What is Heaven like? Is it really worth all the effort?

[John_Russell_Jr]

This is a very good question. One can easily be forgiven for not knowing as our knowledge is all too often limited to the scope of our own experience. St Paul tells us it’s quite sensational and has not entered into the minds or hearts of men the things God has laid up for those who love him ( to abbreviate the quote ).

Won’t it get boring - eternity? Why not live it up now? All that sacrifice and work - is it really worth it? So many questions about the prize that God promises to those that persevere and don’t cave into sin like so many millions have today.

I am only a layman with limited knowledge but I have learnt a little about the subject and hope it gives comfort to some of my brothers who are suffering, carrying their cross in the hope of what is to come - Heaven.
Many people think of heaven as a place up in the sky. It isn’t. God is heaven, heaven is God. Another worthwhile point is that if we’re in the state of grace ( no unrepented mortal or serious sin on our soul ) then God is within our soul- within us. This means that heaven is within us if we’re in grace – in the grace and friendship of God. If this is so then we’re already in heaven whilst in this world ( when in grace ) but we just don’t experience it, or don’t we? Many saints and holy people have found that through leading good and virtuous lives and practicing lots of prayer and penance they get small foretastes of heaven whilst in this world. They are called consolations, ecstasies and various mystical experiences. You can read St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross amongst many to learn about these and more. So when in grace we are already in heaven and can experience small foretastes of it even in this life.
When we die and God willing we make it to heaven ( perhaps after a stint in purgatory ) the primary joy of heaven will be the beatific vision ( vision of God ). We will be completely enraptured by the magnificent vision of God. It cannot be explained by even the saints who have seen it. Imagine all the most beautiful people and things you have seen in your life and put them all together and multiply them a trillion times. How beautiful would that be? The vision of God is vastly greater than this. Seeing God will satisfy us for all eternity on it’s own.
We are told in the book of revelation that in heaven we shall be given a special name that only God and us know. We shall continually praise and converse with God along with all the angels and saints in heaven. We shall find the vision of Mary and all the angels and saints to be quite brilliant too. It will be quite magnificent. We shall converse with them also.
We shall be given a crown and magnificent garments to wear and sit at table with all those who are like us eg. The martyrs sit together, parish priests, confessors etc etc. There shall be many tables. The tables are figurative.
This will be enough to satisfy us but there is more. We shall experience even greater bliss than all this. Imagine all the pleasures one can experience in this world and turn them into holy pleasure and imagine you experience this holy pleasure at one moment then multiply it trillions of times. That is the pleasure that God will infuse into us in heaven. He will infuse an infinite variety of blissful blessings into us throughout eternity. We will never get bored.
In heaven we shall be perfect like the angels and shine like them. When resurrected we shall have our bodies back at their peak like when we were 16 or so and they will be glorified bodies.
The only virtue needed in heaven is charity. We no longer need the others once there. Our levels of charity shall be so highly elevated that it will be impossible for us to sin, see fault in others or do anything uncharitable and we will be so grateful for this.
We shall never be tired, weary, bored, hungry, thirsty or want for anything.
We shall be so totally and utterly satisfied beyond our comprehension or need that we will be happy to just praise and bless God for this incredibly wonderful gift for all eternity.
The prize is worth the effort. I hope we all make it. Pray for me.

 

[AveSantaMaria]

You are in my prayers.

May Christ, Mary, and Joseph bless and keep you, strengthen you, protect you, empower you, enlighten you, hold you, love you, cradle you, hug you, kiss you, empower you, guide you now and always!!

 

[Beautiful]

Sounds like the way to go - in the mean time we can only hope and pray for ourselves and each other
Faith - Hope & Love ! The greatest of these is love!

 

[nsper7]

Look at it this way:

One is going to spend eternity; would you rather it be in Heaven or Hell?

 

[Neithan]

Yup, Heaven is definitely worth it

Just one note:
John Russell Jr:

When resurrected we shall have our bodies back at their peak like when we were 16 or so and they will be glorified bodies

16 is a little young. St. Thomas Aquinas thought the perfect age was 30 (the age Our Lord began proclaiming the Gospel). I’m inclined to agree. But I don’t think it’s that simple that we will look a certain “age” that we were on earth. A glorified body is far older and yet far more beautiful than any on earth.

 

[Eucharisted]

Heaven is eternal absolute happiness, and what we will be doing in Heaven is beyond understanding. No one knows what we will do, but some have speculated. Suffice to say we will be with God, who is happiness itself.

Because God is absolute happiness, He made us for Himself, that we might be happy for eternity.

