Heaven
Seventh in a seven-part series
(Previous posts in this series: Part I ^[1], Part II ^[2], Part III ^[3], Part IV ^[4], Part V ^[5], Part VI ^[6])

Now we reach the end of this series on the Last Things and the topic turns to the intended end of every human being: Heaven. Each human person is made to be in communion with God, and Heaven is this communion. Everything that prevents that communion in this world – our sins, the sins of others, our fallen world – is wiped away and we have direct and total access to our loving Creator.

One thing I do NOT want to do in this post is to try to describe Heaven. Any type of description I could muster would fall so far short of the reality that it would be laughable. In most instances in which a mystic has a vision of Heaven, they are very reserved about describing it, for they know that no human words can even begin to describe the bliss of Heaven. Even less can a non-mystic like me attempt to put in words the unimaginable joy that is Heaven.

But one thing we can say about Heaven is that it is the fulfillment of all of man’s desires and hopes. Man was created for God and only God can satisfy his heart. As St. Augustine wrote, “our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee” – and Heaven is the only place in which our hearts can truly and completely rest in God. A very lame analogy would be the frustration found in a person who loves a certain activity but cannot enjoy it – say the artist who is not able to paint or the author who is unable to write. If they are able to engage in their preferred activity, then they experience fulfillment and contentment. Heaven is the fulfillment of every man’s deepest desires and wishes – and not just partial fulfillment like an earthly activity might be, but a total and complete fulfillment.

Another aspect of Heaven that must always be remembered is that if Hell is complete alone-ness, then Heaven is complete communion – with God and with others. God made us in His Trinitarian image, and we are not complete unless we are in communion with others. Our salvation is not something done on an individual basis; we are saved as a Body, and Heaven is the Body of Christ in its fullness. In our fallen world it is hard to imagine interactions with others that do not include bickering, fighting and conflict. But in Heaven we will be completely united to our fellow men in total peace. We will offer the unending worship of God as one Body and our joy will be complete.

As we live our daily lives in this fallen world, let us always keep our eyes on our final destination and prepare ourselves – and others – for the place that “no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Cor 2:9).