Heavenly rewards

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David98

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Hello everyone! I have been researching rewards in heaven and know now that each person in heaven will be rewarded differently according to how they lived their lives on earth.

I have been curious if this isn’t advantageous to people who die at a younger age compared to another. With that said, theoretically would the following two people receive the same reward if they lived equally similar lives and in a state of grace but one:

Went to daily mass every day starting at the age of 40 but died at 50

And the other went to daily mass every day starting at the age of 40 but died at 60.

Yes, I know it is a theoretical question but I was curious. Thank you!
 
David, my Priests say we are all equal in heaven, all the same, all there to worship God.

The only difference between the Priests as consecrated and everyone else is their hands, their consecrated hands can confect the Eucharist.

What are you reading? Our reward is eternal life with God.
 
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I believe there are other areas of concern. We can make another structure like this:
  • Attends daily mass at the age of 40 and dies at 50
— Prays for others
  • Attends daily mass at the age of 40 and dies at 50
— Prays for themselves

“” “” “” “”

This is why god is the only judge because some go to confession and some die with many mortal sins. What is the process of acquiring grace in heaven based on lifestyle? Does it grow or become more accessible to the noble and true versus the mundane?

These are questions which are hard to determine, but we know that confession, prayer, and attending mass are important factors.
 
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The first will be last and the last will be first.
Blessed be the humble in spirit.
 
Yes, I definitely agree. If I put it this way, would the following grant the same person the same amount of heavenly reward?

I go to daily mass every day since 40 years old, and die at 50

I go to daily mass every day since 40 years old, and die at 60

Would this person have more heavenly reward simply because they were able to attend more masses since they lived longer?
 
I don’t believe it to be that black and white David98. My remarks were to demonstrate that there are other important areas of worship. To love the neighbor is quite credible in determining the path to heaven wouldn’t you say? But one cannot get to heaven by good works alone! So does prayer for them remedy the situation? Perhaps. We believe these are essential as Catholics to incorporate somewhere in our lives on our path to the next life.
 
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So are you saying that as long as a person dies in a state of grace, nothing else matters? Once we are in heaven we all have the same reward regardless of how we lived our lives?
 
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I am saying exactly what my Priest and Spiritual Advisor said. We are all the same in the presence of the Beatific Vision, in the presence of God. Popes to the most committed earthly sinner.

I am not discussing any what ifs about dying baptised, unbaptised, in a state of Grace, in a state where a person is not a practising Catholic and dies.

In the Beatific Vision we are there for the worship of God. Joining in he constant chorus of Holy Holy Holy.

After all to become a Saint is to be in the Beatific Vision.
 
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God is a capital G 😇

David we are called to put God first in our lives.
That entails detaching from ‘rewards’
 
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I see no conflict in using a reward in heaven as motivation. Saint Paul the Apostle encouraged prayer, whatever it takes, pray. There’s always something to pray about, and there is no such thing as a bad prayer. If it’s inspired in the light coming from dark places, sometimes we need trust that we know Satan is more powerful than we are, to attack him repeatedly. If a reward system suits you, use it, don’t be too scrupulous to avoid it.
 
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The problem is that Mass attendance is no guarantee of heaven at all. The most concise summary of criteria for God’s judgement is found in the catechism here:

1022 Each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven-through a purification594 or immediately,595 – or immediate and everlasting damnation.596

"At the evening of life we shall be judged on our love."

That last line is critical, a quote from St John of the Cross. Love is what defines man’s holiness or justice in God’s eyes.
 
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Ok I think my question was misunderstood. I am aware mass attendance does not guarantee salvation, and I am not implying that good works get one to heaven.

I am just asking if you died in a state of grace, would you merit more if you lived longer and were able to go to more masses? Thank you
 
I don’t think it can be reduced to a simple equation.
Or maybe the person who died at 50 could have gone to two Masses a day 😋

Also, don’t fall into the trap of comparing with another person.
We will be so perfected that we’ll rejoice in each other’s joy.
If you are exalted over me in Heaven, I’ll be thrilled for you. There will be no envy.
If I’m deemed better than you in Heaven, you’ll be happy for me, rather than saying “how come?”

