Do you really feel at home? Do you feel you have arrived at your final destination, that place which you would want to be, or is there something more? Many of us were taught that our home and final destination is heaven, but perhaps over the years, we may have become more and more attracted and comfortable with our temporary home here on earth. Life seems so much to offer, so many interesting things and attractions to see, enjoy and experience, that we sometimes forget or doubt about our final home and destination.
We must be cautious not to deceive ourselves into thinking that this life is a permanent one. Death can come at any time and in any form. The problem is, there are people who do not want to talk or think about death. They think that they could prolong their lives by gaining more wealth, property and power, as well as depending on so-called modern medicine. But death is a reality, we cannot avoid it, no matter how hard we try. All that we tried so hard to attain will be lost to us, as we cannot bring anything we have in this world into the next life. In today’s Gospel, the three disciples followed Jesus up the mountain. They wanted to experience the event of Jesus’ transfiguration indefinitely by wanting to build tents for all of them. But Jesus refused to allow them to do so and remain at this level, since the transfiguration points to Jesus’ resurrection and the glory of heaven and is not actually the resurrection nor heaven. In the same way, we would not be able to appreciate and attain eternal life, if we put our confidence only in the present life as if it was permanent. Eternal life is to know God, to love him and be with him for all eternity, since God does not promise us a long life but eternal life. In heaven we will be able to see God face to face, without having to hide behind our fears and anxieties and God is the fulfilment of our every hope, dream and desire.
Today, let us ask God for His help and guidance, so that we would be willing and able to let go of our earthly securities and in the first reading be like Abraham who put his faith in the Lord. Let us also take heed of what St. Paul reminds us in the second reading, that “For us, our homeland is in heaven.” May we patiently, humbly and joyfully walk in the ways of the Lord, and strive towards being with Him in heaven, our true and permanent home.