Alberto Hurtado, SJ - My Life, an Arrow Shot Toward Eternity

My Life, an Arrow Shot Toward Eternity
Personal reflection on the vision of eternity

We ask heroism of Christians and such heroism! On what do we base this demand? On this life’s vision of eternity. One is saintly or bourgeois, depending on whether one understands or misunderstands this vision of eternity. The bourgeois is installed in this world - for them, life consists of this world only. They see everything in terms of pleasure. For them, life is like a lemon that must be squeezed to the last drop; a cigarette to be smoked with enjoyment, without thinking that soon it will be reduced to a stub; a tree whose flowers must soon be cut. The bourgeois mentality is the complete opposite of all that is Christian: it resolves problems on the basis of the criteria of time only. Take advantage of today! Enjoy, enjoy.

The sensible world accentuates this thirst for enjoyment, presenting itself as enormously attractive in all that surrounds us: the cinema, great preacher of materialism and of the easy life; the propaganda for pleasure and luxury that covers the walls and enters in every flicker of light: all of it preaches materialism. And it is not strange that we ourselves also fall into this practical materialism. Here we find the reason why the modern world becomes moved and excited, but has lost the sense of the divine. Let us awaken in ourselves this sense of the divine that will be based on an exact knowledge of my relation with God.

God! How the soul dilates when it meditates on these truths, the highest of all! It is similar to when one gazes upon the starry heavens on a quiet, tranquil evening. Our reason brings us to God. Everything speaks to us of Him: order, metaphysics, the agreement of the wise, the saints and the mystics. He is the one who is: “I am He who is.”

The nature of God: Holy, Holy, Holy; harmony, order, beauty, love. God is Love, All Powerful, Eternal. Let us imagine when the world did not exist… Let us imagine the divine decision to create. The first budding forth of the material. The evolution of the worlds. The stars bursting forth. The millions of years. “And God in his eternity,” everything depends upon God and for this reason adoration is the logical consequence of my total dependence.

Prayer, which at time seems so useless, how great it seems when one thinks that he is speaking and being heard by the One who made everything! By God for whom the creation of the world cost nothing; what would it cost Him to fix it? What would it cost Him to solve any problem? All the more because He loves us: He gave us His son! (Jn 3,16) At times there is discouragement because I do not understand God, but how could I hope to understand Him since I do not even understand His works. In consequence: to pray more than I choose to act. Moreover, in making a move there is often the danger of human activism.

And as for me? Before me, eternity. I am like an arrow shot into that eternity. After me, eternity. My existence, a sigh between two eternities. The infinite goodness of God toward me! He thought of me more than hundreds of millions of years ago. He began to think of me, if you will, and He has continued to think of me, as though unable to get me out of His mind, as though I alone existed. If a friend were to say to me: “I thought of you each day of the eleven years that you were absent,” how grateful one would be for such fidelity! Yet God has done this for all eternity!

My life then, like an arrow, propelled toward eternity. I must not become attached to anything here but see through it all the life to come. May all creatures be transparent so that I may see God and eternity through them. When they become opaque, I become earthly and lost.

After me, eternity. I am going there and very soon. When one considers how soon the present will end, one reaches the conclusion: be citizens of heaven rather than of earth.

At the moment of death, “that which is hidden will appear;” all the evil and all the good, all the graces received. “What will I say then?” This will come to pass very soon. Reflecting on my end, on my eternal, destiny I cannot but think: What is my goal? To achieve wealth? No. How many are unable to reach their goal? To attain the understanding of those who surround me? To keep them with me? All of this is worthy of respect but not my goal. The goal of my life is God and nothing less than God, and to be happy in God. For this He gave me intelligence and will, and above all, liberty.

The norm I set for myself was sanctity, a sanctity based on my knowing God. Am I concerned about knowing Him? Do I cultivate my spirit? How do I pray? With praise, psalms, giving glory to the Father? To serve Him 24 hours a day, without ceasing, with joy and generosity, and then, to save my soul (Exercises 23).

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it” (Mt 11, 12). “Small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life and only a few find it”(Mt 7,14) “If anyone would come after me he must deny himself” (K 8,34). Save your soul, the saints tell us: earth passes away but not heaven; the condemned: those fires that are never quenched!

To live then in the vision of eternity! How important it is to renew this concept of eternity that would so console us. War, sufferings, everything will pass away. And then? Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, God does not change! And after this brief life of a day, eternity. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. In my Father’s house there are many rooms” (Jn 14,2). The teaching of Christ is filled with the idea of eternity.

The consequence of my vision of eternity: Remind myself frequently: “We are citizens of heaven” (Phil 3,20). “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also” (cf. Mt 6,21). To be joyful because I must go there. I do not fear death because it is the moment when I will see God. I know that my weaknesses and ailments will come to an end and that my aspirations will achieve their object.

Hence generosity, detachment, heroism. Everything has a reward. What is it that encourages the Little Sisters of the Poor? Heaven. The monk who has a tiny window open to heaven. In his sadness he looks through it and is comforted. Consequently, the intimate understanding that there is nothing greater to treat of than God, that God is the great reality in comparison with which other realities do not even deserve the name. He who treats with God, treats with authenticity, the great reality. Thus the saint, the gentle and peaceful, the serene, the joyful; illuminate your life with the remembrance of heaven!


