Kingdom of God

[datritle]

I have heard many times some priests and writers saying things like “the kingdom of God is here on earth”, or things of that nature. is this…heretical? how is this to be understood. It seems like if that is the case, there is nothing to look forward to after we die.

 

[teeboy]

It can be here on Earth if you use the sacraments and become perfectly contrite. However, it will be taken away from you the next time you sin.

All is vanity here except doing God’s will.

 

[ConstantineTG]

I have heard many times some priests and writers saying things like “the kingdom of God is here on earth”, or things of that nature. is this…heretical? how is this to be understood. It seems like if that is the case, there is nothing to look forward to after we die.

As Scripture says, the Kingdom of God is at hand. It is not far away, beyond our reach. It is at hand. In Eastern Catholic/Orthodox theology, participating in the Divine Liturgy is entering the Kingdom of God.

 

[datritle]

yeah, i get that, but i mean is that to say there is no heaven?

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

No it is not heretical. It is to be understood in terms of the Church and the work of Christ.

Here are some tidbits from the catechism:

“The kingdom of God is at hand”

541 "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying: ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe in the gospel.’"246 "To carry out the will of the Father, Christ inaugurated the kingdom of heaven on earth."247 Now the Father’s will is “to raise up men to share in his own divine life”.248 He does this by gathering men around his Son Jesus Christ. This gathering is the Church, “on earth the seed and beginning of that kingdom”.249

542 Christ stands at the heart of this gathering of men into the “family of God”. By his word, through signs that manifest the reign of God, and by sending out his disciples, Jesus calls all people to come together around him. But above all in the great Paschal mystery - his death on the cross and his Resurrection - he would accomplish the coming of his kingdom. “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” Into this union with Christ all men are called.

567 The kingdom of heaven was inaugurated on earth by Christ. “This kingdom shone out before men in the word, in the works and in the presence of Christ” (LG 5). The Church is the seed and beginning of this kingdom. Its keys are entrusted to Peter.

 

[datritle]

Thanks! I understand that we can experience God HERE and NOW, but what is heaven? Wherre did the Blessed Virgin go after death? she was assumed, body and soul INTO heaven…so what does this mean? if heaven can be here and now…what is the afterlife?

 

[teeboy]

Thanks! I understand that we can experience God HERE and NOW, but what is heaven? Wherre did the Blessed Virgin go after death? she was assumed, body and soul INTO heaven…so what does this mean? if heaven can be here and now…what is the afterlife?

Heaven is in the presence of God.

 

[datritle]

this isn’t answering my question! I am freaking out here! do you guys not believe in the afterlife?!?

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

Where on earth would you get that idea? I’m Catholic, of course I believe in “the afterlife”. Do you read the Catechism? It might help you. I’ve already posted some paragraphs which show that Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom of God on earth. But heaven, that place we aspire to go after we die, is separate. It is where God may be seen in all His glory. Nothing unclean shall enter according to the scripture. It is a place of complete purity. Obviously, that is not on earth-- at least not right now. But God has lowered Himself, even so much as emptying Himself to become man, so that He can reach out to His people. He established His Kingdom on earth so that He could draw mankind to Himself.

From the Catechism:

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, but conversion of heart enables us to return to the Father, to heaven. In Christ, then, heaven and earth are reconciled, for the Son alone “descended from heaven” and causes us to ascend there with him, by his Cross, Resurrection, and Ascension.

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.

Paragraphs 1023-1029 have more info.

 

[datritle]

Of course this is what i have always believed, as the creed says. I was just going crazy thinking WHY are these priests and people saying it’s HERE and NOW. I was reading an advent thing from Fr. Richard Rohr, and that really threw me for a loop. i tossed it in the trash. He was really saying, don’t look to a heaven to save you, make your own heaven on earth, and whatnot, and THAT is borderline, if not completely heretical in my eyes. Thank you for your time and clarification. i am at ease now.

 

[aragonjohn1]

this isn’t answering my question! I am freaking out here! do you guys not believe in the afterlife?!?

The mass is the closest event to Heaven on earth that people can experience.

Shalom
God bless

 

[Prayer_Warrior]

Of course this is what i have always believed, as the creed says. I was just going crazy thinking WHY are these priests and people saying it’s HERE and NOW. I was reading an advent thing from Fr. Richard Rohr, and that really threw me for a loop. i tossed it in the trash. He was really saying, don’t look to a heaven to save you, make your own heaven on earth, and whatnot, and THAT is borderline, if not completely heretical in my eyes. Thank you for your time and clarification. i am at ease now.

You’re welcome. In light of what you have been reading, I can understand why you are confused and upset. Fr. Richard Rohr has some very, very problematic writings. Some of which are very new age. I would not read anything written by him and tossing his books in the trash is a good idea. In my view, he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Here is a link from EWTN’s Women of Grace which talks about his involvement with the New Age.

 

[Publisher]

The Kingdom of God is Present among us as we live by the precepts of the Kingdom…Sermon on the Mount has been called the manifesto for the Kingdom of God.

In John the phrase “kingdom of God”…“kingdom of Heaven” is not used…“Life” is used in John.

“I am come that you might have Life and have it more abundantly”. All through out John “Life”…“Eternal Life”…“Everlasting Life” is used…in the Synoptics, “Kingdom of Heaven” or "Kingdom of God’ is used.

God’s Kingdom exists when His People live as though they ARE living in the Kingdom of God.

Paul wrote that NOW we are translated into the Kingdom of His dear Son.

It is present among you in your midst.

 

[TimothyH]

The Catechism states that the Kingdom of God will be fully formed only after Christ returns, but that it is being formed partially even now, on earth, through the Church, and it’s sacraments, and the outpouring of the holy Spirit.

*2816: The Kingdom of God has been coming since the Last Supper and, in the Eucharist, it is in our midst. The kingdom will come in glory when Christ hands it over to his Father: *

Christ himself taught us to pray…

Thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in Heaven

Christ taught us to ask for his kingdom in the future tense, and tells us that we should ask that it be formed on earth even as it is fully formed in Heaven.

-Tim-

 

[fhansen]

Of course this is what i have always believed, as the creed says. I was just going crazy thinking WHY are these priests and people saying it’s HERE and NOW. I was reading an advent thing from Fr. Richard Rohr, and that really threw me for a loop. i tossed it in the trash. He was really saying, don’t look to a heaven to save you, make your own heaven on earth, and whatnot, and THAT is borderline, if not completely heretical in my eyes. Thank you for your time and clarification. i am at ease now.

As another poster said, ‘heaven is the presence of God’. But the only time that this presence is fully realized is after this life, with the ‘Beatific Vision’, where we “see”, or experience God directly, immediately. This is nothing like our experience here on earth. This is literally a vision that automatically produces sheer, boundless peace and happiness. Until then we see ‘as through a glass, darkly’ (1Cor 13:12). And while we are to do our best to make earth as heavenly as posible, anyone who thinks heaven won’t be much different than earth lacks faith in-and knowledge of-God.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”. 1Cor 2:9 Fortunately