A few Sundays ago the responsorial psalm had us all pray: “I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” In my homily that day I asked for a show of hands of people who hoped to “live in the house of the Lord all the days of their lives.” Just about all hands were raised. How about yours?

In the rhythm of nature’s life, the leaves now fall and the sun is seen less. These give us signs of the ending of it all. For some this is scary, while others anxiously await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

During these earthly days of living, we strive to become the-best-version-of-ourselves so that we merit to dwell in the Lord’s house for eternity. But we are also aware that we waste a lot of precious time resisting happiness during our life's pilgrimage. Fortunately many of us have rediscovered Catholicism through a better rhythm of life, and we strive to become perfectly ourselves as we build better families and personal lives. We strive to live the four signs of a dynamic Catholic.

Wisdom suggests that we should not put off until tomorrow what we can do today. Carpe diem. We all know deep down that is a good practice. Like the recent earthquakes, fires, and hurricanes taught so many, death can come like a thief in the night. When Jesus said “Repent!” he meant NOW. He did not say “Repent sometime in the future.”

November is a great month to express gratitude. Let’s declare this a month of giving thanks. Every day, make a list of five things for which you are grateful. Giving thanks will automatically prompt us to acknowledge our blessings and value the gifts God has entrusted to our stewardship. Giving thanks to God will remind us that we live in the palm of God’s hand and that we are here to do God’s will and live in the house of the Lord for all eternity.