Bottom line, your relationship with God is a relationship. You love Him, and He loves you, and it will all come out just right in the end.

Peace.
 
We know there is a hierarchy in Heaven. Mary is first among saints for example. But let that matter to God. He knows the heart. I prefer not to speculate.
 
David98 said:
I am just asking if you died in a state of grace, would you merit more if you lived longer and were able to go to more masses? Thank you
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I see, but I think the answer is the same. We don’t necessarily gain anything by our external acts, but rather by the proper internal justice, the love, that motivates them. So we can live to 100 yrs of age and attend Mass every day for, say, 80 years, and gain nothing.
 
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David98 said:
Went to daily mass every day starting at the age of 40 but died at 50

And the other went to daily mass every day starting at the age of 40 but died at 60.
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Attending Daily Mass does not assure salvation; living the Gospel does.
 
CONDITIONS THAT OUR WORKS (OUR DEEDS) COUNTS FOR ANYTHING

Conditions MUST BE PRESENT to make SUPERNATURAL MERIT possible.

The meritorious work must be morally good, that is, in accordance with the moral law in its object, intent, and circumstances.

It MUST be done FREELY, WITHOUT any EXTERNAL COERCION or INTERNAL NECESSITY.

It MUST be SUPERNATURAL, that is, AROUSED and ACCOMPANIED by ACTUAL GRACE, and proceeding from a SUPERNATURAL motive.

Strictly speaking only a person in the STATE OF GRACE can merit, as defined by the Church (Denzinger 1576, 1582).

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JUSTIFICATION IN CATHOLIC TEACHING by Jimmy Akin

“The essence of supernatural love is unselfishness—doing something NOT BECAUSE IT WILL HELP US SOMEHOW, but because we want to do it out of SHEER LOVE for the other person, whether that person is God or one of our fellow human beings out of the love of God.

This is THE ONLY KIND of love that ultimately pleases God and therefore the ONLY KIND that ultimately gets us a reward IN heaven.”

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We cannot please God with the work we MUST do, because we cannot do it FREELY, WITHOUT any EXTERNAL COERCION or INTERNAL NECESSITY.

Whatever we do, we should do it out of sheer love (include the Sacraments) for the Glory of God or out of sheer love for others, this is the only works which is Works of Love.

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SUPERNATURAL WORKS / WORKS OF LOVE

Doing something, DECIDED FREELY without the fear of hell,

work done NOT BECAUSE IT WILL HELP US SOMEHOW,

but because we want to do it out of SHEER LOVE for the Glory of God, or to help other person.

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THE KEY TO UNDERSTAND SUPERNATURAL WORKS / WORKS OF LOVE

“The essence of supernatural love is unselfishness—doing something NOT BECAUSE IT WILL HELP US SOMEHOW, but because we want to do it out of SHEER LOVE for another person or for the GLORY OF GOD.
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Heaven is God’s free gift (equal for all of us), for our Works of Love God rewards us in Heaven (different for all of us).
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For example:
If someone working for 60 years every day for the reason to enter into heaven (this works is not works of love), he will enter into heaven because heaven is God’s efficacious free gift of grace for ALL OF US, but he receives zero reward because he has done zero works of love. – Please read our judgments described in 1 Cor.3:12-15.
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God bless
 
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Someone said the other day that Jesus didn’t give us a book he gave us a Church.

Looking at all the posts daily I’m wondering why He didn’t give us a book, perhaps if He had we wouldn’t have so many questions about this, that or the other and vastly reduced ambiguity. People often say God tells us this or that, I often wonder who the third party was when God told such and such something.

However, God does not bodge. Whatever is is meant to be in my opinion, since God is omnipotent how could it be otherwise.
 
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