Heaven: Our

Definitive Home
Life and Beyond
INTRODUCTION

We want to live a long life. God wants much

more for us - a life that is life to the full, an
everlasting life. While our life on earth
promises fleeting happiness and measurable
consolations, heaven offers eternal bliss and
definitive home for us.
CONTENT STANDARD PERFORMANCE STANDARD
The learner demonstrates an The learner should be able to
understanding of heaven as our understand the concept of heaven
definitive home where God the and why it is called a state of life
Father awaits His children. and not just a place where we can
visit.

LEARNING COMPETENCIES
At the end of the discussion,
Time Duration
students will be able to Illustrate 4 hours
their idea of what heaven will be as
God the Father awaits them.
 Heaven is described as…
a. What is “high” or “above”, “outside” of this world or “beyond” this life.

b. Where we shall see God as He is, face to face. (cf. 1 Cor 13:12; Rv 22:4)

c. Eschatological reality – it is “already, but not yet.”

d. Where a grand family reunion is being held.

e. Our definitive home where all our beloved ones who have gone ahead of us now share the
company of the saints, the angels, our Mother Mary, and most especially, the Most Blessed
Trinity in perfect love and glory.

f. Usually referred to as a place, but more of a state of being with the Lord. (cf. 1 Thes 4:17)
 Heaven is described as…
g. A state of existence of the soul in perfect happiness. (Sacred Scripture)

h. St Matthew - eternal life (Mt. 19:16; 25:46; also, Jn 3:15), and your Master’s joy (Mt.
25:21)

i. St. James – the crown of life (Jas 1:12)

j. St. Peter - the unfading crown of glory (1 Pt 5:4)

k. St Paul – an imperishable crown (1 Cor 9:25), and the riches of glory (Eph 1:18)

l. Father’s house (Jn 14:2)

 St. Augustine, in his book, The
City of God, said that, “We are
citizens of this world, and citizens
of heaven at the same time.” He
also reminded us, true happiness is
not found elsewhere in this world; it
is in the human heart where God
dwells.
 It is an immense joy, too, to be in company with
our dear family members, relatives, and friends in
heaven. We must pray always that God may deign to
grant us our most coveted place in our heavenly home.
While we are in this earthly home, we must store up
treasures in heaven, says the Lord.
The parable of the rich fool who wanted to build larger
barns for his bountiful harvest so that he could just
“rest, eat, drink, and be merry' (cf. Lk 12:16-21) and the
story of the rich young man who felt sad because he
could not share his largess to the poor (cf. Mt 19:16–22)
are concrete examples of how material wealth could be
an obstacle toward attaining eternal life.
 The liturgical images used to describe everlasting life are
“eternal rest”, and “perpetual light”. When the priest blesses the
dead, he says: "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord; and let Your
perpetual light shine upon them." "To find rest" in God's presence
is a vivid depiction of everlasting life. We fervently pray that the
souls of the faithful departed may find eternal rest in the company
of angels and saints in God's bosom. Perpetual light expresses the
life in our definitive home. It is to possess Christ who is the light
of life (cf. Jn 8:12). It is the light of God's glory that the saints
contemplate in heaven.
 God is unfathomable, and so is His heavenly abode. Given our limited
human capacity to know and understand the mystery of God, we can only
describe Him in an anthropomorphic way-through visible signs and symbols.
Thus, the Scripture depicts heaven in images such as the “Father's house" (Jn
14:2), everlasting life, perpetual light, eternal peace, unending bliss, eternal rest,
wedding feast, wine of the kingdom, celestial banquet, the heavenly Jerusalem,
paradise, among many others. St. Paul recognized the human inadequacy to
describe what God has revealed through the Spirit: "What eye has not seen, and
ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has
prepared for those who love Him" (1 Cor 2:9).
 God is an absolutely pure being, that is, incorporeal and transcendent. As
Yahweh told Moses: "No one can see Me and live" (Ex 33:20). That is why He
revealed Himself as "I Am who I Am" (Ex 3:14), the only One who is infinite-
infinitely above everything that we can understand or say. Our finite mind can
never fully grasp His absolute mystery. In this present life, if He allows us to
behold His mystery, it is through the eyes of faith. However, there will come a
time when an opportunity will be given to us to see Him directly as He is. This
is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church declares: "Those who die in God's
grace and friendship and are perfectly purified live for ever with Christ.
 They are like God for ever, for they see Him as He is, face to
face” (CCC 1023). This contemplation of God in His heavenly
glory is what the Church calls beatific vision. St. Paul compared
our present knowledge of God which is under the veil of faith to
the direct vision of God in heaven: "At present we see indistinctly,
as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially;
then I shall know fully, as I am fully known" (1 Cor 13:12). The
ultimate reward in heaven consists in contemplating the light of
God's glory (lumen gloriae).
 We can observe and see, especially in the
images of the Risen Lord, that there are three
letter printed on his banner, such letters are
“JHS”. In Latin, JHS means “Jesus Hominum
Salvator”, which when translated in English, it
would mean, “Jesus Human Saviour”.
 Quoting the Evangelist John's "my [Jesus'] Father's house" (Jn
14:2), St. John Paul II always referred to this expression in many
of his allocutions. Though there are many images in the Bible used
to describe heaven, the term “Father's house” perhaps describes
best what heaven is. For indeed, the Father's house is our definitive
home. Jesus promised us that He will go ahead and will prepare a
place for each one of us since in His Father's house there are many
dwelling places (cf. Jn 14:2).
 The Church teaches that “those who
die in God's grace and friendship and
are perfectly purified live for ever with
Christ. They are like God for ever, for
they 'see him as he is, face to face"
(CCC 1023).
 At the very heart of this definition of heaven is the
idea of the "beatific vision" which means in heaven we
shall see God face to face. This direct vision of God is
not to behold God with human eyeball because He is
pure spirit. Beatific vision is to contemplate God as He is
with intellectual vision. The acts which compose the
beatific vision are knowledge (visio), love (amor,
caritas), and joy (gaudio, fruitio).
 According to St. Paul, if at present we know
partially, in heaven we shall know fully as we are
fully known (cf. 1 Cor 13:12). He also points out
that if here on earth we live by faith, hope, and
love, in the end it is only love that remains (cf. 1
Cor 13:13). In the parable of the talents, Matthew
speaks of what awaits a good and faithful servant-
it is to share the joy of the master (cf. Mt 25:21)
 Heaven, then, is primarily a state of absolute fulfillment. More than
the joy of uniting with and seeing our loved ones and friends like a
homecoming in the Father's house, the possession of God in the beatific
vision will give us a unique union with Him which transcends anything
we can imagine. This is what St. Paul means by seeing God "face to
face" (1 Cor 13:12). The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "This
perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity-this communion of life and love
with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed-is
called 'heaven. Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest
human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness" (CCC 1024).
Reflection

How does Jesus reward our

faithfulness to Him?
 References
1. Panganiban, et al (2017). Road to Emmaus Series: Stay With Us,
Lord! Liturgy and Sacraments: The Phoenix Publishing House Inc.