In Residence

In Residence

The twelve gates were made of pearls—each gate from a single pearl! And the main street was pure gold, as clear as glass. . . . And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light.

Revelation 21:21, 23

An old gospel song says, “I’m satisfied with just a cottage below, a little silver and a little gold. . . . I’ve got a mansion just over the hilltop in that bright land where we’ll never grow old.” And wouldn’t we all be so much better off if being content with less were true of us? If only we could be satisfied with a little rather than always be grabbing for a lot, life would be so much simpler and less stressful.

When Patrick J. Ryan of Philadelphia was a very young priest, he was assigned to a parish in St. Louis, where Archbishop Kenrick presided over the diocese. Kenrick lived in a small, unpretentious house, scarcely in keeping with his recognized position in the church.

One day Father Ryan was passing the house of the archbishop, accompanied by a priest from Chicago who was visiting St. Louis. Father Ryan pointed out the house as the residence of the leader of the local church.

His guest said with surprise, “Why, you should see the splendid residence we have in Chicago for our archbishop!”

“Yes,” said Father Ryan with a smile, “but you should see the splendid archbishop we have in St. Louis for our residence.”

Ah, that’s the key, isn’t it? Instead of building mansions here on earth in which to live temporarily, we should be building our inner lives to make them fit to live in heavenly mansions for all eternity. “And someday yonder we will never more wander but walk on streets that are purest gold.”

Heavenly Father, we wait with eager anticipation the return of your Son, who will bring us home to live with you for all eternity. Lord Jesus, come soon! Amen.