"Eye has not seen..." Heaven on Earth?

[dcs6f4]

Hi!

I just got into a conversation yesterday with some great Catholic friends. We were debating whether or not one can experience “heaven on earth.” Clearly, one experiences this in a way through the Sacraments and especially the Mass. The topic of the spiritual ‘ecstasy’ of some of the saints was also brought up.

In light of all this… I was still inclined to argue that we cannot fully experience heaven on earth and I am partially drawing this conclusion from 1 Cor. 13:12 and perhaps 1 Cor. 2:9.

My most important question here is can anyone help me dissect this problem? I am pretty convinced that the Sacraments play a unique role in the answer.

Secondly, I would like to hear how the Church understands 1 Cor. 2:9-13. Because upon further inspection it seems that God has revealed these these things (that eye has not seen and ear has not heard) through the Spirit. Personal interpretations are welcome but please identify them as such… Although I am really looking for a Church commentary on the subject.

Thanks in advance for the responses!

 

[PhilotheaZ]

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church (you can see these paragraphs in context at vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm :

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."603

**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.604

Although we can experience a bit of “heaven on earth,” you are correct in saying that we do not yet experience it fully. We do not yet see God face to face, which is the beatific vision:

At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

In heaven, no longer partially “blinded” by our weak human nature, we will see God as He is:

Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed 2 we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:2)

The following excerpt from the Catechism may help with your question about the Spirit vatican.va/archive/catechism/p1s1c3a1.htm :

**To believe in the Holy Spirit **

152 One cannot believe in Jesus Christ without sharing in his Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals to men who Jesus is. For “no one can say “Jesus is Lord”, except by the Holy Spirit”,22 who "searches everything, even the depths of God. . No one comprehends the thoughts of God, except the Spirit of God."23 Only God knows God completely: we believe in the Holy Spirit because he is God.

The Church never ceases to proclaim her faith in one only God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

You may get some further answers from the commentary on these verses in the Douay-Rheims/Haydock Bible at this link: haydock1859.tripod.com/id163.html .