The End of the Story

(Continued from the prior post entitled “The Rest of the Story. “)

One thing we are surely missing is sight.  Let me turn to Frank Sheed again for insight.

At least three times The New Testament uses the word in reference to life in heaven.

Jesus told his disciples that “angels in heaven constantly behold my heavenly Father’s face.” (Mt. 18: 10)  “Their seeing Him is a basic fact of their life there, as breathing is of ours here.” ⁴

The Apostle John tells us that “We shall see Him as He is.” (1 Jn. 3:2)

St. Paul contrasts it with our sight on earth.  “Now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.” (1 Cor. 13: 12)

You can see (pun intended) why life in heaven is called the Beatific Vision – beholding the Trinitarian God in all his glory.  Now that is a sight to behold!

“Pause upon this.  The mind’s seeing is what we call knowing; it is the mind’s primary way of entering into possession of reality.”⁵

But again Sheed observes our dilemma.  People wonder if this staring at the Supreme Being “could include an occasional holiday from so much bliss, a holiday in which the pleasures they now know could console them for the aridities of life in heaven.”  It’s based on the erroneous thinking that whatever gives us pleasure now is the only kind of thing that ever will.

“The big boy cannot convey to the little boy what pleasure he finds in girls; the grown man cannot convey to the big boy what pleasure he finds in metaphysics (or whatever).”  And “There is no way in which the small boy can understand what his brother sees in girls.  That belongs to a level of development he has not reached, calls for experiences he has not had.” 

No Way

And so, Sheed concludes, “There is no way in which those on earth can grasp the actual experience of life in heaven.”

We may not be able to grasp what it’s like there.  But we do have some idea what’s not there.

No sin (Rev. 22: 3).  Halleluia!

No hunger, thirst, or tears (Rev. 7:16-17). Won’t miss those.

No mourning, sorrow, or pain (Rev. 21:4). Definitely won’t miss those.

No sickness or death (Lk 20:36)(Jn. 11:25-26). Am I repeating myself?

No darkness (1 Jn. 2:5) (Rev. 22: 5). I guess that means no sleep, too.

No marriage (Mt. 22:29).  Bummer.  After 45 years my wife and I were finally getting the hang of it.

No time (2 Pet. 3:8). Unimaginable bliss for the procrastinators among us.

No world as it is now (1 Jn. 2:17) (Lk. 21:33). Can’t come soon enough

We also have some idea of what will be there.

New heavens and a new earth (Rev. 21: 1).  My mind goes bonkers picturing what that might be like.

A new body (Phil. 3:21). Hopefully new and improved.

Music and singing (Rev. 5:9-13). I always have a song in my head as it is.

Eternal life (1 Jn. 2:25) (Jn. 6:47). (silence)

Great reward for the persecuted (Mt. 5:11). Our logic gets stuck here.  How can some people get greater rewards than others, and yet all be perfectly happy and content?

Angels (Mt. 16:27). Easily the beings I most look forward to seeing; I will be able to see them, right?

Nothing hidden that will not be revealed (Lk 8:17).  This one is scary.

The Way Back To Normal

So here’s the thing.  Practically every day since COVID-19 started its march across this land of ours, I’ve heard someone say something like “I just want this to be over, so we can go back to normal life.”  The problem is – life wasn’t normal before this pandemic!  Life hasn’t been normal since the original fall of the human race.  God created a universe where we were in perfect harmony with him and the rest of creation in Paradise.  We’re the ones who broke it by our disobedience and desire to take the place of God.

And the only way our lives will go back to being normal is when we return home.  Heaven is the normal we long for.  If we are judged worthy by the magnanimous love of God to gain entrance into paradise, it will be the greatest homecoming ever.

⁴ Death Into Life by F. J. Sheed  ©1977

⁵ Ibid