This life or the next

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Slartibartfast

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So, I was looking at the crucifix in out church which is one of those ones where Christ is robed and resurrected. It made me question whether heaven is specifically in the next life or whether it can be this life as well for those who strive for it. It seems to me that the Gospel suggests that it is possible to realise heaven on earth. It puts me in mind of the Buddhist belief of Nibbana in this life. I think other Christian groups (possibly heretical ones) believed the same. Personally, I should like to think it is possible in this life by virtue of reaching a level of being such that, to use the words of St Paul, it is not us who lives but Christ in us.
 
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I think you are mixing lots of thought into one, possibly erroneous thought.
Heaven is elsewhere. Christ said “I will go and prepare a place for you” and clearly He meant ELSEWHERE.

We can make the earth a peace-filled, beautiful place, sure. But that does not even compare to what God has promised us that heaven will be like.
“Eye has not seen, ear has not heard,” etc.

We can achieve a virtuous life with God’s help and grace, but that is not “heaven”.
 
I don’t know the Bible l well enough to reply with any conviction. However, I seem to recall sayings such as the kingdom of heaven is spread all over the earth. And what about parables like the man who sold everything for a plot of land where he had found a priceless jewel?
 
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From the Catholic standpoiint, Heaven is where we will enjoy the Beatific Vision. We will see and know the God of All as They exist, three in One. That is not here on Earth.

Clare’s last sentence says it all.
 
That is a parable. Parables exist to illustrate a point in an easily accepted manner. The pearl of great price is FAITH. It means to say that people who have discovered Christ would give awy all they own to remain in close relationship with HIm who is true love, mercy and compassion. Their Savior. A wealth of love.

There are good people allover the earth yes. TBut we are not in heaven.
Yet.
 
Slartibartfast said:
So, I was looking at the crucifix in out church which is one of those ones where Christ is robed and resurrected. It made me question whether heaven is specifically in the next life or whether it can be this life as well for those who strive for it. It seems to me that the Gospel suggests that it is possible to realise heaven on earth. It puts me in mind of the Buddhist belief of Nibbana in this life. I think other Christian groups (possibly heretical ones) believed the same. Personally, I should like to think it is possible in this life by virtue of reaching a level of being such that, to use the words of St Paul, it is not us who lives but Christ in us.
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Blessed Henry Suso (1295 - 1366) Dominican and German mystic

-Now, then, ascend thou on high with Me. I will carry thee thither in spirit, and will give thee, after a rude similitude, a distant glimpse into the future. Behold, above the ninth heaven, which is incalculably more than a hundred thousand times larger than the entire earth, there is another heaven which is called Coelum Empyreum, the fiery heaven, so called, not from its being of fire, but from its immeasurably transparent brightness, which is immovable and unchangeable in its nature; and this is the glorious court in which the heavenly hosts dwell, where the morning star with the rest praises Me, and all the children of God rejoice.

There stand, encompassed with inconceivable light, the everlasting thrones, from which the evil spirits were hurled, in which the elect are seated. See how the delightful city shines with beaten gold, how it glitters with costly jewels, inlaid with precious stones, transparent as crystal, reflecting red roses, white lilies, and all living flowers. Now, look on the beautiful heavenly fields themselves. Lo! here all delights of summer, here sunny meads of May, here the very valley of bliss, here the glad moments are seen flitting from joy to joy; here harps and viols, here singing, and leaping, and dancing, hand in hand for ever! here the gratification of every desire, here pleasure without pain in everlasting security!

Now, look how the countless multitude drink to their hearts’ desire at the living fountains of gushing water; look how they feast their eyes on the pure, clear mirror of the revealed Divinity, in which all things are made plain and evident to them. Steal a little nearer, and mark how the sweet queen of the celestial kingdom, whom thou lovest with so much ardour, soars aloft in dignity and joy over the whole celestial host, reclining tenderly on her beloved, encircled with rose-flowers and lilies of the valley. See how her ravishing beauty fills with delight and wonder all the heavenly choirs.

Continue-
 
Oh, now behold what will rejoice thy heart and soul, and see how the mother of compassion has turned her compassionate eyes towards thee and all sinners, and how powerfully she appeals to her beloved Son, and intercedes with Him. Now, turn round with the eyes of thy pure understanding, and behold also how the high seraphim and the love-abounding souls of the seraphic choirs blaze up perpetually in Me; how the bright company of the cherubim have a bright infusion and effusion of My eternal inconceivable light, how the high thrones and hosts, the lordships, powers, and dominations, regularly fulfill My beautiful and eternal order in the universality of nature.

