"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life,and I will raise him up on the last day." John 6 64-65

It never ceases to amaze me how many people continually chase after the Fountain of Youth, chasing after one potion, lotion, or another, a nip and/or tuck, whether it is to have flawless skin, surgeries to remove the appearances of aging, medications (some legal and many illegal) to maintain a strong physical appearance and physique, gyms, saunas, spas and tanning beds to give them that healthy glow of health, beauty and a robust lifestyle.

Many hours and much money are expended in achieving these personal goals, some with outstanding results and others not so much. All of this is done to project an image of youth, vitality, and strength to fulfill their feelings of inadequacy and/or to seek fame and fortune, popularity amongst friends and peers, and in short, leverage their fame, wealth, and appearance within their own minds or that of society as a whole.

Mind you, I am not OSTRACIZING anyone who has, or is, following this course of activity. For most of us, at one time or another during the course of our lives, have attempted to do this to a lesser or greater degree. My observation is rather to focus on the True Fountain of Youth that many people are not aware of, or if they are, choose to ignore it.

It is no further from us than the nearest Catholic Church. For within the tabernacle of each of these communities resides Jesus Christ Almighty, the Fountain of Eternal Life, his true body and blood, soul and divinity, appearing under the very presence of bread and wine. And one of the beauties of this fountain of youth is that it doesn't cost anything for partaking but our willingness to accept this principle of Faith.

This is called Transubstantiation, which is according to the doctrine of the Catholic Church, "the change of the whole substance of the bread into the whole substance of The Body of Christ Jesus, himself. He has invited and promised us that whoever eats of his body and drinks of his blood, that he will have life in them, and they in him.

In John 6; 53- 57, Jesus says, "Very Truly I tell you, unless you eat of the flesh of the son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood life has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate manna and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.

WILL LIVE FOREVER, WILL LIVE FOREVER, WILL LIVE FOREVER!! Sounds like the Fountain of Youth to me? What do you think? Jesus guarantees this will occur if you eat his flesh and drink his blood. No ifs, and, or buts about it! It is a sure thing!

Can we say that about all of the supposed miracle pills touted for increased stamina, or sex drive, or cure for diabetes or all the ills of the world, or longevity in life, and on and on, an on. Who has had plastic surgery that never came out as planned by the surgeon, and ended with a botched procedure and looking like a freak and ended up going under the knife several more times to hopefully regain their original appearance? Ugh!!

So let me play the devil's' advocate and say everything that you have done comes out exactly as planned. Surgery is perfect. You now look like a movie star, or a bodybuilder, or whatever your life changing goal was. Money, Power, Authority, Recognition, Good Looks ... you name it ... you have it!! On the other hand what did you give up in achieving these goals? Poor personal and family relationships, improper life work balance, depression, anxiety, and the like.

Or, you are laying on your deathbed. Your family hopefully is there with you. Looking around you see the beautiful estate, land and gardens you acquired during your lifetime. Everything a person could have hoped for on earth, but yet there is still this sinking feeling in the pit your stomach.

You can't call the butler, or one of your subordinates, or family members, because in your mind everyone is gone, and besides that you can no longer speak. Your life flashes before you and all of the people you walked over to get to your greater glory at their expense are now present around you. Then you realize all of this has been in vain, and you remember from a time in your youth a preacher mentioning scripture saying:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth,?where moths and vermin destroy,?and where thieves break in and steal.?But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,?where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.?For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

?“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.?But if your eyes are unhealthy,?your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Mathew 6:19-21

Suddenly, you realize all of your life's efforts have been for naught, for you can't take any of these gains or possessions with you into the afterlife. Your body which you so desperately worked long and hard at keeping young and virile will shortly be placed into the grave and rot. "For remember man that thou art dust and into dust thou shall return. Genesis 3:19

Your legacy, such as it is, may exist for one generation, maybe two, and then with the way history is being rewritten daily, gradually fade away. Will people remember you as you hoped, as a great parent or husband, for your good works, or for being a greedy fame, power, and/or money grabber at the expense of others? A lot to ponder on your deathbed.

By the way, a great read is "The Four Last Things, Death, Judgement, Hell and Heaven" selling on most outlets, by Father Martin von Cochem, O.S.F.C. "it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgement." Hebrews 9:27 This book is powerful in every regard. I don't want to steal the good Padre's thunder, but people worry too much about the here and now, which is a matter of mere seconds in God's eyes, and very little about the hereafter which is eternal. Is what I am writing about becoming a little more relevant in your thinking?

In my own book, Heaven The Ultimate ROI, I delve into seeking The Father's way, seeking the Kingdom first and all that is righteous, and still gaining everything that you also need while here on earth, and explaining the process in greater detail. Notice I said needed, not necessarily wanted. As our Father, God knows what we need before even we do, and provides it for us.

In order to achieve Heaven as our goal, we need to know Jesus Christ. Not just know about him from a historical perspective, but as Everything that is Good for us, i.e., God, brother, best friend, anchor, confidant, teacher, master, comforter, living example, redeemer, savior, food, sustenance, protector, divine physician ... and so much more ... like I said Everything that is good ... and lets not forget King!!

This leads right into the food and sustenance part of the equation. Why did he leave himself behind for us as food? His real body and blood, soul and divinity under the appearances of bread and wine. He did this because of his great love, manifested by his becoming man, and dying on the cross for our salvation. Jesus always said, "I did not come to destroy the Law but rather to fulfill it."

Jesus was a Jew by birth, and the Father had a covenant with the Jewish people to be their God for all of eternity. Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant and created a new and everlasting covenant, not just for the Jews but for all mankind. by leaving himself in the Holy Eucharist, and feeding all of us through life's perilous journey.

I will attest first hand on how Jesus in the Eucharist has cured me from evil, shown me how to avoid temptation, stay on the straight and narrow, help others on their quest to find Jesus and reach the Kingdom of Heaven. Oh, and let's not forget my earthly blessings, life, health, 45 years of living with a loving wife and enjoying a happy marriage, much success and money in my career, traveling the country and the world, making friends along the way, beautiful children and grandchildren, and the peace and joy from knowing Christ, and being assured I will be with him in Heaven.

The key is to know, love, and serve God in this world, take care of our brothers and sisters as Christ did, and being happy forever with him for eternity in the next life in the Kingdom of Heaven.