. The saints left a trail of breadcrumbs leading us to God. By following their example, we can find our way too. The road to Heaven is rough, and we need all the help we can get. Don’t let anything stand between you and God. He will never reject anyone, but will we reject Him?
