Due to Covid, many people have been thinking about the meaning of life. Some of the realizations:

• First, life is short and uncertain. We said goodbye to so many people.
• Second, it reminded us that we came into this world with nothing and leaving this world with nothing. “Why am I slaving and stressing myself for things I cannot bring to the next life?”
• Lastly, it made us think, “Am I prepared?”. I know of so many people who fixed their material wealth but remember the most important thing, is fixing our spiritual life.

In the Gospel, Jesus was asked if many will be saved. The response was of Christ, “It is how we live our life”. Hence, three things we can do to prepare ourselves: The three teachings of Christ when it comes to Eternal Life.

1. Whatever you do the least of your brethren. In the end, Jesus reminds us that the sheep will be separated from the goat. The sheep are blessed and the goat is accursed. The difference: “Whatever you do to the least of your brethren you do unto me.”
   
2. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me. “And I give to them eternal life and they will never perish”. The world has lost its moral compass. The right is made wrong and the wrong is made right. Due to political correctness, there is no more sense of sin. No wonder, there is so much stress, anxiety, fear and worry if Christ is removed from one’s life. 
   
3. A rich young man once approached Jesus and asked, “What must I do to have eternal life?” Jesus said, “Go and sell all your belongings and give it to the poor.” He was not able to because his trust was in his money and not God. While money and material wealth are important, we pray for the right disposition. As the saying goes, it is a very good servant but a terrible Master. Always watch out for greed.

In each Mass, we thank God for the gift of faith, we thank God for the gift of the Church, and we thank God for Eternal Life. As St. Claire of Assisi said, “The labor on earth is brief but the reward is eternal.”