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9 No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived what God has prepared
for those who love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
We have however developed a mind set that
Heaven is a beautiful version of the Earth
with a sort of a country club or resort style
atmosphere.
Can some of these ideas exist because
of all the talk of near death experiences
that seem to focus on a beautiful place,
not unlike our physical world?
I know the only thing we can relate to is
a physical world and all its beauty, but it
makes me wonder if Heaven is living with and
seeing God in all His glory in a glorified
version of the Earth.
Jack
{
Can some of these ideas of Heaven exist because
of all the talk of 'near death' experiences? }
Mike
replied:
Hi, Jack —
Thanks for the question.
You said: We have however developed a mind set that
Heaven is a beautiful version of the Earth
with a sort of a country club or resort style
atmosphere.
We have, in places, developed this
incorrect view of the Church and
Heaven. Contrary to this, Pope Benedict
told us this Pentecost 2010:
The Church is the home of all
humanity.
This doesn't sound like a country
club atmosphere, but one where the
Church has open arms for all mankind,
men and women, with all their talents,
skills and yes, numerous sins — even
of the worst kind.
One of the reasons I love being Catholic
is that the Lord through his Church
understands my fallen nature but
always welcomes me back to his graces
through the sacraments when I fall.
I can trust the sacraments because
I trust the Living Word Who Established
Them before ascending into Heaven.
This dispels any uncertainty I have
about the state of my soul when I
leave the confessional; not that
the priest has any ability of his
own, but that Christ, through the
priest absolves me of my sins . . . yes, even grievous sins, but I have
to mention them and make a firm purpose
to amend my life in those areas.
You said: . . . it
makes me wonder if Heaven is living with and
seeing God in all His glory in a glorified
version of the Earth.
Not quite. The Earth will pass away,
but Heaven, the Lord's Words, and our good
works will not.
This is what the Catechism tells
us on the issue. It also references
the verse you mentioned:
1023 Those who die in God's grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ. They are like God for ever, for they see him as he is, face to face: (1 John 3:2; cf. 1 Corinthians 13:12; Revelation 22:4)
By virtue of our apostolic authority, we define the following: According to the general disposition of God, the souls of all the saints . . . and other faithful who died after receiving Christ's holy Baptism (provided they were not in need of purification when they died, . . . or, if they then did need or will need some purification, when they have been purified after death, . . .) already before they take up their bodies again and before the general judgment - and this since the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into Heaven - have been, are and will be in Heaven, in the Heavenly Kingdom and celestial paradise with Christ, joined to the company of the holy angels. Since the Passion and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, these souls have seen and do see the divine essence with an intuitive vision, and even face to face, without the mediation of any creature.
1024 This perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity - this communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed - is called Heaven. Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness.
For life is to be with Christ; where Christ is, there is life, there is the kingdom.
(St. Ambrose, In Luc.,10,121:PL 15 1834A)
1026 By his death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has opened Heaven to us. The life of the blessed consists in the full and perfect possession of the fruits of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He makes partners in his Heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will. Heaven is the blessed community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ.
1027 This mystery of blessed communion with God and all who are in Christ is beyond all understanding and description. Scripture speaks of it in images: life, light, peace, wedding feast, wine of the kingdom, the Father's house, the Heavenly Jerusalem, paradise: no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
1028 Because of his transcendence, God cannot be seen as he is, unless he himself opens up his mystery to man's immediate contemplation and gives him the capacity for it. The Church calls this contemplation of God in his Heavenly glory the beatific vision:
How great will your glory and happiness be, to be allowed to see God, to be honored with sharing the joy of salvation and eternal light with Christ your Lord and God, . . . to delight in the joy of immortality in the Kingdom of Heaven with the righteous and God's friends.
(St. Cyprian, Ep. 58,10,1:CSEL 3/2,665)
1029 In the glory of Heaven the blessed continue joyfully to fulfill God's will in relation to other men and to all creation. Already they reign with Christ; with him they shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:5; cf. Matthew 25:21, 23)
On whether Heaven is a place, this
is what the Catechism tells us:
2794 This biblical expression does not mean a place ("space"), but a way of being; it does not mean that God is distant, but majestic. Our Father is not elsewhere: he transcends everything we can conceive of his holiness. It is precisely because he is thrice holy that he is so close to the humble and contrite heart.
Our Father who art in Heaven is rightly understood to mean that God is in the hearts of the just, as in his holy temple. At the same time, it means that those who pray should desire the one they invoke to dwell in them. (St. Augustine, De serm. Dom. in monte 2,5,18:PL 34,1277)
Heaven could also be those who bear the image of the Heavenly world, and in whom God dwells and tarries. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catech. myst. 5:11:PG 33,1117)
2795 The symbol of the Heavens refers us back to the mystery of the covenant we are living when we pray to our Father. He is in Heaven, his dwelling place; the Father's house is our homeland. Sin has exiled us from the land of the covenant, (cf. Genesis 3) but conversion of heart enables us to return to the Father, to Heaven. (Luke 15:18, 21) In Christ, then, Heaven and Earth are reconciled, (cf. Isaiah 45:8; Psalms 85:12) for the Son alone descended from Heaven and causes us to ascend there with him, by his Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension. (John 3:13; 12:32; 14:2-3; 16:28; 20:17; Ephesians 4:9-10; Hebrews 1:3; 2:13)
2796 When the Church prays our Father who art in Heaven, she is professing that we are the People of God, already seated with him in the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus and hidden with Christ in God; (Ephesians 2:6; Colossians 3:3) yet at the same time, here indeed we groan, and long to put on our Heavenly dwelling. (2 Corinthians 5:2; cf. Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 13:14)
[Christians] are in the flesh, but do not live according to the flesh. They spend their lives on Earth, but are citizens of Heaven.
(Early Church writing: Ad Diognetum 5:PG 2,1173)
On Near Death experiences.
This three minute video from Rome Reports
refers to a publication that deals
with the issue of
Near Death experiences that a new
Vatican project team, STOQ has published.
I couldn't find a link to the publication
in English but here's a book:
What
is Death? A Scientific, Philosophical and
Theological Exploration of Life's
End.
on the web. You may have better luck.
You said: We have however developed a mind set that
Heaven is a beautiful version of the Earth
with a sort of a country club or resort style
atmosphere.
Can some of these ideas exist because
of all the talk of near death experiences
that seem to focus on a beautiful place,
not unlike our physical world?
While I would be cautious of new cultural ideas about Christianity, the testimonies I have heard from those with near death experiences always tend to re-enforce my belief in Christianity and the totality of Her faith which can be found in the Catholic Church.
Hope this helps,
Mike
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