Heaven Is For Me

By Fr. Christopher Kubat, M.D.

Recently I made a trip to Lourdes, France with a delightful couple and their eight-year-old son. In the year 1858, the Virgin Mary appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes, France and ever since, it has been a place of miracles. It is said that everyone who travels to Lourdes with an open-heart, experiences a spiritual and sometimes a physical cure.

There were thousands of children of God the Father seeking the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes.

On our first day at breakfast in the hotel dining room, I spied an older woman named Mary sitting alone and invited her to join us at our table. She was born in Senegal and married a Belgian man who has since died. She is a mother of several sons and two adoptive daughters. Since she only spoke French, we could only communicate with a translator on our phones.

When we were ready to say our after-meal prayers, I mentioned that we will see each other in the next life, in heaven. Then, with a concerned and worried look, she said, “Heaven is not for me.” Under no uncertain terms, I informed her she is a precious daughter of God the Father and He is looking down at her with tender love saying, “My beloved daughter, yes, heaven is for you.” Her eyes became moist and was moved and consoled. Hearing these words in Lourdes was her ‘miracle’. Perhaps in her long life she never heard this. How many people are there around the world who think they are not worthy of being a child of God? Unfortunately, she was not the first person I have talked with who felt that way.

Let none of us be deceived by the lie of the evil one that we are not sons and daughters of God the Father. He loves us so much, He sent us His Only Begotten Son as our Savior. By His cross and resurrection and the medicine of the sacraments, we obtain the necessary graces to follow Him, the Good Shepherd. It was Jesus who taught us to say, “Our Father Who art in heaven …”

Since the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary has appeared in numerous places, including Lourdes to bring us to our Heavenly Father through her Son with her motherly love. Let none of us ever think that we are not worthy of the love of God, or that heaven is not for us. Jesus said, He would go ahead of us and prepare a place for us. (John 14:2-3).

Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us! St. Bernadette, pray for us!

National Chaplain Fr. Christopher Kubat, M.D. is the pastor of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Tecumseh, Nebraska and St. Mary Catholic Church in St. Mary, Nebraska. He serves as a member of CMA’s Health Care Policy Committee, Ethics Committee, Awards Committee and Executive Committee.

The post Heaven Is For Me appeared first on Catholic Medical Association.

Categorised in: Uncategorized