What's it like to exist in heaven ? Will it be the same as now?

[John_Russell_Jr]

My dear friends

Here are some thoughts on the subject. Being a not theologian I hope I make sense. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this or related topics too.

We cannot view God in human terms and try to understand Him using concepts common to us that we see and experience in our world. The reason for this is people often think of God as an infinite being, and so He is, but they think in terms of the space or volume He occupies. We cannot think of the infinite God this way. Time, space, all matter, all forces and all of creation exists within God, and God continually interacts with all and keeps all in existence, but all this is not a part of God. God is not a space so you can’t measure Him in terms of volume. All the things we know as mentioned do not exist in Gods world. I say world because it’s a concept we understand but God has no world. God is not a space, there is no time with God, nor material things bar our Blessed Lord and those assumed into heaven, no forces that control our world or any other created thing in heaven, which is God. God is being itself. God’s world is God and only He exists in it, bar angels and saints of course.
In heaven which is God who is infinite and eternal Living Love we shall exist in God and experience God who is Infinite Love and there will be no time, space, etc we find in our world as mentioned. God is infinite and eternal Living Love and as per my other theories the Infinite Love which is God is present in it’s entirety in the most infinitesible place ( I say place because it’s a concept I understand ). So God is completely present everywhere because Infinite Love is present everywhere. We shall just be in His being. It will be blissfully ecstatic as we be in a being who is infinite and eternal Living Love and see, experience and feel this infinite love. We will just want to love God back when we experience all this. The more we can love Him the happier we’ll be. To be as happy as possible we have to fill our hearts and souls with as much grace as possible. We do this so that grace which is love can transform us into a more loving person through our cooperation with the love of God. The holier we become the more loving we become. To become a Saint is to be a very loving person and Saints have the capacity to love God back the most in heaven and this means they get much more happiness there than most. This is why the church teaches us and wants us to become Saints. And provides all the necessary help to achieve it. The church wants us to be as happy as possible now, but especially in heaven.

Hope my theory makes sense.

God bless all:thumbsup:
John

 

[Zundrah]

Your post was certainly not a “theory”! I feel that you have already experienced the presence of the father, perhaps in prayer or maybe during a gathering? Your explanation of his presence sounded and felt exactly how it feels to me when I pray to him and feel his presence all over and around me. You have more than a “theory” on your hands, I think you are very blessed to know him this much. :bible1:

Please take care of your self John Russell Jr, and be gentle with agnostics who may come on this thread.

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

Your post was certainly not a “theory”! I feel that you have already experienced the presence of the father, perhaps in prayer or maybe during a gathering? Your explanation of his presence sounded and felt exactly how it feels to me when I pray to him and feel his presence all over and around me. You have more than a “theory” on your hands, I think you are very blessed to know him this much. :bible1:

Please take care of your self John Russell Jr, and be gentle with agnostics who may come on this thread.

My dear friend Zundrah

Glad you like it. I call it a theory because it’s a concept I came up with and may have doctrinal errors I don’t know. Not being a theologian. I’m glad to hear of your feeling the presence of God in your prayer. It must be a great comfort and blessing for you.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

 

[Al_Masetti]

Read DeStefano’s book:

amazon.com/Travel-Guide-Heaven-Anthony-DeStefano/dp/038550988X

Also, read up on the ecstasy experiences of Fr. Solanus Casey and St. Thomas Aquinas.

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

Read DeStefano’s book:

amazon.com/Travel-Guide-Heaven-Anthony-DeStefano/dp/038550988X

Also, read up on the ecstasy experiences of Fr. Solanus Casey and St. Thomas Aquinas.

