If all the teachings of Christ, the Bible and the Bible were reduced down to one concept, characteristic and word that summarized the path to Heaven, it would be this: selflessness.
Selflessness
Selflessness, or more specifically, selfless love is the love the Father has for the Son and the Son has for the Father. The selfless love of the Father and the Son is so perfectly selfless, it is altogether another Person: the Holy Spirit.
Selfless love is the answer to the ultimate question of “Why?”
It is the reason God created us (because He wanted to selflessly love us). It is the reason God promised to save us after we sinned (because He wanted us to enjoy paradise with Him). It is the reason mothers bear the pain of child birth (because they would rather see their child live than they). It is the reason people die to save one another. And above all, it is the reason God died for man.
It is the reason why there is suffering (because God is selflessly giving us chances to come back to Him).
It is the reason why there is hell (because God gives us a place to go if we do not want to be with Him).
As per Christ, true love is selfless.
“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13
Selflessness is an intrinsic characteristic of God and the Christian way of life.
Selflessness obeys the Commandments
In the 10 Commandments, the first three commandments pertain to a selfless focus on God. The remaining seven pertain to selfless service to our neighbors rooted in selfless love of God.
In the New Commandment of Christ, we are to love one another as Christ loved us. How did Christ love us? By laying down His life for us. Selflessness.
Selflessness is the Little Way
The Little Way of St. Therese teaches us to dedicate every moment and to do all things for God. Again, when we are selflessly focused on God, we orient every thing and every moment to God and automatically follow the Little Way.
Selflessness manifests the virtues
A saint is defined as one with heroic virtue. When we practice selflessness, it perfectly manifests the virtues. By practicing selflessness with the Holy Spirit, we can become saints.
Selflessness makes us humble because we think of God over ourselves. As per Fr. David from my local parish, humility doesn’t only mean thinking less of ourselves, but thinking of ourselves less. That’s selflessness!
It makes us prudent because we think of what is right over what is convenient.
It makes us courageous because we think of what is right over what is easy.
It makes us temperate because we think of what is right over what feels good.
It makes us just because we think of what is right over what is popular.
Selflessness has us follow the will of God
Selflessness is the reason why Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Hezekiah, Josiah and the prophets served God so faithfully.
It is reason why Dear Mom said “yes” to God’s plan.
It is the reason why God the Father sent His Son to save us and why the Son of God died on the Cross.
It is the reason why the Holy Spirit lives in each of us, bearing with our sins as He forms us in holiness.
It is the reason why the Apostles deployed across the world, why the martyrs shed their blood, why people disappear into the religious life, why missionaries disappear into foreign lands, why parents take their babies to Mass, and why volunteers serve the downtrodden.
When we are selfless, we begin to do the work of God.
Selflessness separates us from the world
Selflessness is the one characteristic of God that is so difficult to achieve that it splits the human population in two:
- Those who practice with the Holy Spirit a life of selflessness until they resemble Christ and serve Him in Heaven;
- And those who don’t.
The opposite of selflessness is the source of all evil
The opposite of selflessness is selfishness; and selfishness is the source of evil.
It is the reason evil came into existence. Had the devil thought of God first, he would not have betrayed Him.
Selfishness is the reason Original Sin came into existence. Had our first parents not thought of themselves, they wouldn’t have eaten the fruit.
Selfishness is the reason we struggle daily. If we did not automatically think of ourselves first, we would serve others selflessly.
If we stop looking at God Who is our light and end up looking into ourselves, we will only look into our shadows and our actions will always lead to evil. Just as darkness is actually the absence of light, and cold is the absence of heat, evil is the absence of God; and when we turn into ourselves, we become absent from God.
If anyone asks “Why is there evil in the world?”, the answer is tragically simple: selfishness.
Our life must be selfless if we are to enter Heaven
What this means is enormous.
Our whole life must be oriented towards total selflessness towards God.
If any of our thoughts or decisions have even a hint of selfishness in it, the act produced is only a corrupted version of the good and will inevitably lead to some evil. But, if it is totally selfless, the acts are truly good and lead to holiness.
Therefore, only a life of habitual selflessness trained in us by the Holy Spirit is the one that leads us to Heaven.
A life of total selflessness is a challenge. It requires a quiet, paced and prayerful life that keeps our minds focused on doing the will of God at every moment.
When we are agitated, quick and prayer-less, our minds fail to focus on God and we make decisions that are at least partially selfish, and therefore, only partially good. And partially good is not really good at all.
Our time in purgatory is determined by how long it will take to remove the last hint of selfishness in us. If we hold grudges or desires that are deeply rooted in us, the fires will be that much greater just to root it out. Yet, if we get rid of selfishness completely in this life, we are guaranteed Heaven.
This is how all the canonized saints have reached Heaven and this is how we will reach Heaven.
We can only be with Christ if we become like Christ. When we are selfless towards Him who was selfless towards us, we will be with Christ.