From where we are, the view of Heaven is closer than we thought!

From where we are, the view of Heaven is closer than we thought!

The catechesis that we all learned about heaven was not always a message that stuck within our brains.  Yes, we knew that God dwelt there and there were angels and our grandparents looking down on us with a hope for us to join them one day.  But beyond that heaven became a place many would never find because of their sinfulness.  Somehow, God was only going to welcome saintly people who never sinned and were always standing in Church with a pious attitude.   If we weren’t careful our ultimate journey would take us somewhere else. 

If that was the truth of God and his angels,  the truth is no one would get into paradise.  Not only that, are we sure that our grandparents are there as well?  Suddenly, that teaching did not convey any truth in its reality and was withheld from a future generation of future saints.  Paul referred to the believers as saints, not because of holiness but according to their belief in Christ.

Through him we have received the grace of fellowship, to bring about the obedience of faith, for the sake of his name, among all the Gentiles, among whom you are also called to belong to Jesus Christ; to all the beloved of God in Rome, called to be holy.  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  (Rom 1: 5- 7).

Well, what about the false guidance of not getting into heaven if we were sinners?  Believe it that God already knew that humans were going to be susceptible to failure through the evil of sin.  Perhaps the theological truth should have been taught was the Incarnation.  Here God already prepared the only way for us sinners to find forgiveness and through grace would receive mercy and would then join the angels and our grandparents in this place called heaven.

One reality is even if we had bad catechesis it is never too late to hear about the plan God made to forgive us through his Only Son and the Hypo-static Union which is the Word of God assuming humanity and living as two natures in one person.  We can never speak about this truth enough so that all people who sin are forgiven from the Passion of Christ and will experience that with God in eternity forever.  We can’t earn this gift; it comes through the grace of God.  So it depends not upon a person’s will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.  (Rom 9: 16).

To see heaven from where we are, regardless of our failing through weakness, remember what St. Paul heard from God as to his apparent weaknesses:  “Therefore, that I may not become too elated, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me from being too elated.  Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12: 7 - 9).

Look again, heaven is just a holy breath of grace from Christ and you shall be received in it.  

Ralph B. Hathaway