Happy Birthday!

It's your birthday, but you are not happy. Is it because you are sick, old and weak, disabled, alone, physically deformed, financially broke, or sunk in misery? Do you have so many regrets? Are you 50, 60, 70 y/o, but have not much achievements, poor in many respects? Ah, you look at others who are so richly endowed, good-looking, successful, even at a young age, gifted, even holy? – and you are sad, because you're not? 

Nevertheless, may I greet you a happy birthday! You ought to celebrate, in heartfelt thanksgiving, God's gift of life to you–for the very big reason that it is a chance, with so many helps along the way–towards eternal happiness with Him in Heaven. That's more than enough to celebrate, not necessarily with extravagant partying, but perhaps a spending of the day in quiet pondering of the ravishing happiness of Heaven for which you have all the reason to hope, all because God gave you existence (life) in the first place. And He is offering you abundant spiritual gifts along with it, (the ones that really matter), no less than HIMSELF.

Indeed the moment we were born we began our journey to eternal happiness in Heaven. We go through a few quickly passing years, even if it be numbered a hundred, in preparation for eternal life. This is not the ‘real’ life yet, but merely a test– a time to prove our love for God, so that we will be happy with Him forever in Heaven. That's the real life.

And so I wish you many more grace-filled years! But for what? So that you can grow more (even in your old age) in your love for God. You would want to love God more vehemently, for the measure of your happiness in Heaven depends on the degree of your love for Him here on earth. This is what it means to store up riches in Heaven. All your good deeds, no matter how simple, even menial tasks, done for love of God, merit an increase of glory in Heaven. You may even be bed-ridden, yet every second, every minute lived in the state of grace, offered in trustful and loving surrender to God, merit (for you) an increase of grace here on earth and an increase of glory in the life hereafter.

I wish you more years as well, that you may use them to make reparations for your sins, to be purified now (here on earth) rather than in Purgatory, where the purifying pains are more terrible than those we can ever suffer here on earth. These sufferings and sacrifices (offered) are also golden opportunities for you to intercede for the conversion of sinners and the salvation of your family and friends. Nothing is wasted.

However, you may also have a healthy desire to die. [For “‘as long as I live on this earth, I always run the risk of wandering away from You and of losing Your love. When will the day come on which I shall depart from this life where I always offend You? When shall I begin to love You with all my soul and be united to You without fear of losing You any more?’ Thus was St. Teresa of Avila's intense longing for death, which would enable her to see God, that she died from her desire of dying. Therefore, she composed her hymn of love: ‘I die, because I do not die’”.] (as related by St. Alphonsus Liguori in “How to Converse with God”).

But be it a long or a short life it's all about the opportunity to prove our love for God now while in this world. And so may every birthday remind us of the gift of life (with the chance) to merit eternal life that comes with it. For if we fail to merit Heaven, given all the graces God gives us, then better for us to have not been born at all.

So then if your birthday finds you feeling miserable, look to God, your inheritance and joy, not on yourself, for that may even cause you sadness. And if you see your failures and regrets, let them be occasions for greater humility, that God may lift you up. “May we never boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (cf Gal 6:14), St. Paul exhorts us. Then will you rejoice also in the good of others, for in their blessings you also see the infinite goodness of our loving God.

Rejoice, therefore, that you are alive and still have the chance to embark on the greatest adventure of your life, (if you haven't yet), that of seeking God and finding Him (your greatest achievement), and falling in love with Him (the greatest romance) (St. Augustine).