Will Heaven be different for different people?

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InSearchOfGod

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I have always believed that Heaven will be the same infinite goodness for all who, by the grace of God, enter.

Will those who live more faithful lives, who become closer to God during their lifetimes, have a . . . how can one say? . . . greater share of Heaven?
 
The saints teach that there are many levels to heaven, depending on the degree of sanctity that one reaches. The heavenly reward is given according to the goodnes of life (degree of sanctity) each person led on earth. We will be rewarded by God in the same measure that we have loved Him.

However, each soul in heaven will be completely and supremely happy, because each soul will receive according to the fullness of its capacity. No soul will want more than what they have achieved.

Our companions in heaven will be the Blessed Virgin Mary, the angels and the saints. But the greatest joy of heaven will be the beatific vision, the joy of seeing God face to face. The beatific vision will completely satisfy all our desires.
 
I guess the only thing that doesn’t make sense to me is how I could not be jealous of someone who has achieved a higher level of Heaven than me! :o But as this is not possible in Heaven anyway, it shouldn’t matter.

But I still don’t understand . . . how can there be “degrees” of Heaven? Isn’t the joy, the happiness, the fulfillment supposed to be unmeasurable, uncomparable? If there were degrees, they would be comparable, not to what we have the ability to know here on earth, but to eachother.

If Heaven is knowing God (what more does it need to be Heaven?) than how can you completely know God, while still having someone else know God more?

Thanks for the link, it makes sense, yet I still can’t believe it. :eek:
 
I had trouble with this concept but through prayer have come to see that it is very resonable that there are “degrees” of Heaven.

Yes, there is only one Heaven, but those who were closer to God on earth will be closer to him in Heaven. There are really “degrees” of loving God and appreciating Heaven. I will not be jealous if others are closer to Him in Heaven, for I will be as close as I can be, just as they will be as close as they can be. I will completely know God in Heaven to the best of my capacity to know Him. My cup will be as full as can be. Others will know God to their capacity; their cups will be as full as can be. I will know God to my fullest just as they will to their fullest. This is perfect justice and eternal reward.

I hope that this helps.
 
I think we need to concentrate on getting in the doorway instead of wondering what “level” of heaven you’ll receive. Me personally I’d be happy just making it in.
 
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InSearchOfGod:
I guess the only thing that doesn’t make sense to me is how I could not be jealous of someone who has achieved a higher level of Heaven than me! :o But as this is not possible in Heaven anyway, it shouldn’t matter.

But I still don’t understand . . . how can there be “degrees” of Heaven? Isn’t the joy, the happiness, the fulfillment supposed to be unmeasurable, uncomparable? If there were degrees, they would be comparable, not to what we have the ability to know here on earth, but to eachother.

If Heaven is knowing God (what more does it need to be Heaven?) than how can you completely know God, while still having someone else know God more?

Thanks for the link, it makes sense, yet I still can’t believe it. :eek:
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Jealousy is a sin. There is no sin in heaven, no temptation. You will be completely fulfilled and happy with God.

Jealousy is a result of a misguided attempt to fill the aching emptiness we have, which only God can fill, with material possessions, achievement earthly love, etc. To covet a neighbor’s goods, wife, job, happiness is against the Commandments of God. What we are really searching for is God. So that emtiness will be completely full

Also, all who go to heaven will be people who, in this world, wanted God’s will above their own. Jesus said that no unclean thing could enter heaven and that unclean things are burned with fire. There are some who, through God’s grace, and desiring God’s will, have their souls transformed to holiness in this world. Their souls are forgiven in this world, before death, and adequate suffering in this world has served their punishment for sin. For those who are judged to be riteous and are going to heaven yet still have unclean stains on their soul, such as a strong tendancy toward jealousy will be purged of that unclean thing in purgatory. People who desire God’s will above their own would not be jealous that God’s will is to have varring degrees of heaven.

