Babies/children in heaven

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Question from someone who will be doing RCIA this upcoming year:

Do you think that (baptized) babies and children who die “grow up” in heaven? Like, do they become intellectually mature?

Thanks in advance for your (name removed by moderator)ut, all!
 
I don’t know what the Church teaches abou this, but in my own opinion, I think they do. I think everybody grows in wisdom and maturity in heaven.

But I could be wrong. I guess I’ll find out for sure when I get there. 😃
 
I seem to recall some of the Saints talking about meeting their children in Heaven and they were “grown up”. I also believe St Augustine thought we would be resurrected in our bodies as they would be at about the age of 33 (perfected, of course). He based this on Jesus’ bodily death occurring at about that age.🙂
 
I think that that in heaven, we all share in the beatific vision. There is no physical maturity, as the soul has no physicality.

We share in all knowledge and understanding that God see’s fit for human souls to have. I’m sure that even our spirits will have limitations…we will not be Gods. Definately not! We will still be creations created by God.
 
We will definitely have physicality, sure as Christ rose from the dead! It’s part of the creed that we believe in the resurrection of the body.
 
I think it’s very reasonable to believe that each person in heaven will be in their “fullness”, mentally, physically and spiritually. That would apply to infants, to the mentally and physically crippled, etc.
 
The good thingis even if we’re 100 years old–in Heaven our glorified bodyies will rfect.

There won’t be old saints in Heaven or child saints in Heaven–all of us will be the total perfect fulfillment of what God wants us to be.

We will all be wise.
 
I know this is totally nonspiritual. :eek: LOL But I have this picture in my head of the people entering the Matrix (yeah the movie) and looking how their self image was. Neo looked like the thought himself to be. I think it will be like that, except it’ll be how God thinks of us instead of our own self image.
 
I wonder if thats why Eric Clapton sang

Would you know my name, if I saw you in Heaven?
 
The answer is yes–not only that but we’ll know everyone’s name there–why–because we will have full knowledge.

Paul says “today we know in part–then we will know in full”

In fact the only thing we won’t be able to understand is how God comprehends Himself.

God is infinitely beyond us and still will be infinitely beyond us when He gives us such full knowledge.

There’s alot to look forward to and the only way to get there is through he Catholic Church.

Come and check it out Sunday.
 
Psalm51 said:
I seem to recall some of the Saints talking about meeting their children in Heaven and they were “grown up”. I also believe St Augustine thought we would be resurrected in our bodies as they would be at about the age of 33 (perfected, of course). He based this on Jesus’ bodily death occurring at about that age.🙂
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I turn 33 in a month. I hope my perfected body in Heaven is skinny and has a nice figure. 😉
 
jburgherr said:
I think that that in heaven, we all share in the beatific vision. There is no physical maturity, as the soul has no physicality.

We share in all knowledge and understanding that God see’s fit for human souls to have. I’m sure that even our spirits will have limitations…we will not be Gods. Definately not! We will still be creations created by God.
Click to expand...
We are and remain bodily, physical creatures even after we die and go to heaven. To say there is no physical maturity could be misleading. We are not angels and we do not become ghosts. God created our bodies. He created them “good” and He intends us to keep them.

Our glorified bodies will be ageless and perfect to the glory of God. For example, Christ’s crucifixion wounds were not healed in heaven, because those wounds glorify God.
 
This is a random thought on a related topic (not exactly related). It might sound kind of wierd.

My theory goes that this. We believe that infants and little children who die without baptism still are offered a chance to go to heaven and some believe unbaptived infants go to limbo which in my understanding is a place of natural happiness and without the sufferings of hell. At least this is my understanding-I have heard of both as possibilities and am not sure how the Church has further clarified this. And, little children who are baptized go straight to heaven. It is my understanding that no children under age of reason would go to hell ever. That would not be consistant with merciful God.

So, according to my theory their are no small children in hell. To me, this is an argument against abortion and a contraceptive mentality becuase it could possibly be argued that the fewer children born in world, the more the world resembles hell. I do not know if this makes enough sense as an pro-life argument or a theological statement but it is something that has struck me.

