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On The Road To Perfection
Episode 157: Beginning With The End In Mind
Kristofer’s sister comes to mind as we begin by talking about pickle juice. Beginning with the end in mind in our conversation is not a discourse on Stephen Covey, though we do give him credit here and intertwined throughout On The Road To Perfection for bringing Kristofer to the Catholic Faith, and it is a conversation that Covey would appreciate. As Beth says, the “end” would be our “telos”, which Kristofer jumps on for the meaning of “perfected.” This is a conversation of “Eschatology,” which is the study of the last things. Are you ready for a conversation about the end goal of what the road to perfection leads us to? Well, here it comes!
Our individual call to holiness is not the same as anybody else’s, so when we lose sight of that end goal – taking the eyes off the prize – we start to wander off the path. We miss the mark and make excuses. We lose our way. Beginning with the end in mind helps us avoid losing our way.
After a second squirrel moment about manhole covers, and a third about garbage trucks…which really are end times…Beth launches into… Fonts?
When we are focused on details we lose sight of the end goal: Bringing ourselves and others to heaven.
Kristofer is confused. He’s a Husband, and recognizes his purpose to bring Beth to heaven – but does he have that power? Invoking the last episode, and two episodes before, Kristofer goes for the jugular, sorta. But Beth makes the case – easily – and straightens him out about beginning with the end in mind. Not getting caught up in the minutiae, and working on the bigger picture, Kristofer equates our individual parts to the part of HOO – without undoing every part.
Confused? You are not alone, as Kristofer’s silence indicates. And he’s the one who said it! Beth takes the ball and runs with it – straight to the place The LORD has made for her.
As Beth says, beginning with the end in mind is always keeping in the forefront the room that Jesus has prepared for us. He is not preparing just the room when we are done here, but He is preparing a place for us by giving us opportunities through this life on Earth; the fact that we exist is an opportunity to become holy. It is the opportunity to ask Him to send the Holy Spirit, and once we know His will, to follow it. When we do not begin the end in mind, it is harder to seek His will: to see how the opportunities that we have with others is preparing us for heaven.
Fortunately, beginning with the end in mind is something we can do at any moment! Confession is a good place to start!
Kristofer, feeling left out by the theological giant known as Beth, actually invokes Beth’s practice of putting into perspective the stuff that is not vocational. Instead of beginning with the end in mind, should we begin with the next five years in mind, to train us? Kristofer seems to lean that way, pulling out the big guns of Colonel Kevin to prove his point.
Is this the hill you want to die on? Do you think long-term?
It might be easier to think about making it to the next minute. If we are beginning with the end in mind, making it to the next minute might give us a hint of heaven.
Kristofer channels Covey, saying that beginning with the end in mind means acting in a manner so that when you are looking at your own funeral, what will people say about you?
The real question is, what will Jesus say about you? Kristofer paraphrases a saint or saints, saying that we must die to Jesus a little bit every day and, with a bit if correction from Beth about dying to self, makes the point that it is about realizing we are a bit closer to that judgement, With a big J!
Leaving it with another squirrel moment about fear of The Lord, Beth and Kristofer talk about meeting God at our death. We have to own it. It is worth not just contemplating, but doing something about. That starts with beginning with the end in mind.
Some items on our site that will help in exploring Beginning With the End in Mind, or at least get you started:
TWMWU: The Second Coming
TWMWU: Sin, Repentance, Forgiveness, and Mercy
TWMWU: Alpha and Omega
TWMWU: A Thousand Generations
Podcast Episode: What Is Lent – Episode 81
Remember: Your suggestions, questions, and ideas for topics are what we need to keep providing great episodes. Email us or use the contact page to let us know what you would like us to talk about, or comment below to let us know if we picked a good topic with Beginning With The End In Mind?
