The world as pathway to heaven

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

WE should be very clear about this basic truth about the world in general or about the whole of nature that has been created by God. We need to realize that as God’s creation, the whole world of nature has been imprinted with God’s laws that are meant to give glory to God and to lead us also to him, giving him glory as well. In other words, depending on how we see the world, it is actually a pathway to heaven, to God.

Everything that we discover and make use of in the world should lead us to ask ourselves whether what we are discovering are truly in accordance to God’s will, to his true designs of the world, and whether we can discern how they can be used to give glory to God, which is a matter of loving him and serving the whole of humanity.

We have to be wary of the danger of discovering and using things simply in accordance to our own understanding of them and also to our own interest only. This is a common and abiding danger that we have to be most wary about. We have to do everything to avoid and overcome that danger.

Thus, we have to develop that strong and deep attitude of always referring things to God before we put our hands on them. That way, we would be putting ourselves on the right track that hopefully will lead us to God and to see and use things the way they should be seen and used.

This attitude, of course, would require of us to be guided always by our Christian faith, instead of just being guided by our human estimation of things. And for that faith to be effective in us, we obviously need to be humble. Without humility, there is no way faith can have any effect on us.

We should be looking for God always in everything that we get involved in. In all the things that we do or handle, we should be asking what are there in those things that are for God, rather than being interested only on what are there in those things that are for us.

Let’s always remember what Christ himself said: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Mt 6,33) We should not worry if we put our attention first on God and on our duties toward him, since he will take care of everything else that we need, especially the most important thing, which is our own salvation.

Thus, Christ also said that “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Mt 19,29) If we give God priority always by being always looking for him, obeying him and being generous with him, he will take care of everything. He cannot be outdone in generosity.

As much as possible, we should be conscious on a daily basis that everything that we do, that we get involved in, that happens to us, etc., should give us the sensation that we are approaching God and heaven. To be sure, this could not be regarded as some kind presumption on our part. This is actually what is meant for us.

Yes, we have to most aware that the world in general is a pathway to heaven, to God.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com