Sorry if this slightly off topic.
 
The general subject comes up most every year in RCIA so simply ask it as others will be interested also. Here is the issue – if he church teaches baptism is a requirement, then what happens to babies lost before, or during birth, or prior to baptism? Catholic baptism is usually within weeks of births. The official answer is they are entrusted to God’s grace. Something you should know the Church acknowledges 3 forms of baptism (1) by water in the name of the Trinity, (2) by blood (martyrdom) (3) by desire. Desire may be the better answer however as it is God’s choice we simply do not know. Desire is any of man kind, baby or adult who longs for God, but has no access to God’s earthly community. So the Church does believe people of non Catholic regions can easily be saved by God’s grace through their true actions, intentions, and a baptism of desire. Similarly people who oppose the Church while longing for a relationship with God, and acting accordingly may also receive God’s grace, the key there is a true desire for God combined with a misguided belief in regard to the Church. Hope that helps
 
It would have been my son’s second birthday yesterday. We lost him 3 months ago. He was going to be baptized after Easter. (The reason for the delay was that he was adopted) Still, the first thought in my head driving to the hospital after the ambulance was “Oh my gosh, I didn’t baptize him!!!” It was my fault. It troubled me for a while. Our priest assured us of his baptism of desire.

Here’s my opinion: I loved my son beyond words, God loved him beyond my mind’s capacity. I am sure he is with God now. God’s love, grace and compassion are endless and I’m sure He is enjoying Justin’s presence in heaven.

As to how we will look in heaven. That is a strange question. I believe the mind or awareness will be perfectly whole and our knowledge will be instantly matured. When I am reunited with Justin in heaven (God willing) I doubt that I will be too concerned about how he looks. The reunion will be spectacular. He will be perfect.

God bless all of you. Please pray for me, my wife, and daughter. We welcomed two foster children into our home today and I am a bit overwhelmed with all kinds of feelings.
 
Hm. The changes in our physical body occur over time. In Heaven, we will no longer be limited by space OR time, for time is a property of our current physical universe - time was created with the universe, the universe was not created at a certain time.

Once the universe itself passes away and is made new, I do not think we should assume that we will limited by [what we know as] “time” at all.

I think to speak of an “age” of our physical bodies in Heaven is as mistaken as speaking about the “week before God made the universe.” It’s simply a insignificant, meaningless concept. Not theologically particularly terrible, just happens to be the wrong approach to the issue.

Our bodies will perfectly reflect - in perfect union with our spiritual souls - our being and nature. Right now they do so over space and time in a breakable, mutable fashion. In Heaven, spirit and body will be united in such a way that such break-ability and mutability are unnecessary and the both will be remade as everlasting an reflection of God’s love instead of imperfect flecks of His radiance.
 
So sorry to hear about the death of your child. God Bless you for having the courage and strength to open up your house and heart to other children. Don’t forget to ask for his prayers and intercession!

Also, don’t forget about miscarriage as well:o Since ensoulment occurs at conception, miscarried babies are in heaven as well. I think of them (I have 3) as my “prayer warriors” who happen to be living in the presence of God - and what child wouldn’t pray for a struggling parent 🙂

Anyone else have experience with the miscarriages as well?
 
I have buried two preborn children. When the first child was born dead on Mother’s Day, we called her Theresa Little Flower and asked St. Theresa to give her to Mary as her Mother’s Day gift. On that day I recieved two dozen roses from my Non-Catholic Mother-in-law. She was afraid to give them to me, but my six year old son had insisted. They were suppose to have gone to get a mattress. I know that was St. Theresa telling me my prayers were answered. If my baby Theresa is in Mary’s arms, then she is in heaven. Baby Joseph I had consecrated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Before I had found out that he died, I used to place him in the folds of clothe at the feet of Our Lady Of Guadalupe. I asked that I have the striength to give him up should God ask me to. All this is my personal view but I feel both my preborn children are in heaven.
 
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