What Do I Have to Do to Get to Heaven?

(Plain Text Version)

Most people want to enter a pleasant “after-life” when they die.  If we could think about this for a few minutes, it would be time well spent! 

Do We Want to Go to Heaven?
A good start may be to think about what Heaven is and is not.  We may find that we don’t really want to go there. 
Heaven isn’t some misty place where we will be entertained.  Heaven is the place where God lives with the angels and with the people who are perfected in His love.  In Heaven, we are glad to live by God’s rules.  In Heaven, we are united to God in a way which we can’t understand now.   In Heaven, we will have deep friendships with people of all nations, ages, and cultures.
In Heaven, it will be impossible to take advantage of others.  So, if this is something we enjoy, we would be frustrated in Heaven.  If we don’t let anyone tell us what to do, we won’t want to be with God. 
So, are we OK with not going to Heaven?  Or, do we want to spend some more time on this?

Jesus Has Said that There are Two Roads.
It isn’t hard to see where we will go.  The road we follow on Earth takes us to our life after death.  One road leads to God and the other takes us away from Him.  While we are alive, we can choose our road.  At death, we will have to live that choice. 
So, let’s take an honest look at ourselves.  Do I pray?  Do I reject the love of God by disobeying His commandments?  Do I put my trust in slogans like: “If you are nice, you will go to Heaven”, or “You have to hate God to go to Hell.”

Lets Go to Heaven! 
If you get depressed thinking about these things, I have good news: It is a joy to walk  along God’s road!  Life still won’t be easy, but you will have a peace which no one can take away. 
To bring us to Heaven, Christ has given us the seven Sacraments.  In Baptism, our sins are taken away and we are reborn.  After Baptism, we are strengthened by Confirmation and the Holy Eucharist.  Our large and small sins are forgiven in Confession.  Depending on God’s call, Matrimony and Holy Orders are received.  For serious illness, we are strengthened by the Anointing of the Sick. 
Many people never have the opportunity to receive the Sacraments.  Heaven is still possible for them, because God is not   limited in His goodness.  This is not to say that the Sacraments can be avoided.  They are the one and only road proclaimed by Christ.  Rejection of these seven gifts cuts us off from their Giver.

Enjoy your journey!
When you put God first, things will change.  Sinful things will have to stop, but God will change your good things into better ones.  Some friendships will end, but better ones will begin.  Life won’t be dull!