Mark, too, how the third host of angelic spirits executes My high messages and decrees in the particular parts of the world; and see, how lovingly, how joyfully, and variously the multitude is marshalled, and what a beautiful sight it is! Turn next thy glance and see how My chosen disciples and best beloved friends sit in repose and honour upon their awful judgment-seats, how the martyrs glitter in their rose-coloured garments, the confessors shine in their vernal beauty, how refulgent the virgins appear in their angelic purity, how all the heavenly host overflows with divine sweetness! Oh, what a company! Oh, what a joyous band!

Blessed, thrice blessed is he who was born to dwell where they dwell! Lo, to this very fatherland I shall carry home from misery and tribulation, arrayed in all the richness of her rich morning gift, My beloved bride in My arms. I shall adorn her interiorly with the beautiful garment of the eternal light of that glory which will exalt her above all her natural powers. She will be clothed exteriorly with the glorified body, which is seven times brighter than the sun’s light, swift, subtle, and to suffering, impassive; then I shall put on her the crown of delight, and on the crown a golden garland.

http://www.catholictreasury.info/books/eternal_wisdom/index.php
 
In the Lord’s Prayer, we pray “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” which suggests that this world can be like heaven, not exactly, not even close, because of human imperfection and sin, but just a little bit.

We can and should make the world a better place, and a holier place, but it will never be heaven, at least not until Jesus returns to make it perfect.
 
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After re-reading your original post, I noticed you said “for those who strive for it” and “reaching a level of being,” so my previous post missed your point. Are you asking whether an individual can attain heaven in this life? I think the answer is no, though God may grant someone an experience which is like a glimpse of heaven.
 
That’s exactly what I was asking. It seems to me that Christ alludes to this at times in the Gospels and that others (those you might deem to be heretics) have a similar point of view. It also aligns with the Buddhist goal of Nibbana.
 
Slartibartfast said:
That’s exactly what I was asking. It seems to me that Christ alludes to this at times in the Gospels and that others (those you might deem to be heretics) have a similar point of view. It also aligns with the Buddhist goal of Nibbana.
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The Devil wants you to believe this life is your Heaven.
 
I am not well-educated in this area, but your original post reminded me of some guidance from the Church on techniques and disciplines of meditation,

Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Some Aspects of Christian Meditation

and specifically this paragraph:
19 Therefore, one has to interpret correctly the teaching of those masters who recommend “emptying” the spirit of all sensible representations and of every concept, while remaining lovingly attentive to God. In this way, the person praying creates an empty space which can then be filled by the richness of God. However, the emptiness which God requires is that of the renunciation of personal selfishness, not necessarily that of the renunciation of those created things which he has given us and among which he has placed us. There is no doubt that in prayer one should concentrate entirely on God and as far as possible exclude the things of this world which bind us to our selfishness. On this topic St. Augustine is an excellent teacher: if you want to find God, he says, abandon the exterior world and re-enter into yourself. However, he continues, do not remain in yourself, but go beyond yourself because you are not God: He is deeper and greater than you. “I look for his substance in my soul and I do not find it; I have however meditated on the search for God and, reaching out to him, through created things, I have sought to know ‘the invisible perfections of God’ (Rom 1:20).” “To remain in oneself”: this is the real danger. The great Doctor of the Church recommends concentrating on oneself, but also transcending the self which is not God, but only a creature. God is “deeper than my inmost being and higher than my greatest height.” In fact God is in us and with us, but he transcends us in his mystery.
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“Slartibartfast said:
So, I was looking at the crucifix in out church which is one of those ones where Christ is robed and resurrected. It made me question whether heaven is specifically in the next life or whether it can be this life as well for those who strive for it.

It can be in this life as many saints have proven by their lives.
It seems to me that the Gospel suggests that it is possible to realise heaven on earth. It puts me in mind of the Buddhist belief of Nibbana in this life. I think other Christian groups (possibly heretical ones) believed the same. Personally, I should like to think it is possible in this life by virtue of reaching a level of being such that, to use the words of St Paul, it is not us who lives but Christ in us.
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Yep. That is the Catholic advantage.

Heb 12:18 [d]You have not approached that which could be touched[e] and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm 19 and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them, 20 for they could not bear to hear the command: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle that Moses said, “I am terrified and trembling.”

22 No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, 23 and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,[f] and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, 24 and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently[g] than that of Abel.
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