Jesus said to his disciples:
Do not let your hearts be troubled.
You have faith in God; have faith also in me.
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.
If there were not,
would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back again and take you to myself,
so that where I am you also may be.
Where I am going you know the way.
Thomas said to him,
Master, we do not know where you are going;
how can we know the way?
Jesus said to him,
I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
— John 14:1-6
The peace of the Lord be with you. I don’t know about you, but this passage of the gospel fills me with hope and wonder. The hope is in the promise Jesus makes that he will come back to us, and we will go with him; there will be no pain and we will never have to fear death or sickness again. Wonder comes for me because evidently one of these dwelling places will be just right for my soul and for your soul. Jesus even tells us how we will get there — by living out his legacy of love. That means at times there are going to be difficulties, but there will also be moments of great joy and inspiration.
Our souls are being prepared every day by the goodness of God for that day that we will be with him. So because he dwells with us here, heaven is not some distance place — it’s here now, as the glory of God shines through the darkness lighting our way to Him. In he name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.