The two friends peered intently at the map. “This is where we are”, noted one as he pointed to crossroads on the map. “The sign over there by the side of the road confirms it.” “Ok, so we have determined our current position, where do we want to go?” asked the other. His friend pointed to the west, while he pointed eastward. Dumbfounded they looked at each other in disbelief; they had not agreed on their ultimate destination. What could be more foolish than to commence a trip without knowing one’s final destination? The next question surfaced the dilemma that they now faced, “How do they solve the problem of decidedly different destinations?” If this issue was not solved, then they would have to go their separate ways, with separate plans to reach their goals. Arriving at the end destination now had to give way to a decision on which place is the actual destination.
How foolish! How Foolish! Common sense dictates that the ultimate destination for a journey should be decided before commencing the journey. However, the two friends who had not agreed upon a final destination are not uncommon; matter of fact, their situation is all too common. For instance, we all know of marriages that began only with the feeling, “We are in love”, with no consideration about such critical matters as children, life styles, financial matters, and more. Unfortunately, many who began marriage on “being in love” discover its shallowness, with both partners anxious to quickly end the marriage, while echoing the lament “How Foolish, How Foolish.” All of us can recall instances in our own lives during which we failed to consider our ultimate destination. Then we would look back and lament, “How Foolish”.
Each of us should consider the nature of the ultimate destination of our journey in this life and then decide the path to the goal. Is our goal simply to exist within the natural life until death, or is the goal to live eternally with God? For those who do not accept the reality of God’s existence, then this life on earth is indeed the end….the ultimate destination. But for those who accept God, particularly Catholics, then the ultimate destination can only be the life God has promised to us. If life with God is truly one’s final destination, then the map of the road to God’s life must be found and examined very carefully….and followed with courage and determination. God gave us the map; it is available to all. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, gave it to us and to His church, the Catholic Church.
If one’s ultimate destination is the enjoyment of participating in God’s life in heaven, then one must follow the map laid out by Christ and His Church. Choose the paths that lead to God. If you do not follow His map, you may reach the end of this life with the lament of “How Foolish”.