Our most important journey as a family

Have you ever taken your family on a family vacation?  For many of us this is a common practice in our lives, be it a weekend away or a week-long trip across the country.  I have found that family trips, whatever their length, require far more preparation than I ever understood as a youth.  You must plan where you will stay, how you will travel, how much each family member can pack, what clothes you will need, and what activities you will participate in.  It can feel like you spend more time planning for a vacation than you actually spend enjoying it!

Now, what does this have to do with daily devotions for families?  This blog is a guide in helping you plan and prepare for the most important journey your family will ever take:  your journey toward heaven.  Just as we spend days preparing for a family vacation, we must spend a lifetime preparing for the eternity that lies ahead for us when we are joined by Christ and all the Saints in heaven.  While we are not packing clothes or food for this particular journey, there are a number of items that we must gather and pack away in preparation for our journey toward heaven.

Just as our preparations for family vacations can be overwhelming, the thought of preparing for such a journey can be overwhelming as well.  Often we seek the advice of travel agents, travel guides, and friends as we venture into new lands.  The same holds true for our journey to heaven, as Christ has provided us with a trusted tour guide and travel agent in our priests and the teachings of the Catholic Church.  Just as we sit down with our families to comb through guide books and travel pamphlets, we must also sit down with our family to comb through scripture and the Catechism of the Catholic Church in preparation and anticipation of our journey toward heaven.

Just as we don’t allow our children to pack their suitcase without supervision, nor do we ask our friends to pack for our family, we must not allow this to be the case in preparation for our travel to heaven.  While the guidance of others can be helpful, and often eases our preparation, the burden of preparing for any journey falls on the family that is making that journey.  The same holds true for our preparation for our journey to heaven.  While the guidance of friends is helpful as they provide us with tips and tricks, and while faith formation, Catholic schools, and youth group programs can ease the burden on parents, the ultimate preparation and packing must be done within our homes.  While this can seem like a daunting task, and one you feel completely unequipped and unprepared for, I assure you God has given you the grace to accomplish such a task if you trust in Him and are willing to be led by the Holy Spirit.