One of the most
difficult and challenging books in the Bible, is The Book of Revelation, also
known as the Apocalypse, which based on a Greek word, is simply translated, as
“unveiling.”
The challenge with this book, however, is that it is cited as a prediction of the end of the world, which is only reinforced with all the death, destruction, fear and mass chaos that can be found within it’s pages.
Yet, something that is often missed is that everything that happens within that Book, happens for a purpose, and that the end is not a definitive end, but, rather, a new beginning, so that in the wake of any destruction that may occur, there is, in its place, a re-creation of something more beautiful and more amazing.
In fact, in our second reading from the Book of Revelation today, we are given a beautiful glimpse of what will happen when God brings forth a new Heaven and a new earth. When, He will not only bring restoration to the world, but will be with us in a new and completely different way, when He will dwell among us removing all pain, sorrow, mourning and even death itself.
So that this world that we see now will be made new, and there will, essentially, be no difference between Heaven and earth, because, the old order of sin and death will, at last, have been destroyed.
In fact, this is the hope that we have been proclaiming during this Easter season, reminding us that when we mourn the loss of a loved one we, simultaneously, but not without difficulty, look forward to the Resurrection. Because the reality of the Resurrection is what marks the beginning of this restoration, it marks the beginning of when God will make all things new, when He will, at last, be all in all.
That is why when we think about Heaven, it prepares us for what will happen to this earth, it gives us a glimpse of what The New Jerusalem will be like, it reminds us that this earth will become like Eden once again.
In fact, in Heaven we are given what is called The Beatific Vision -- the very vision of God Himself, the place, condition and state of all happiness. St. Faustina, in one of her visions, gives us a glimpse of this. She says: “I saw its [Heaven’s] inconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death. I saw how all creatures give ceaseless praise and glory to God. I saw how great is happiness in God, which spreads to all creatures, making them happy; and then all the glory and praise which springs from this happiness returns to its source.”
So that, when Heaven is, literally, earth, when God will dwell among us, we will be able to love as He loves, we will be able to fulfill that same commandment, to a greater degree, that Christ asks of His disciples and of us in our Gospel today.
Yet, that is why we are also asked to strive to bring the kingdom of God to earth now, to live in a broken world while trying to bring the restoration, the light of Christ to those who need it most.
In fact, it is said there there was a journalist that accompanied Bl. Mother Teresa as she made her rounds, caring, as she did, for the sick and the dying. One of the men had a horrible wound that gave off a foul odor. Bl. Mother Teresa, went over to that man, calmly washed the wound, all the while speaking softly to him. After she finished and they were walking away, the journalist said, “I wouldn't do that for all the gold in the world.”
Mother Teresa replied, “Neither would I.”
To love, we need to know love at its source, we need to know God and to know love as He loves allowing us to love to a greater capacity than we could ever know.
And, truly, that is what Heaven is all about, that is what the new Heaven will one day be, and that is what we strive to live every day. That God be our source, our foundation, and our motivation in this life, so that we can create within our souls, a capacity and a longing for Heaven and a desire to be known as disciples, to be known as Christians, to, indeed, be known by our love.
The challenge with this book, however, is that it is cited as a prediction of the end of the world, which is only reinforced with all the death, destruction, fear and mass chaos that can be found within it’s pages.
Yet, something that is often missed is that everything that happens within that Book, happens for a purpose, and that the end is not a definitive end, but, rather, a new beginning, so that in the wake of any destruction that may occur, there is, in its place, a re-creation of something more beautiful and more amazing.
In fact, in our second reading from the Book of Revelation today, we are given a beautiful glimpse of what will happen when God brings forth a new Heaven and a new earth. When, He will not only bring restoration to the world, but will be with us in a new and completely different way, when He will dwell among us removing all pain, sorrow, mourning and even death itself.
So that this world that we see now will be made new, and there will, essentially, be no difference between Heaven and earth, because, the old order of sin and death will, at last, have been destroyed.
In fact, this is the hope that we have been proclaiming during this Easter season, reminding us that when we mourn the loss of a loved one we, simultaneously, but not without difficulty, look forward to the Resurrection. Because the reality of the Resurrection is what marks the beginning of this restoration, it marks the beginning of when God will make all things new, when He will, at last, be all in all.
That is why when we think about Heaven, it prepares us for what will happen to this earth, it gives us a glimpse of what The New Jerusalem will be like, it reminds us that this earth will become like Eden once again.
In fact, in Heaven we are given what is called The Beatific Vision -- the very vision of God Himself, the place, condition and state of all happiness. St. Faustina, in one of her visions, gives us a glimpse of this. She says: “I saw its [Heaven’s] inconceivable beauties and the happiness that awaits us after death. I saw how all creatures give ceaseless praise and glory to God. I saw how great is happiness in God, which spreads to all creatures, making them happy; and then all the glory and praise which springs from this happiness returns to its source.”
So that, when Heaven is, literally, earth, when God will dwell among us, we will be able to love as He loves, we will be able to fulfill that same commandment, to a greater degree, that Christ asks of His disciples and of us in our Gospel today.
Yet, that is why we are also asked to strive to bring the kingdom of God to earth now, to live in a broken world while trying to bring the restoration, the light of Christ to those who need it most.
In fact, it is said there there was a journalist that accompanied Bl. Mother Teresa as she made her rounds, caring, as she did, for the sick and the dying. One of the men had a horrible wound that gave off a foul odor. Bl. Mother Teresa, went over to that man, calmly washed the wound, all the while speaking softly to him. After she finished and they were walking away, the journalist said, “I wouldn't do that for all the gold in the world.”
Mother Teresa replied, “Neither would I.”
To love, we need to know love at its source, we need to know God and to know love as He loves allowing us to love to a greater capacity than we could ever know.
And, truly, that is what Heaven is all about, that is what the new Heaven will one day be, and that is what we strive to live every day. That God be our source, our foundation, and our motivation in this life, so that we can create within our souls, a capacity and a longing for Heaven and a desire to be known as disciples, to be known as Christians, to, indeed, be known by our love.
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