My dear friend

I had a look at Destefano’s book review and don’t think I’d like that one. Did you like it did you? With the others I’d like to see what they say for sure. I’ve read somewhere that ecstasy experiences are not the same as heaven, they are foretastes. Visions of heaven are not exactly heaven always. These things give a glimpse of it or build desire or appreciation. We can’t experience and fully know heaven until we’re permanently there I think.But it’s a topic worth discussing as it’s where we’re meant to be for the rest of eternity. A priest I know said if we were in heaven we could not return and we would die because our soul would be ripped from our body when we experienced it. So to have a vision of heaven would not be an exact depiction I think.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

 

[Al_Masetti]

My dear friend

I had a look at Destefano’s book review and don’t think I’d like that one. Did you like it did you? With the others I’d like to see what they say for sure. I’ve read somewhere that ecstasy experiences are not the same as heaven, they are foretastes. Visions of heaven are not exactly heaven always. These things give a glimpse of it or build desire or appreciation. We can’t experience and fully know heaven until we’re permanently there I think.But it’s a topic worth discussing as it’s where we’re meant to be for the rest of eternity. A priest I know said if we were in heaven we could not return and we would die because our soul would be ripped from our body when we experienced it. So to have a vision of heaven would not be an exact depiction I think.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

John,

We are human and we live in three dimensions [four, if you include time].

It would be impossible for a person who lives in the temporal realm to describe heaven.

Actually, I did read DeStefano’s book, and I liked it. He uses biblical references. Which is about as close as one can come in words.

And it’s true that a human/earthly ecstasy experience would be at best a “foretaste” of heaven. What possible human / earthly words would there be for describing what goes on, even in a human ecstasy experience … all we have are eyewitness accounts of Fr. Solanus and Thomas Aquinas and what they experienced. Aquinas, for example, was so “upset” that he attempted to burn his work … arguably the best Christian writing in history …, describing it as straw … utterly inadequate in attempting to explain the relationship between God and man.

The point, though, is that Aquinas got an idea of what REALLY goes on in that "heavenly dimension, and even his best and inspired writing was a waste of time … not a waste of time … merely insipid? … I’m groping to find some words to describe how far short human words would be. But we, humans, would have no other way to describe the “foretaste”.

There are some phrases … “the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard” … sorts of things. Not helpful.

Anyway, I will try to find my copy of DeStefano’s book; it’s around here someplace. The only reason I recommended it was that I liked it so much.

• Al

 

[Monica4316]

My dear friends

Here are some thoughts on the subject. Being a not theologian I hope I make sense. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this or related topics too.

We cannot view God in human terms and try to understand Him using concepts common to us that we see and experience in our world. The reason for this is people often think of God as an infinite being, and so He is, but they think in terms of the space or volume He occupies. We cannot think of the infinite God this way. Time, space, all matter, all forces and all of creation exists within God, and God continually interacts with all and keeps all in existence, but all this is not a part of God. God is not a space so you can’t measure Him in terms of volume. All the things we know as mentioned do not exist in Gods world. I say world because it’s a concept we understand but God has no world. God is not a space, there is no time with God, nor material things bar our Blessed Lord and those assumed into heaven, no forces that control our world or any other created thing in heaven, which is God. God is being itself. God’s world is God and only He exists in it, bar angels and saints of course.
In heaven which is God who is infinite and eternal Living Love we shall exist in God and experience God who is Infinite Love and there will be no time, space, etc we find in our world as mentioned. God is infinite and eternal Living Love and as per my other theories the Infinite Love which is God is present in it’s entirety in the most infinitesible place ( I say place because it’s a concept I understand ). So God is completely present everywhere because Infinite Love is present everywhere. We shall just be in His being. It will be blissfully ecstatic as we be in a being who is infinite and eternal Living Love and see, experience and feel this infinite love. We will just want to love God back when we experience all this. The more we can love Him the happier we’ll be. To be as happy as possible we have to fill our hearts and souls with as much grace as possible. We do this so that grace which is love can transform us into a more loving person through our cooperation with the love of God. The holier we become the more loving we become. To become a Saint is to be a very loving person and Saints have the capacity to love God back the most in heaven and this means they get much more happiness there than most. This is why the church teaches us and wants us to become Saints. And provides all the necessary help to achieve it. The church wants us to be as happy as possible now, but especially in heaven.

Hope my theory makes sense.

God bless all:thumbsup:
John

I agree John it makes sense.

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

John,

We are human and we live in three dimensions [four, if you include time].

It would be impossible for a person who lives in the temporal realm to describe heaven.

Actually, I did read DeStefano’s book, and I liked it. He uses biblical references. Which is about as close as one can come in words.

