Daily Reflection Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Most of us these days have some type of GPS system in our cars. We just input the address where we are going and then several routes appear. I have seen where the options for a route go from two hours and five minutes to five hours. I will look at both routes and see what is different. One is a straight run, all highways, using the express lane. The other, that takes hours, goes via all back roads and is not an easy drive.

We can go through life never stopping to help someone, always taking the express lane, and missing everything and everyone around us or we can take the road with all the stops that may seem inconvenient and help all those we meet along the way. You could say the constricted road is the road that leads to heaven. The dead ends, traffic jams and detours are all there to slow us down and get us to pay attention to our surroundings. It is often when we are sidetracked that we meet someone in need or make a difference in someone else’s life.

Now imagine if you put Heaven as your destination. Would you want to speed up to the gates to heaven only to find out that speeding through life, not caring about those around you, would prevent you from opening the gate? Or would you rather take the slower road knowing you made a difference in the lives of those around you? The GPS can be our metaphor for life. The choice is ours to make, the express lane or the long and winding road. Only one leads to the gates of heaven. Choose your route wisely, buckle up and enjoy the ride.