# Connecting the dots to heaven
*2019-02-13*

> Bill Young shares how his experience as a government financial analyst taught him the importance of 'connecting the dots,' and how that lesson applies to our spiritual journey toward heaven.

## Lessons from a Government Analyst

Before 9/11, I worked as a financial analyst for a government agency in the drug and organized crime division. Part of my job was to analyze Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs). I noticed that while many departments were receiving these reports, the counterterrorism unit was not. I brought this to my supervisor and eventually shared examples with an analyst in that department, explaining how this data could help identify criminal activity.

Unfortunately, the acting supervisor at the time rejected the idea, arguing that the individuals being flagged had not yet committed a crime. Looking back, it is heartbreaking because the dots were there. People were making small cash deposits in banks in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, that could have been flagged. In my opinion, if the dots had been connected, 9/11 might have been avoided or at least mitigated. This experience taught me that God often gives us opportunities to stop evil, but we must be willing to listen and act.

## Connecting the Dots of Love

After 9/11, I faced some difficulties at work. During this time, I began praying the Rosary and asking for the intercession of my aunt, Sister Mary Teresa, who had passed away thirteen years prior. As I prayed, I felt an overwhelming sense of love and joy—a love that extended not just to my family, but to everyone I encountered, including people I didn't know or even people I didn't particularly like.

I later shared this experience with my sister, Susie, who had attended my aunt's funeral. She told me she had felt that exact same feeling of profound love on the day of the funeral. This helped me connect a spiritual dot: heaven is defined by the greatest love, specifically the command to 'love thy neighbor as yourself.' If we do not cultivate that love here on earth, we will have a problem entering heaven.

## The Reality of the Spiritual Battle

While heaven is a place of love, we must also recognize the 'dark side.' I recently spoke with someone who had a terrifying dream about being on a Ferris wheel while demons tried to pull her down. While some might call it just a dream, I see it as an insight into the spiritual battle. The devil wants to pull us away from God. This is why it is so vital to pray the Rosary, pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, and spend time in church. We must actively fight to stay on the path to heaven.

## Sacrificial Giving and the Path to Mercy

I have learned a lot from Catholic conferences and theologians like Father Michael Gaitley. One 'dot' I connected regarding mercy is the concept of sacrificial giving. We often think of tithing as giving from our excess, but God appreciates the widow who gives her last two pennies because she gives from her suffering. 

I realized that when we give something up for Lent, we should connect that sacrifice to a financial gift for charity. For example, in previous years, I gave up alcohol while on a cruise. Had I connected the dots, I would have taken the money I saved from not buying a drink package and donated it to the ABCD drive. That is true sacrificial giving.

## Sharing the Faith with Others

Finally, I believe we are all called to be servants of the Lord by sharing our personal experiences. This is why I do this podcast; my experience is different from yours, and you can reach people I will never meet. Whether it is through a podcast or a simple conversation—like the one I had with a taxi driver in Grenada whom I gave a Rosary—we must help others connect their own dots to God. Whether it is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation or the Divine Mercy Novena, every small step is a dot connected toward our eternal home.

*Heaven is a place of universal love, and we reach it by connecting the dots of sacrifice, prayer, and love for our neighbors here on earth.*