By Archpriest Rodion Putyatin (1807-1869)
"So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven ..." (Mark 16:19).
"So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven ..." (Mark 16:19).
You, Christian listeners, after your death, do you want to go to Heaven, to the Kingdom of Heaven, where our Lord Jesus Christ is now? Of course, you say: We want this. What shows that you want this? Whoever wants something, thinks about it; but do we often think of Heaven? Whoever wants something, talks about it; but how often do we talk about Heaven? Whoever desires something, works for that, labors; but are we working for Heaven, are we laboring? Whoever desires something, asks God most of all for it; but do we ask God most of all for the Kingdom of Heaven when we pray? And now, have we come to the temple of prayer for the Kingdom of Heaven? Ah, listeners, in our life it is almost impossible to see that we want to be in Heaven.
