Making it in the temple may often be difficult

Learning Point No 414

When is the last time we go to a temple? What do we do there? Do we go there for spiritual purpose or do we end up doing more of the same which we do in society? 

It is likely that we seek for worldly and mundane blessings. We will thus go to a temple to get more of the same we want in life outside the temple. 

But if we keep on doing this, we may reach the end of the rope in life. When will we wake up and realise that the purpose of life is beyond the worldly and the mundane. 

The mundane ends are at best mere stepping stones to eternal happiness and peace in life. Such peace can be elusive and cannot be obtained and realised with mundane attainments. 

We must go to a temple for a difference. We must ask and seek for the eternal and lasting peace in life which worldly mundane achievements could not provide. 

This all in a temple or church must do, be they pastors, monks or members of the congregation. But are they making the effort or just squandering and wasting time in a house of God? 

Often and sad enough, many will not make it in the temple in time to save our souls as soon in the wink of the eye, time is up. Many do go round in circles by going for the mundane in society and even in a temple, they do the same. 

Thus they create the same problems as men would face in society outside the temple, such as money, corruption, women and vices though behind the masks of spirituality, albeit also that misguided and misconceived. 

They are then, as Lord Bo Tien often say far though near to divinity. They have problems with making it to and in the temple in time to save their souls as time and tide waits for no man and time will soon be up. 

They squandered their time and their good fate or karma of being in a temple of God and saints for their somewhat unGodly and unsaintly ends. 

A finite pursuit of the mundane ends is alright but not in total exclusion of the more lofty and divine ends of eternal peace in God and saints. 

But men being men go for you know what --- their own distorted idea of what God expects. Making it to and in the temple may often then be difficult and even elusive. 

Isn't this so? How pathetic can men be? This includes you and all of us. 

God have pity on us for we know not what we do or perhaps we choose to know not what we do. 

Luckily, God knows us better than we know him. He gives us not just one saint or religion but many, so that we have not just one choice but many, not just one chance but many infinite chances to save and redeem our souls.

Making it in the temple may often be difficult. This is because of our own making and not the wish of God and saints. We often do realise this only when it is way too late and time is no longer on our side.

The late Senior Brother Chong Sim in his final months with terminal cancer would like to remind us to remember this. He had succeeded far more than many of us but he could have done more and achieved more. He would like to guide and lead us from beyond.  

We don't have to be in any specific temple or church, least of all in a Bo Tien mission related temple. Just continue to be in the religion of our choice. 

Just be in the temple or church of our choice and decidedly make it in the name of God and the saint of our chosen temple or church. 

It is as simple as that but effort is needed not to waste time. Be wary of sloth and torpor. 

We must not postpone and procrastinate but start early and persist. "Strive on with diligence" as said by none other than Buddha Gautama.