At the very heart of these reflections is the idea that each person's fate is predetermined by a divine plan, where the moment of leaving this world is determined by the deep spiritual maturity of the individual.

Divine Timing: The Moment of Spiritual Transformation

At the very heart of these reflections is the idea that each person's fate is predetermined by a divine plan, where the moment of leaving this world is determined by the deep spiritual maturity of the individual. The introduction to these musings suggests that God acts wisely, choosing the time for the salvation of the soul based on its capacity for transformation. If the potential to become better is ripening within a person, they are given the opportunity to continue on their path, receive grace, and correct their errors. Similarly, even when a soul is filled with genuine kindness, its ultimate destiny may be preordained, so that in the heavenly kingdom each individual occupies a unique place—much like a beautiful bud capable of blossoming in its fullness.

The main body of the reflections stresses that salvation is not a measure of objective "goodness" but rather the result of profound moral development and the soul’s ability to be transformed. This perspective transcends superficial assessments, reminding us that even those who consider themselves righteous can drift away from God if their hearts are filled with self-satisfaction and a lack of ambition for further growth. In conclusion, it can be said that the divine providence envelops every life with special care, granting opportunities for correction and salvation at the most fateful moment when the soul is ready for eternal grace.

How can the idea that God takes only good people with Him be interpreted?

The notion that God takes only good people with Him can be understood as a reflection on divine providence, whereby each person is taken at that very moment in their life precisely for the salvation of their soul. These reflections emphasize that the decision regarding when a person’s “time” to leave this world has come is dictated by their spiritual state and future development. In other words, if God sees that a person has the potential to become better, He allows them to live on, providing a chance for rectification, but if a decline is foreseen, He takes them “in order to save their soul.” Thus, it is not so much a matter of people being “good” by objective standards as it is about the gracious evaluation of an inner predisposition toward goodness.

Special emphasis is placed on the idea that even extraordinarily good people are ultimately taken by God—not because they are insufficiently good, but because “even floral buds are needed in Paradise.” This comparison underlines that in the heavenly Kingdom every soul occupies its unique place, and those who possess exceptional kindness are destined to achieve the highest degree of grace.

Another perspective is also highlighted when people state that “God takes the best,” only to clarify that this does not always refer to those who consider themselves innocent. Some individuals, content with their current state and believing that there is no place for them in the Divine plan, are, in fact, in a state of self-satisfaction that deprives them of turning to God. It becomes evident here that divine providence encompasses not only overt nobility but also the soul’s ability to develop and transform.

Supporting citation(s):

"God takes every person at the most appropriate moment in their life, taking them in a special, uniquely suitable way—so as to save their soul. If God sees that a person will become better, He allows them to live. However, upon realizing that the person will deteriorate, He takes them in order to save their soul. As for others—those who lead a sinful life, yet have a disposition to do good—He takes them with Him before they can even do that good. God acts in this way because He knows that these people would have done good if they had been given a favorable opportunity. In other words, God essentially tells them: 'Do not trouble yourselves; the good disposition you have is enough.' And someone else—very good indeed—is taken by God because even in Paradise, floral buds are needed." (source: link txt)

"— No one has yet signed a contract with God about when they will die. God takes every person at the most appropriate moment in their life, taking them in a special, uniquely suitable way—so as to save their soul. If God sees that a person will become better, He allows them to live. However, upon realizing that the person will deteriorate, He takes them in order to save their soul. As for others—those who lead a sinful life, yet have a disposition to do good—He takes them with Him before they can even do that good." (source: link txt)

"— People often say that God takes the best. — I don’t know; it happens in different ways. Either the best or the worst. Incidentally, it is interesting that people often say: 'How is it, I haven’t done anything particularly evil, yet such misfortunes have befallen me.' The fact is that the people who say such things, claiming they haven’t done any particular evil, are in a state of peculiar self-love, believing that everything is fine with them, and that there is simply no room in their lives for God." (source: link txt)

These excerpts demonstrate that the idea encapsulated here is that divine salvation is not the result of mere “goodness” in the ordinary sense, but rather reflects God’s deep care for the fate of individuals and His ability to choose precisely the moment when a soul deserves eternal salvation.