What is Heaven like?

[Ally_of_Christ]

I realize that I’m never going to understand Hell, so how about Heaven?

Just what exactly is Heaven? Is it just sort of like being frozen in time staring at God?

Or is it similar to this Earth in that we can socialize with other people, own possessions, pursue interests which are not sinful, and explore the planet while at the same time be in the perfect happiness of the presence of God?

 

[Della]

Heaven is described variously in Scripture. What most people think of as heaven is the New Jerusalem described in the Book of Revelation. Jesus told his disciples: In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (Jn. 14:2) He may have been referring to the New Jerusalem.

As to what we will be doing, the Scripture tells us we will be ruling over nations. Exactly what all that entails we do not know.

Who we will be is like the Risen Christ, who we will see “as he is” and “be known as he is known”.

As far as “staring at God”, you probably are referring to the Beatific Vision. It is not at all an inactive sitting and staring rather it is always being in the living presence of God and seeing him. Jesus, while he was on earth, had the Beatific Vision all the while he ate and talked and healed and walked the roads of Judea.

We can speculate a great deal about seeing the stars and that sort of thing, but since we do not know what the new heavens and the new Earth will be like, all we can do is speculate. However, something tells me it won’t be dull or that we will just be playing harps.

I’m sure we will be living eternal life to the full, and whatever that all means we can’t possibly know or understand as we are now.

 

[Zundrah]

Hell; to be without the presence of both Christ and God.

Heaven; to be with Christ and God.

 

[COPLAND_3]

Here is info on the places of the afterlife, everything from Scripture, Catechism, Saints, and Catholic mystics litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Heaven%2C+Hell%2C+and+the+Afterlife

 

[Mailman]

Heaven is described variously in Scripture. What most people think of as heaven is the New Jerusalem described in the Book of Revelation. Jesus told his disciples: In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? (Jn. 14:2) He may have been referring to the New Jerusalem.

Could you tell us what the Catholic Church believes, and not what other people think? Has the Catholic Church come to an understanding of what heaven is like?

As to what we will be doing, the Scripture tells us we will be ruling over nations. Exactly what all that entails we do not know.

Yes, the Scripture tells us the saved will rule all nations. But why shouldn’t we know what that entails? We know what nations are. We know that nations have people, government and territory. In fact, we see many nations all over our planet earth today. Is it too hard to believe that the saved will rule all these nations on earth someday?

Who we will be is like the Risen Christ, who we will see “as he is” and “be known as he is known”.

As far as “staring at God”, you probably are referring to the Beatific Vision. It is not at all an inactive sitting and staring rather it is always being in the living presence of God and seeing him. Jesus, while he was on earth, had the Beatific Vision all the while he ate and talked and healed and walked the roads of Judea.

We can speculate a great deal about seeing the stars and that sort of thing, but since we do not know what the new heavens and the new Earth will be like, all we can do is speculate. However, something tells me it won’t be dull or that we will just be playing harps.

I’m sure we will be living eternal life to the full, and whatever that all means we can’t possibly know or understand as we are now.

The “new heavens and the new earth” are prophesied to come in the book of Revelation. But I thought you said [on another thread] the prophecies in that book have all come to pass. (P.S. - I responded to your last post there and am still waiting for a reply - thanks).

 

[Della]

Could you tell us what the Catholic Church believes, and not what other people think? Has the Catholic Church come to an understanding of what heaven is like?

Copland has provided a good link for further inquiry. The Church simply states that heaven is a state of being in which we enjoy the Beatific Vision. You can find it in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Yes, the Scripture tells us the saved will rule all nations. But why shouldn’t we know what that entails? We know what nations are. We know that nations have people, government and territory. In fact, we see many nations all over our planet earth today. Is it too hard to believe that the saved will rule all these nations on earth someday?

What I am saying is we cannot know particulars that God has not revealed to us.

The “new heavens and the new earth” are prophesied to come in the book of Revelation. But I thought you said [on another thread] the prophecies in that book have all come to pass. (P.S. - I responded to your last post there and am still waiting for a reply - thanks).

Yes, it has been fulfilled. John saw what takes place outside of space and time, as we understand it. So, all our speculations about his visions as regards to our time and place are just that–speculations. The rest of the book deals with things that were happening in John’s time (the opening passages about the churches and the persecutions they were undergoing, etc.). John was writing to correct and encourage the early Church in those parts of the book.

As to the other thread, I’m afraid I didn’t get back to it and didn’t see your response to me–at least I don’t think I did–having more and more senior moments since I passed 60.

 

[Dorothy]

If we were to have a little peek of heaven it would flood our spirits with such joy that we wouldn’t mind dying right then to be with the Lord forever. It will be awesome to know and see the Living God face to face.