The Smell of Heaven

More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. // Philippians 3:8a

I usually think about death when I’m going 533 miles per hour while 37,000 feet up in the air. But the time death seemed more like a reality was when I was actually on a gurney in the hallway of an emergency room, experiencing excruciating pain and short, shallow breaths. I was thousands of miles from home, and although friends had offered to keep me company, I didn’t want them to experience the boredom of the waiting room.

I knew, or at least hoped, that I wasn’t going to die, but I couldn’t help but to think about it. I would miss each of my family members, especially my nieces and nephews. I would miss my friends and the experiences we’ve shared.

It wasn’t long before my mind drifted from what I would miss to what I was looking forward to: Heaven!

What do you perceive Heaven to be like? Look like? Feel like? Smell like? Sound like?

I always wonder if I will somehow finagle a seat on Mary’s lap or sneak into the Sacred Heart of Jesus? What song of praise will I join in singing? Who will greet me? Who will I greet?

I wish I was always prepared for death, but unlike Saint Paul, I oftentimes hold onto this life with too firm of a grasp. What a grace it is to “consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus!” (Philippians 3:8a).

We have the same grace that gave Saint Paul the courage to live with Heaven in the foreground. It takes honesty, discipline, and faith to cultivate virtue, as well as the recognition that letting go doesn’t mean to love, care, or cherish less, but rather to love in right order.

Take this next breath and offer it to Jesus. Ask the Lord to help you receive His love and mercy and help you respond by prioritizing your relationship with Him. In doing so, you’ve already begun to give Him your life.

Take this next breath and offer it to Jesus. // @chikasworldClick to tweet

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