Can You Buy Your Way Into Heaven?
It’s only $19 a month.
We have all heard the bible story of The Prodigal Son. In that parable, the young son asks his father for his inheritance before the father passes away so he may go out and seek his fortune. The father grants him his wish but instead of securing his future, he squanders the money on sin and debauchery. After he falls on hard times, he returns home to ask his father’s forgiveness and return to the family. His father, being a good Christian forgives his son and welcomes him back, rejoicing in his return.
The story is intended to teach us that no matter how badly you live your life and how many sins you have committed, you can be redeemed. Like his father, God will forgive you if you repent.
Of course, that last word is the key to forgiveness. Repentance.
But what if you spend your early years seeking fame and fortune and along the way you take advantage of others? What if you ruthlessly put your financial goals above the welfare of others? Can you simply after amassing a huge fortune just give back a portion of your ill-gotten gains and be forgiven?
Suppose I build up a fortune of ten billion dollars while subjugating my employees, or even worse send their jobs to a third world country where I can hire people for one-third the rate. In the process, my former employees not only lose their livelihood, but they also have their homes foreclosed, live in debt for years, some even take their own lives in despair. Then when I reach an age where I have lived longer than there are years ahead of me, I realize that a date with St. Peter is imminent. So, I take a billion or two and create a foundation to help the underprivileged. Is it enough to buy my way into heaven? Should I, like The Prodigal Son, be forgiven?
Forgiven, yes. To err is human, to forgive divine. But is one billion, maybe two billion enough penance to make up for the misery I have caused? Should I be allowed to continue to enjoy my life of decadence with the other eight or nine billion?
As a boy, I attended parochial school. We were taught to confess our sins and in return, we were given penance. Penance for a young boy who steals a candy bar might be reciting three Hail Marys and two Our Fathers. Not a bad trade-off, it was a good candy bar. Next time I want a candy bar, I can take one. Then I can get down on my knees and recite a few prayers and my soul will be cleansed.
But of course, the act of confession is only the first step to forgiveness. You can lie about your remorse to a priest or minister, but you cannot lie to God. It is the quality of repentance that denotes forgiveness. In addition to the prayers, my penance should also be to pay back for the candy bar.
So the questions once again arise. Can you buy your way into heaven? Can you go through life knowing you are selfish, ruthless, and underhanded, then when the time is convenient repent? Can you get away with a penance that is less than the damage you inflicted during your early life?
From my perspective, the penance should at least equal the wrongdoing. You should give up all of your ten billion dollars and subject yourself to the same suffering as those you harmed in the past.
My own judgment day is coming, and I have enough to worry about with my own past. I am sure I did some bad things when I was younger, and I need to make sure I will be forgiven. As a boy, I was pretty sure that three Hail Marys and two Our Fathers are probably enough to make up for any indiscretions. As an adult, they may not be enough to erase my past life of sin.
I cannot afford to create a billion-dollar foundation. Consequently, I have decided to give $19 a month to one of those charities that I see on TV every night. I get a free t-shirt and I am certain that $19 a month to my favorite charity is a good thing even if it doesn’t take much effort. As a bonus, I get to wear my t-shirt to my meeting with St. Peter which should surely pave my way into heaven.
Getting back to the original scenario, the question still remains. Was my original plan to amass great wealth at the expense of others, then suffer the rest of my life with only eight billion and hope that my unequal penance will be enough to buy my way through the pearly gates?
Like The Prodigal Son, I hope the father will forgive me. Will my partial penance in this life be enough for full acceptance into the next life? Maybe, but just to be safe I will pray four Hail Marys and three Our Fathers.