	October 27, 2005 On October 23, 2005, Chilean Jesuit priest, Alberto Hurtado, was canonized. In recognition of this joyous event, Jesuits in the Maryland Province received regular electronic bulletins featuring writings of Father Hurtado. For more information on Father Hurtado, visit www.mdsj.org/hurtado.
	My Life, an Arrow Shot Toward Eternity Personal reflection on the vision of eternity We ask heroism of Christians and such heroism! On what do we base this demand? On this life’s vision of eternity. One is saintly or bourgeois, depending on whether one understands or misunderstands this vision of eternity. The bourgeois is installed in this world - for them, life consists of this world only. They see everything in terms of pleasure. For them, life is like a lemon that must be squeezed to the last drop; a cigarette to be smoked with enjoyment, without thinking that soon it will be reduced to a stub; a tree whose flowers must soon be cut. The bourgeois mentality is the complete opposite of all that is Christian: it resolves problems on the basis of the criteria of time only. Take advantage of today! Enjoy, enjoy. The sensible world accentuates this thirst for enjoyment, presenting itself as enormously attractive in all that surrounds us: the cinema, great preacher of materialism and of the easy life; the propaganda for pleasure and luxury that covers the walls and enters in every flicker of light: all of it preaches materialism. And it is not strange that we ourselves also fall into this practical materialism. Here we find the reason why the modern world becomes moved and excited, but has lost the sense of the divine. Let us awaken in ourselves this sense of the divine that will be based on an exact knowledge of my relation with God. God! How the soul dilates when it meditates on these truths, the highest of all! It is similar to when one gazes upon the starry heavens on a quiet, tranquil evening. Our reason brings us to God. Everything speaks to us of Him: order, metaphysics, the agreement of the wise, the saints and the mystics. He is the one who is: “I am He who is.” The nature of God: Holy, Holy, Holy; harmony, order, beauty, love. God is Love, All Powerful, Eternal. Let us imagine when the world did not exist… Let us imagine the divine decision to create. The first budding forth of the material. The evolution of the worlds. The stars bursting forth. The millions of years. “And God in his eternity,” everything depends upon God and for this reason adoration is the logical consequence of my total dependence. Prayer, which at time seems so useless, how great it seems when one thinks that he is speaking and being heard by the One who made everything! By God for whom the creation of the world cost nothing; what would it cost Him to fix it? What would it cost Him to solve any problem? All the more because He loves us: He gave us His son! (Jn 3,16) At times there is discouragement because I do not understand God, but how could I hope to understand Him since I do not even understand His works. In consequence: to pray more than I choose to act. Moreover, in making a move there is often the danger of human activism. And as for me? Before me, eternity. I am like an arrow shot into that eternity. After me, eternity. My existence, a sigh between two eternities. The infinite goodness of God toward me! He thought of me more than hundreds of millions of years ago. He began to think of me, if you will, and He has continued to think of me, as though unable to get me out of His mind, as though I alone existed. If a friend were to say to me: “I thought of you each day of the eleven years that you were absent,” how grateful one would be for such fidelity! Yet God has done this for all eternity! My life then, like an arrow, propelled toward eternity. I must not become attached to anything here but see through it all the life to come. May all creatures be transparent so that I may see God and eternity through them. When they become opaque, I become earthly and lost. After me, eternity. I am going there and very soon. When one considers how soon the present will end, one reaches the conclusion: be citizens of heaven rather than of earth. At the moment of death, “that which is hidden will appear;” all the evil and all the good, all the graces received. “What will I say then?” This will come to pass very soon. Reflecting on my end, on my eternal, destiny I cannot but think: What is my goal? To achieve wealth? No. How many are unable to reach their goal? To attain the understanding of those who surround me? To keep them with me? All of this is worthy of respect but not my goal. The goal of my life is God and nothing less than God, and to be happy in God. For this He gave me intelligence and will, and above all, liberty. The norm I set for myself was sanctity, a sanctity based on my knowing God. Am I concerned about knowing Him? Do I cultivate my spirit? How do I pray? With praise, psalms, giving glory to the Father? To serve Him 24 hours a day, without ceasing, with joy and generosity, and then, to save my soul (Exercises 23). “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it” (Mt 11, 12). “Small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life and only a few find it”(Mt 7,14) “If anyone would come after me he must deny himself” (K 8,34). Save your soul, the saints tell us: earth passes away but not heaven; the condemned: those fires that are never quenched! To live then in the vision of eternity! How important it is to renew this concept of eternity that would so console us. War, sufferings, everything will pass away. And then? Let nothing disturb you, let nothing frighten you, God does not change! And after this brief life of a day, eternity. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. In my Father’s house there are many rooms” (Jn 14,2). The teaching of Christ is filled with the idea of eternity. The consequence of my vision of eternity: Remind myself frequently: “We are citizens of heaven” (Phil 3,20). “Where your treasure is there will your heart be also” (cf. Mt 6,21). To be joyful because I must go there. I do not fear death because it is the moment when I will see God. I know that my weaknesses and ailments will come to an end and that my aspirations will achieve their object. Hence generosity, detachment, heroism. Everything has a reward. What is it that encourages the Little Sisters of the Poor? Heaven. The monk who has a tiny window open to heaven. In his sadness he looks through it and is comforted. Consequently, the intimate understanding that there is nothing greater to treat of than God, that God is the great reality in comparison with which other realities do not even deserve the name. He who treats with God, treats with authenticity, the great reality. Thus the saint, the gentle and peaceful, the serene, the joyful; illuminate your life with the remembrance of heaven! This page is archived at www.mdsj.org/hurtado/hurtado_12.html