Heaven on Earth

Mass tonight was inspiring. Father Secora’s homilies are always interesting, but tonight was especially thought-provoking.

He was speaking of the “great commission” and going to the ends of the earth. He was making the point that even though we are a family of believers, we are to reach out and encompass others who may be very different from us, outside of our comfort zone of familiarity. We are to be a world-wide community “meant to embrace people of every race, language, culture, nation and time.”

He quoted Pope Benedict XVI (Benedictus: Daily Reflections by Pope Benedict XVI, Magnificat/Ignatius Press, May 14):

…man has found an everlasting place in God. Heaven is not a place beyond the stars, but something much greater … Heaven means that man now has a place in God …  heaven is not a place but a person … And we go to heaven and enter heaven to the extent that we go to Jesus Christ and enter into him. In this sense, ‘ascension into heaven’ can be something that takes place in our everyday lives.”

Just as Jesus was the human face of God while He walked this earth, we are now the human face of Jesus. That’s pretty awesome and humbling … and blessing and a call for each of us to live the gospel every day.

I loved that … and I loved it that Father sang the Eucharistic prayers tonight. He has such a powerful voice, but not “polished” and for me, that makes it very human and real. I am just kind of glowing from this evening; I love the tools and blessings and gifts the Catholic church gives to help us in our walk and relationship with God.

Edit note: The quote was attributed to “Pope Benedict XVI (Benedictus: Daily Reflections by Pope Benedict XVI, Magnificat/Ignatius Press, May 14)”  Someone asked me about it and I searched online. It appears to me this is something Joseph Ratzinger wrote before becoming pope, in Dogma and Preaching, Franciscan Herald Press 62-63. I am not certain if it was reprinted in the Daily Reflections. Here is the homily from which I copied the quote.

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Heaven is for Real

I recently read Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo. It is the true story about a 3-year-old boy whose appendix burst and went undiagnosed for 5 days. He nearly died, and when he fully recovered he began telling his parents amazing things about “being in heaven.”

I don’t know that there is anything astonishingly “new” in this book, but I really did enjoy it a lot and highly recommend it. It’s just … joyful, I guess. As believers, we already know heaven is for real, but a book like this is just a really great reminder of the promise we have.

The book is a very easy read – one or two sittings – and I think it’ll uplift you. It sure did me!

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Whom Have I in Heaven But You?

Today’s Readings
ISAIAH 62:6-65:25 | PHILIPPIANS 2:19-3:3 | PSALM 73:1-28 | PROVERBS 24:13-14

Yesterday’s readings troubled me deeply. As I drove to work I was praying, asking the LORD what He would have me do; asking how I could serve Him on behalf of those being led to slaughter; what I could really do.

And I know the answer …  pray.

It brings to mind His message to me when I was distressed about my children …

“Focus. Pray.”

I believe He has placed me in prayer bootcamp for the last many years; He has brought people into my life who are wonderful pray-ers to inspire me and to teach me; He led me to a Bible Study that taught me more; He nudged me to take part in weekly adoration where my prayer life has just soared; He has led me to a variety of novenas to pray faithfully.

I don’t know “what” He does with prayers; I don’t know why He desires them. He certainly doesn’t need “me” or my filthy rags … but He does desire them and I have come to believe they are powerful beyond our understanding.

And so I am committed to praying. Praying for the salvation of my beloved children; praying for the lives of the unborn; praying for their mothers and fathers.

God may also lead me to do some work related to pro-life; I will continue to seek and pray for guidance. But I know at the very core of what He is asking is …

Focus. Pray.

Earnestly, tirelessly, persevere in prayer.

6You who call on the LORD,
give yourselves no rest,
7 and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise of the earth. (Isaiah 62)

From today’s readings, I’ve always loved this passage:

24 Before they call I will answer;
while they are still speaking I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox,
but dust will be the serpent’s food.
They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,”
says the LORD.(Isaiah 65)

This is something I PONder often … if I were ever to turn away from God; where would I turn? Seriously?!!

25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever. (Psalm 73)

amen, Amen AMEN.

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Is Heaven a Place?

Today’s Readings
ISAIAH 45:11-48:11 | EPHESIANS 4:1-16 | PSALM 68:19-35 | PROVERBS 24:3-4

By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures. (Proverbs 24:3-4)

I know this passage is meant as wisdom for our lives on earth, but as I read it this morning I smiled thinking of our Father’s mansion, where Jesus goes to prepare a place for us.  Certainly it is built by Wisdom and is filled with “rare and beautiful treasures.”  I wonder if some of those “treasures” aren’t … us?  🙂

I know some people believe “heaven” is a state of being, or that “we” cease to exist when we become spirit, and are kind of assimilated back into God with no individuality.

I don’t believe that … I think scripture is clear that we are given glorified bodies (1 Cor:15) and that we go to a “place.”  I realize it isn’t a flesh & blood place, but spiritual; I only think of it as being in the presence of God.

I wrote this some time ago at C-M; I guess this is a good time to relocate it here on my blog.

Where is God? According to Jesus, God is in heaven:

Mat 6:9 This is how you are to pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

Mat 23:9 Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.

Luk 11:13 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the holy Spirit to those who ask him?

Where is Jesus? According to scripture, Jesus is at God’s right hand in heaven:

Act 7:55 But he, filled with the holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God

Act 7:56 and he said, Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

Rom 8:34 Who will condemn? It is Christ (Jesus) who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

Eph 1:20 which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,

Heb 8:1 The main point of what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven

We are not told a lot about the next life, but we are told this:

Joh 12:26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

Joh 13:36 Simon Peter said to him, Master, where are you going? Jesus answered (him), Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.

Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be.

I don’t believe any of us comprehends exactly what “heaven” or “dwelling places” are, but we are told they are a “place”:

G5117
τόπος
topos
top’-os
Apparently a primary word; a spot (generally in space, but limited by occupancy; whereas G5561 is a larger but particular locality), that is, location (as a position, home, tract, etc.); figuratively condition, opportunity; specifically a scabbard: – coast, licence, place, X plain, quarter, + rock, room, where.

(And to note, “G5561” appears to be translated to “country” or “region.”)

I believe 1 Cor 15 tells us we will have a spiritual body. What it is like and what “heaven” is like, we are not told.

But I believe Jesus will take us to a place where He is and that’s enough to know … we will be in His presence.

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The people walking in darkness have seen a great light

Today’s Readings
ISAIAH 8:1-9:21 | 2 COR 12:1-10 | PSALM 55:1-23 | PROVERBS 23:4-5

I don’t have much to say about the following passages from my Isaiah readings today, only how beautiful and precious they are.  I don’t know quite what Isaiah thought of them during his time, but for us today they are so clear.

9:1 … In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan

2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.

3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you

6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

This next from 2 Cor 12 is always a little puzzling – Paul doesn’t go into great detail. And when we hear about “near death experiences” today, we are naturally a little skeptical.  And yet … and yet, clearly, it happens.  I know we need to be discerning; I find the stories and the little glimpses fascinating.

Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know — God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows — was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.

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