Life is Short. Heaven is Forever
Several decades ago, after his grandmother’s passing, Fr Surain recalled in his homily, the family gathered at the crematorium to collect her remains. As they received the urn, a cousin remarked, “Now Grandma is just a fistful of ashes, but when she was alive, how she made us dance to her tune.”
That comment, though poorly received at the time, stayed with Fr Surain, prompting deep reflection. For in a stark way, they point to a reality that touches every human life: while alive we may exert influence and control over others, but in death, all our power, possessions, and influence fade away, reduced to nothing more than ashes.
Linking the readings of the previous Sunday with that of the present one, Fr Surain wove a message that bridges the fleetingness of earthly life with the permanence of God’s kingdom.
The ashes remind us of the fleeting nature of our material existence. “Vanity of vanities,” goes the first reading of last Sunday, “vanity of vanities! All is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). A sobering refrain reminding us that our tireless pursuit of wealth, titles, and prestige—our striving for worldly applause—ultimately fades to nothing.
Against this greed and false way of living, Jesus warns us in the parable of the rich fool: “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15). The fool placed his trust in his barns and his goods, forgetting the Giver from whom all providence flows.
How often do we too fall into this trap, placing our security in our jobs, bank balances, and investments? How easy it is to idolise these possessions or to congratulate ourselves for our own hard work and cleverness, forgetting that all is gift from God.
But Scripture never leaves us only with a warning—it also points to the way forward. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth,” urges St Paul (Colossians 3:2). This is not a call to neglect our duties, but to see all things in the light of eternity. The God who grants us breath can call us to Himself at any moment. This awareness—what the Church has long called memento mori (“remember that you will die”)—is not morbid, but life-giving. It helps us keep our priorities in order, so that we live each day ready to meet the Lord.
If last Sunday’s readings were on the fleetingness of earthly life, this Sunday we hear about the permanence of God’s kingdom and His faithfulness. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom speaks of the divine pact—God’s covenant with His people (Wisdom 18:9). In the second reading, the Letter to the Hebrews recalls how Abraham and Sarah lived by faith (Hebrews 11:1–2, 8–19). They trusted God’s promises and even though they did not receive them in their earthly lifetime, from their true homeland in heaven, they saw those promises fulfilled in all their richness. Their story assures us that God is faithful—what He promises, He will accomplish—whether in this life or in the life to come.
A short life on earth does not mean that nothing matters or that we are free to live carelessly. The Gospel this Sunday is clear: “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Luke 12:40). Readiness is not fear-driven but love-driven. It is about living each day in such a way that we would be ready to face the Lord at any moment.
Fr Surain noted that those in their twilight years often live with a sharper awareness of this call, aware of the limited time they have left. The young, on the other hand, may feel invincible, thinking there will always be time to make things right “later.” But the Lord’s message is urgent: “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find at work when he arrives” (Luke 12:43).
The message over these two Sundays is clear: life on earth is brief, but our true home is eternal. We are to live with our eyes fixed on heaven, anchored in God’s faithfulness, confident in His divine pact with us. He will come—at an hour we do not expect—and when He does, we will see, as Abraham and Sarah did, that every promise has been fulfilled beyond measure. If we wait for Him in faith, place our hope in His mercy, and love as He has loved us, we will share in the eternal joy of His kingdom.
And so the question remains for each of us: When He comes, how will He find us? (KA)