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

Yup, Heaven is definitely worth it

Just one note:

16 is a little young. St. Thomas Aquinas thought the perfect age was 30 (the age Our Lord began proclaiming the Gospel). I’m inclined to agree. But I don’t think it’s that simple that we will look a certain “age” that we were on earth. A glorified body is far older and yet far more beautiful than any on earth.

Hi Neithan
Hard to argue with Aquinas but we really don’t know much. We can just speculate. At 16 our Lord would have found it very hard to get anyone to pay attention to any preaching. i believe the Jews don’t let their young men read the song of songs until their 30 for fear of temptation. They believe at 30 you have reached a level of maturity you need I suppose. Most of what I said is insufficient to describe the glory of the world to come I’m sure. I’ve just tried to make an explaination of heaven as I perceive it, and I know it’s very inadequate. Sometimes I write what I know or have heard from reliable sources and sometimes I just write and don’t know if it’s right or wrong to be honest. If I make a mistake forgive me and correct me. In any case the prize is very great and worth while. God bless you, and all

 

[Trishie]

I don’t actually speculate much on heaven. I try do the best I can manage, by being as fair and thoughtful and compassionate to others as I can manage, given my limitations, and seek God, talk to Jesus a lot, go to daily Mass and pray and stuff, but I don’t pre-empt the next stage.

When you’re in the first stage of life, in the womb, you know virtually nothing about the outside world and its wealth of possiblities and experiences. It’s warm and quiet, you hear voices and music, [and if you’re unlucky, arguments] but haven’t any conception of what the world is like. Enwombed in this temporal world, it’s pretty much the same sort of situation, I think.

I sum myself up in two words, “I try”. That’s the best I can do, 'try". Try to live the gospel, try to live the commandments of love, try to live the Sacraments well, relying on God to make it all worth something since only He can. Someone accused me of being devout lately, but that’s not what my life is about, it’s trying, [My husband’s comments on that are always, wryly, “Yes, *very trying.” He can be amusing. He knew I love St Therese of Lisieux [the Little Flower], and seeing that I do try very hard sometimes, called me “Trishie, the Little Weed” I thought it was hilarious, and quite apt.]

I don’t think much about how heaven will be. Do I shock you?

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

I don’t actually speculate much on heaven. I try do the best I can manage, by being as fair and thoughtful and compassionate to others as I can manage, given my limitations, and seek God, talk to Jesus a lot, go to daily Mass and pray and stuff, but I don’t pre-empt the next stage.

When you’re in the first stage of life, in the womb, you know virtually nothing about the outside world and its wealth of possiblities and experiences. It’s warm and quiet, you hear voices and music, [and if you’re unlucky, arguments] but haven’t any conception of what the world is like. Enwombed in this temporal world, it’s pretty much the same sort of situation, I think.

I sum myself up in two words, “I try”. That’s the best I can do, 'try". Try to live the gospel, try to live the commandments of love, try to live the Sacraments well, relying on God to make it all worth something since only He can. Someone accused me of being devout lately, but that’s not what my life is about, it’s trying, [My husband’s comments on that are always, wryly, "Yes, *very

trying." He can be amusing. He knew I love St Therese of Lisieux [the Little Flower], and seeing that I do try very hard sometimes, called me “Trishie, the Little Weed” I thought it was hilarious, and quite apt.]

I don’t think much about how heaven will be. Do I shock you?

Hello
you don’t shock me. i hope you don’t shock anyone either. You are quite right in your approach and on the right track from what you say. Some people experience great trials and at such times it’s good to think of the last things. Some people are barely hanging onto the faith and it’s good for them to thinkabout it too. Some people are given small foretastes of heaven not only to console them in their trials but to enflame them with love for God and a desire for their home land. Jesus said where your treasure is there will your heart be also. I’m far from perfect but I try to gain trasure in heaven and it naturally follows my heart will be there. We will never be fully satisfied until we achieve it.
This was written for those who may need or like it.
God bless you little weed.

 

[Cluny]

If you think heaven would be boring, what do you think hell would be?

Stimulating and fun?

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

If you think heaven would be boring, what do you think hell would be?

Stimulating and fun?

Very good. I don’t know how bad hell will be but I know it’ll be very bad. I imagine how wonderful heaven is and think as much as we shall be in unimaginable bliss in heaven we shall be in unimaginable torment to the same degree in hell.

That is if we experience nothing to start ( we are neutral here ) then we experience a degree of bliss in heaven, we can experience the same degree of torment in hell.

I don’t know if that’s clear or not.
One things for sure. we don’t want to go there.