Don't Speak Until I Have My Coffee!

Have you ever seen the following coffee Mug? I'm very tempted to get one!

The mug points to a simple reality: there are times when I can't handle the relationships in front of me until I get my morning caffeine kick!  But it happens more then just mornings!  Have you ever had a moment, when you were frustrated, angry, hungry (or hangry) and then you encounter someone with a lot of energy, joy and love?  What is your automatic reaction?  In my experience my response is "get away!"  I can't handle you right now!

I bring this up because this experience I've encountered, probably many times, can explain the spiritual reality of heaven and hell.  I recently encountered a person after a talk I had given.  The person wanted to challenge my theology and asked, "How can a loving God send anyone to hell?"  It's a theology question that can be challenging to many!  My response to the person was explain the above scenarios.  How often do we push love away?  Because it's not God who places souls in hell, it is they who place themselves there!  God loves us so much that He respects our free will. 

"Our free will is the only thing that is really our own.  Our health, our wealth, our power - all these God can take away from us.  But our freedom He leaves to us, even in hell.  Because freedom is our own, it is the only perfect gift that we can make to God" ~ Fulton Sheen

So the souls who are in hell are those who have encountered the love and joy of the Lord and in their self-pity, hatred, and anger reject God.  Their gnashing of teeth and the fire described in hell comes from their own rejection of God's love revealed in Jesus Christ.  It's not God's who places souls in hell, it they who put themselves there.  The fire that burns in hell, is the same fire that is received in love, joy and mercy by the Saints in heaven! 

So as much as I joke about needing the cup of coffee before I can enter into relationships with others, what really needs to happen is my openness to receive the love, mercy, and joy before me!  What I need to do is be open to receive our Lord and His love! Amen!