And it’s true that a human/earthly ecstasy experience would be at best a “foretaste” of heaven. What possible human / earthly words would there be for describing what goes on, even in a human ecstasy experience … all we have are eyewitness accounts of Fr. Solanus and Thomas Aquinas and what they experienced. Aquinas, for example, was so “upset” that he attempted to burn his work … arguably the best Christian writing in history …, describing it as straw … utterly inadequate in attempting to explain the relationship between God and man.

The point, though, is that Aquinas got an idea of what REALLY goes on in that "heavenly dimension, and even his best and inspired writing was a waste of time … not a waste of time … merely insipid? … I’m groping to find some words to describe how far short human words would be. But we, humans, would have no other way to describe the “foretaste”.

There are some phrases … “the eye has not seen and the ear has not heard” … sorts of things. Not helpful.

Anyway, I will try to find my copy of DeStefano’s book; it’s around here someplace. The only reason I recommended it was that I liked it so much.

• Al

My dear friend

I 100% agree with you. My explaination is hopelessly inadequate, but I’m extremely glad of it. Heaven will be much better than I can ever understand or explain. I think you must experience it to understand it. What on earth will it feel like to see and experience infinite Living Love. It will be sheer bliss I’m sure. Think how good it feels to really love someone here and be loved in return. It’s great. In heaven God who is infinite and eternal Living Love will love us infinitely and we will be so ecstatic in this state of sheer bliss we will only want to love God back with a comletely selfless love. The more we love in return the happier we’ll be. I think it will be great.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

I agree John it makes sense.

Dear Monica

Glad you liked it.

God bless you
John

 

[Eucharisted]

I like how Jesus described Heaven to the saints.

Saint Faustina was once in Kriekrz. She walked through a garden to a lake shore, and as she was contemplating her surroundings, Jesus suddenly appeared and said, “All this I created for you, My spouse; and know that all this beauty is nothing compared to what I have prepared for you in eternity.”

Here are two pictures of Kriekrz:
farm4.static.flickr.com/3580/3640594971_6cc8276eff.jpg?v=0
1.bp.blogspot.com/_tGfRZswP3aw/RjoolPTEaOI/AAAAAAAAACE/xqh1M0JzrsQ/s320/Kiekrz4.jpg

I forgot the saint’s name, but during an ecstasy he was once filled with so much Divine Joy that it caused him to cry out, “O Lord, if this is Heaven, it is enough!” But the Lord repled, “You have a poor perspective. The joy you feel now is as but a painting of the sky compared to the real sky.”

 

[Al_Masetti]

My dear friend

I 100% agree with you. My explaination is hopelessly inadequate, but I’m extremely glad of it. Heaven will be much better than I can ever understand or explain. I think you must experience it to understand it. What on earth will it feel like to see and experience infinite Living Love. It will be sheer bliss I’m sure. Think how good it feels to really love someone here and be loved in return. It’s great. In heaven God who is infinite and eternal Living Love will love us infinitely and we will be so ecstatic in this state of sheer bliss we will only want to love God back with a comletely selfless love. The more we love in return the happier we’ll be. I think it will be great.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

One of the things we CAN do is to contemplate God’s Infinity.

Not just infinity in time and space.

Not just time travel.

Not just instant understanding of everything.

Not “mathematical infinity” … that little figure 8 laying on its side.

When we divide mathematical infinity by a million, we come up with infinity.

But God can share His Infinity with us in ways that only He can devise … and it will be more than enough … and more than we could ever wish for. Nothing else will matter.

Infinity in creativity. Infinity in love. Infinity in humor. Infinity in imagination. Infinity in passion. Ecstasy at the molecular level … expanded to the spiritual …

Think about it. Daydream about it. Ask God to help with our meditation.

 

[Eucharisted]

What is Heaven like? Imagine a paradise, perfect in every way. Now realize that you have just imagined something that is not Heaven, for your imagination is finite, limited, and bound by the laws that govern the Universe. The paradise you imagined is to Heaven what an atom is to a bottomless abyss - your mind cannot comprehend Heaven!

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

One of the things we CAN do is to contemplate God’s Infinity.