We aren’t sure whether it is a state of being, an actual place or what, but considering Jesus described it as with fire, it cant’ be too pleasant. We are unsure how long it lasts. The time of this world is not the Time of God and heaven. So, no, there will be no jealousy in heaven. As far as I know, The last time there was jealousy and pride, and self love above God in heaven, his name was Lucifer and St. Michael kicked him to Hell.
 
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Fox:
I think we need to concentrate on getting in the doorway instead of wondering what “level” of heaven you’ll receive. Me personally I’d be happy just making it in.
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Me too.

Also watch what you wish for. When the disciples debated this, Jesus was not overly happy about it. Imagine what you would have to suffer in this world to be in the same league as the martyrs! Devoured by lions, burned at the stake, stoned to death, crucified upside down… A desire to be in a higher level of heaven is also sort of a false pride,vanity and self love, which just might result in a worse seat :rotfl: But a knowledge of it’s existence can be a comfort for those faced with terrible suffering.
 
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Courtneyjo:
I had trouble with this concept but through prayer have come to see that it is very resonable that there are “degrees” of Heaven.

Yes, there is only one Heaven, but those who were closer to God on earth will be closer to him in Heaven. There are really “degrees” of loving God and appreciating Heaven. I will not be jealous if others are closer to Him in Heaven, for I will be as close as I can be, just as they will be as close as they can be. I will completely know God in Heaven to the best of my capacity to know Him. My cup will be as full as can be. Others will know God to their capacity; their cups will be as full as can be. I will know God to my fullest just as they will to their fullest. This is perfect justice and eternal reward.

I hope that this helps.
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Off the top of my head, I don’t know of any revealed knowledge that says we can’t closer to God in knowledge and in love in heaven
 
Well, I guess since I can’t understand the nature of Heaven, I’m not going to be able to understand this! :o I know in the end, if by the grace of God I am given the gift of Heaven, I will be happy, and “degrees” wouldn’t bother me.

But why would anyone not hope for the highest “degree” of Heaven? I would think it would be impossible to “partition” Heaven, because then it is not Heaven …

The “full cup” analogy is interesting. Everyone has a different size cup, but in the end, everyone’s cup is full. So everyone really has the same thing: a full cup. But then the question becomes: what determines the size of your cup? Is it God, or is it you, and the choices you make? If it is you, what would be the motivation to make your cup bigger if you’re going to be happy with it being full anyway?

:confused:

By the way, didn’t all the workers in the vineyard in last Sunday’s reading all get the same amount?
 
Hi: Heaven is something that I’ve reallly thought about a lot. I love the song “Eye has not seen. Ear has not heard, what God has ready for those who love Him. Spirit of God come fill up my mind with Jesus.”

I think that heaven isn’t a place. Heaven is being in the presence of God. I think that since God is all around us, Heaven is here with us as well. It’s just that in our mortal state, we don’t have the capacity to perceive God’s presence. It’s like we are sitting in a beautiful, colourful, fragrant flower garden but see it only in black and white and without scent because we are colour blind or can’t smell. The flowers are there, just as real as can be but we only see them in one dimension. Heaven is all around us and we see God’s actions and know he is there, but we can’t truly experience him the way we will after we are gone.

When we get to heaven, it won’t be like God is sitting around a table with us. Our mind and God’s will become one. We will become part of Him. We will be completely unified with God. In answer to the question on the thread, I suppose that the closeness of that unity will vary and may vary depending on how close we were to God on earth. I think as well that there is a tiny glimpse of heaven available to us on earth. When we receive Jesus in communion, we are taking his body into our own and we are as close to being unified with God as we can possibly be on earth. For that short time, we experience a little bit of what heaven is like. Hahn has written about this. He has said that the mass is the “vestibule of heaven”. My appreciation of mass and communion has sure changed!

Patrick
 
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Peace-bwu:
Me too.

Also watch what you wish for. When the disciples debated this, Jesus was not overly happy about it. Imagine what you would have to suffer in this world to be in the same league as the martyrs! Devoured by lions, burned at the stake, stoned to death, crucified upside down… A desire to be in a higher level of heaven is also sort of a false pride,vanity and self love, which just might result in a worse seat :rotfl: But a knowledge of it’s existence can be a comfort for those faced with terrible suffering.
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good point 👍
 
Why would it be?

