Distractions or Means of Attaining Heaven?

At a recent Sunday Mass I found myself in a familiar dilemma - in an effort to avoid being distracted by the countless people between my seat and the altar, do I close my eyes and fix the eyes of my heart on the miracle that is taking place or do I attempt to keep my eyes open and fixed on Jesus during the consecration and elevation of the Eucharist? It was a reoccurring question in my mind, but in a moment of grace God gave me a new perspective on the other people attending Mass with me.

The Gospel reading on this particular Sunday was Matthew 25:31-46, the separation of the sheep and the goats at the final judgment. The Son of Man comes in His glory and tells those on His right "Come...Inherit the kingdom...For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'" The righteous then ask the Lord when they did all this and He replies, "Amen I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me."

The Spiritus women had discussed this passage at a faith sharing night and we had talked about how we are called to minister to every person we encounter as if he or she were Christ Himself. This discussion and the homily combined to give new meaning to the people in front of me, to those who were "distracting me" from the Eucharist. Yes, these people can be distracting, but they are also my means of getting to Christ. It struck me that it is in serving and ministering to them, and in seeing the least of them as Christ Himself, that I may arrive at Christ, that I may grow toward Him and toward eternal life. Our eyes must be fixed on Christ, but only in a way that allows us to see the people and opportunities for grace that will allow us to get to Him. The people in front of me are not simply distractions that must be put aside in order for me to focus on Christ. Rather, they are my means of encountering Christ, attaining growth in virtue and, ultimately, attaining heaven.