Not just infinity in time and space.

Not just time travel.

Not just instant understanding of everything.

Not “mathematical infinity” … that little figure 8 laying on its side.

When we divide mathematical infinity by a million, we come up with infinity.

But God can share His Infinity with us in ways that only He can devise … and it will be more than enough … and more than we could ever wish for. Nothing else will matter.

Infinity in creativity. Infinity in love. Infinity in humor. Infinity in imagination. Infinity in passion. Ecstasy at the molecular level … expanded to the spiritual …

Think about it. Daydream about it. Ask God to help with our meditation.

My dear friend

That’s great. I’ll try and daydream about it. Time well spent I imagine.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

What is Heaven like? Imagine a paradise, perfect in every way. Now realize that you have just imagined something that is not Heaven, for your imagination is finite, limited, and bound by the laws that govern the Universe. The paradise you imagined is to Heaven what an atom is to a bottomless abyss - your mind cannot comprehend Heaven!

My dear friend Eucharisted

Great posts. Thanks for sharing them with us.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

 

[Monica4316]

My dear friend

I 100% agree with you. My explaination is hopelessly inadequate, but I’m extremely glad of it. Heaven will be much better than I can ever understand or explain. I think you must experience it to understand it. What on earth will it feel like to see and experience infinite Living Love. It will be sheer bliss I’m sure. Think how good it feels to really love someone here and be loved in return. It’s great. In heaven God who is infinite and eternal Living Love will love us infinitely and we will be so ecstatic in this state of sheer bliss we will only want to love God back with a comletely selfless love. The more we love in return the happier we’ll be. I think it will be great.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

you know John I’ve always thought so too, but then some people have asked me if I think Heaven would ever get ‘boring’!! But I really don’t think it will!! it sounds so awesome that’s how I’ve imagined it too, you said it well. I think perfect love is self giving… so in Heaven, God is giving Himself to us, and we are giving ourselves totally and perfectly back to Him. The Eucharist is the closest thing to it here on earth, I think… although we don’t always tangibly feel His presence in the Eucharist. In Heaven, we will. How awesome! I think for an eternity of God’s presence and love, it is worth it to have some trials on earth

I like how Jesus described Heaven to the saints.

Saint Faustina was once in Kriekrz. She walked through a garden to a lake shore, and as she was contemplating her surroundings, Jesus suddenly appeared and said, “All this I created for you, My spouse; and know that all this beauty is nothing compared to what I have prepared for you in eternity.”

Here are two pictures of Kriekrz:
farm4.static.flickr.com/3580/3640594971_6cc8276eff.jpg?v=0
1.bp.blogspot.com/_tGfRZswP3aw/RjoolPTEaOI/AAAAAAAAACE/xqh1M0JzrsQ/s320/Kiekrz4.jpg

I forgot the saint’s name, but during an ecstasy he was once filled with so much Divine Joy that it caused him to cry out, “O Lord, if this is Heaven, it is enough!” But the Lord repled, “You have a poor perspective. The joy you feel now is as but a painting of the sky compared to the real sky.”

wowww…how amazing!!

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

you know John I’ve always thought so too, but then some people have asked me if I think Heaven would ever get ‘boring’!! But I really don’t think it will!! it sounds so awesome that’s how I’ve imagined it too, you said it well. I think perfect love is self giving… so in Heaven, God is giving Himself to us, and we are giving ourselves totally and perfectly back to Him. The Eucharist is the closest thing to it here on earth, I think… although we don’t always tangibly feel His presence in the Eucharist. In Heaven, we will. How awesome! I think for an eternity of God’s presence and love, it is worth it to have some trials on earth

wowww…how amazing!!

My dear friend

Should be great, From the little I’ve learnt it will be sheer bliss. So much so that we will not even think bar to love God possibly. I imagine the little baby in it’s mothers womb perfectly happy and at home. We could be like this in a state of sheer ecstatic bliss. We’ll soon find out.