Are we ignorant enough to think that heaven is shaped from our own thoughts? Or better yet, prideful enough to think that what God has created in heaven is not perfect and heavenly enough for us and so we must have our paradise shaped around what matters to us on earth? Is not God the ultimate thought and thinker? Heaven will be paradise as prescribed by God, the Father and therefore will be more than enough for any and all.

Amen.
 
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Peace-bwu:
Imagine what you would have to suffer in this world to be in the same league as the martyrs! Devoured by lions, burned at the stake, stoned to death, crucified upside down…
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Would anyone here not be willing to die like a martyr? We will not all confront the same difficulties on our journeys to Heaven, but does that mean our destinations are different?
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Peace-bwu:
A desire to be in a higher level of heaven is also sort of a false pride,vanity and self love, which just might result in a worse seat :rotfl: But a knowledge of it’s existence can be a comfort for those faced with terrible suffering.
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Is it selfish to want to be as close to God as possible? I should think not! To be jealous of someone who you think is close to God is of course sinful, but I think we would all desire to be as close to God as possible, right?
 
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InSearchOfGod:
We will not all confront the same difficulties on our journeys to Heaven, but does that mean our destinations are different?
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No. that’s just it. Anyone who God deems worthy will be rewarded with Heaven. Heaven is Heaven. I would venture to say that Mother Teresa and my grandmother are both in heaven. But my Grandma was no Mother Teresa.

All the workers in the vineyard in last Sunday’s reading all received the same amount: a full day’s wage, with the full day’s wage being Heaven. Even a deathbed conversion (the man who worked only an hour) warrants Heaven, just as those who strive for a lifetme to be holy (man who worked all day), warrant Heaven.

The “full cup” analogy: everyone has a different size cup, but in the end, everyone’s cup is full. So everyone really has the same thing: a full cup. So, 1) what determines the size of your cup–is it God or is it you and the choices you make? I would say that it’s you and the choices you make.

If it’s you, what would be the motivation to make your cup bigger if you’re going to be happy with it being full anyway? The motivation is love. The more we love, the more we want to serve God. Whoever says gee, I’ve done enough, I will get to Heaven, I don’t need to love more, is presuming alot at his own peril.
 
If we all retain our own distinct personalities in heaven, then I say Heaven is different to each person experiencing it. We all can have a piece of chocolate cake, it is the same chocolate cake, but each of us tastes it in his own unique way.

Truth is not relative but each of us sees it, perceives it in a relational manor. Since, God is a (or even the) relational being each person in that relationship experiences it differently.

I got into a huge argument with a seminary student about something similar. He maintained that if an Angel of God were to reveal anything to more than one person at a time then each would see and hear exactly the same thing. Hogwash, says I. Free will isn’t negated just because an Angle of the Lord is revealing a truth. And the same applies, IMO of course, to our experience of Heaven. We will still have free will.
 
Bottom line: Love God as deeply as possible in this life. Everything else is vain curiosity and distraction.
 
Thank you your bringing up the Sunday reading. It shows that we will all reap the same in Heaven.

Think about it, if we all go to heaven with our souls purified, aren’t we all worthy of the same reward?
We may have to pay a heavier price but we did get to go. How can Heaven be different if we all purified?
 
I would like to add…

Once we get to heaven we won’t care if there are levels because we will be happy to be there. God will love fully no matter what level we are on. That is if there are levels
 
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Courtneyjo:
If it’s you, what would be the motivation to make your cup bigger if you’re going to be happy with it being full anyway? The motivation is love. The more we love, the more we want to serve God. Whoever says gee, I’ve done enough, I will get to Heaven, I don’t need to love more, is presuming alot at his own peril.
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But if we want to make our cup bigger while we’re here on Earth, why would we stop wanting it bigger when we’re in Heaven? If the motivation is love, love could only increase infinitely in Heaven.
 
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