One day I saw two roads. One was broad and covered with sand and flowers, full of joy, music and all sorts of pleasures. People walked along it dancing and enjoying them selves. They reached the end without realizing it. And at the end there was a horrible precipice, that is, the abyss of hell. The souls fell blindly into it. As they walked they fell. And their number was so great that it was impossible to count them. And I saw the other road or path. For it was narrow and strewn with rocks and thorns. And the people who walked along it had tears in their eyes. And all kinds of suffering befell them. Some fell down on the rocks and got up immediately and went on. At the end of the road there was a magnificent garden filled with all sorts of happiness. And all these souls entered there. At the very first instant they forgot all of their sufferings.

This was an excerpt from the diary of Saint Faustina. As I read her diary. She was horribly ridiculed and lambasted by many of her fellow sisters, mother superiors and priests. Because someone wears robes and says they are religious means nothing. Because you say you are Born Again and attend a Pentecostal fellowship means nothing. Because you say you are a Catholic means nothing. It is very difficult to be a witness for Christ. When your co-workers who also say they are Christians. Offer nothing to say about Christ. And are living like the devil himself. Leaving those around to say. Who needs what they have? They are no different than me. Friend…God has a people called to himself. And it just may well be you. There is nothing easy about walking with Christ. It seems that every time I just begin to rebound from one thing another transpires. And yet I am still going. Still praying. Still attending church. And still testifying of the goodness and wonders of God.

One would say why bother if they were to walk a mile in my shoes. Or in Faustinas for that matter. Why does a Navy Seal put themselves through such obvious tests and tortures? To in the end get shot and die rescuing a hostage. I am a slave to Christ. I will and can do anything by the grace and power of God that I have to do to keep on keeping on. I am by no circumstances in life or death going to miss out on my heavenly reward. And if you are sitting on half of your brain and the other half is housed in your skull. You had better come to the realization that your walk is not based on what others are doing or not doing around you. Your walk is your walk. Hand in hand with Jesus. Until you die. And walk you will. And stumble you will. And get hurt you will. And suffer you will. And guess what else? And win you will by God! And win you will! About a year and a half ago I took up the sport of trap and skeet shooting. It is extremely technical and difficult. Nothing comes easy. It tests your metal and requires a tremendous amount of focus, skill and discipline. I scored my first perfect round about 8 months into shooting trap. Perfection doesn’t come easily. It requires one to be steadfast and diligent. You need to pay attention to the details over and over again. Leaving nothing to chance or accident. You don’t accidentally win first place. And you don’t make heaven your home by accident….To be continued