I love your signature. St Gemma is my patroness as I was born on her feast day. Do you know she died Easter saturday Aprill 11 and Easter Saturday was April 11 this year? It was a great day for me.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

 

[ConservativeOne]

I, for one, do not know what God looks like or about the what’s and where’s of Heaven.
I only know we picture God, the Father, as we see Him depicted in drawings…but those are earthly, human interpretations. It’s not for us to know, I guess, until our time comes, and God chooses to reveal Himself in whatever way He does to departed souls. (And yet, let’s not forget St. Faustina’s drawings - that Our Lord, Jesus, inspired her - and the images seen by St. Bernadette and the children at Fatima - of Our Lady. They are - specific images. But let’s remember what we were taught - that Heaven is to see the “Beatific Vision” - i.e. seeing God. That’s what counts - being with Him - having pleased Him - saved. That’s not to say I’m a good person. I fail more than I should.

But I DO BELIEVE in God, and His Son and the Holy Spirit. And the Blessed Mother. I don’t know about what God, the Father, looks like. I guess, humanly speaking, we picture God as best as our human minds can conceive - but my prayer - my hope - is that I see God for all Eternity - and that would mean having attained Heaven. For my soul, that is what is important. For me it is enough to know that Heaven - whatever or wherever it is - is where God is. And that means Eternal Salvation - for which this poor, miserable “ConservativeOne” begs God, with my heart and soul. I guess it’s irrelevant what it’s like to BE in Heaven - just so long as we ATTAIN Heaven and Eternal Salvation.

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

I, for one, do not know what God looks like or about the what’s and where’s of Heaven.
I only know we picture God, the Father, as we see Him depicted in drawings…but those are earthly, human interpretations. It’s not for us to know, I guess, until our time comes, and God chooses to reveal Himself in whatever way He does to departed souls. (And yet, let’s not forget St. Faustina’s drawings - that Our Lord, Jesus, inspired her - and the images seen by St. Bernadette and the children at Fatima - of Our Lady. They are - specific images. But let’s remember what we were taught - that Heaven is to see the “Beatific Vision” - i.e. seeing God. That’s what counts - being with Him - having pleased Him - saved. That’s not to say I’m a good person. I fail more than I should.

But I DO BELIEVE in God, and His Son and the Holy Spirit. And the Blessed Mother. I don’t know about what God, the Father, looks like. I guess, humanly speaking, we picture God as best as our human minds can conceive - but my prayer - my hope - is that I see God for all Eternity - and that would mean having attained Heaven. For my soul, that is what is important. For me it is enough to know that Heaven - whatever or wherever it is - is where God is. And that means Eternal Salvation - for which this poor, miserable “ConservativeOne” begs God, with my heart and soul. I guess it’s irrelevant what it’s like to BE in Heaven - just so long as we ATTAIN Heaven and Eternal Salvation.

Thank you for your wise words dear froiend

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

 

[Monica4316]

My dear friend

Should be great, From the little I’ve learnt it will be sheer bliss. So much so that we will not even think bar to love God possibly. I imagine the little baby in it’s mothers womb perfectly happy and at home. We could be like this in a state of sheer ecstatic bliss. We’ll soon find out.

I love your signature. St Gemma is my patroness as I was born on her feast day. Do you know she died Easter saturday Aprill 11 and Easter Saturday was April 11 this year? It was a great day for me.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John

that is awesome! St Gemma is one of my favourite Saints. I only found out about her recently, and been reading the book about her life (the one by her spiritual director). Have you read it perhaps? It’s so interesting.

God bless!!

 

[John_Russell_Jr]

that is awesome! St Gemma is one of my favourite Saints. I only found out about her recently, and been reading the book about her life (the one by her spiritual director). Have you read it perhaps? It’s so interesting.

God bless!!

My dear friend Monica

I only found out about her on these forums a few moths ago. She jumped into my life here. I made her my patron after that. She is one of the greats. I haven’t read a real lot about her yet. Just a little. I have the holy hour she practised on my www on www.heavensmessengers.org and the best website on her is stgemmagalgani.com/2008/08/introduction-to-life-of-st-gemma.html
A lot of Italian books are yet to be translated too. We’ll have lots more to read one day.
I was very enchanted when she stormed into my life and only later I found the connection and made her my patron. It was a great time for me.

God bless you:thumbsup:
John