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Question Title Posted By Question Date
Heaven as being ordered Joseph Saturday, May 7, 2011

Question:

Brother,

As of late I had been focused on a lot of negative in my faith. I do not state this as a bad thing as we so often are only educated in the positive of our faith, Hell and spiritual warfare are rarely mentioned during Mass in church. At this point in my life I have been learning about the warfare aspects, esp. as I age and now have a family and child on the way. But learned about what the Saints say of Hell for so long and how to avoid it, I thought for a break and to have balance I would learn more about what the Saints say and describe heaven to be like. Well my question relates to this.

According to many of the saints and doctors of the church Heaven is in complete order. Nothing disordered can enter there. I forget which saint now but one said that there are different levels of order even to the point of the number of whom will end up there will be perfect as well: a perfect number of people will go to heaven.

Now when I apply this principle to my life it is very humbling as many of my thoughts and even my personality is dis-ordered to some degree, I'm ignorant of the actual magnitude I just hope its not enough if I am fortunate enough to make it to Purgatory I don't have to spend to the end of time there :).

Well basically I was wondering about people who just got the "crap end of the stick" so to speak. See I am pretty healthy as far as I know and most of the problems aside from dispositional things and what might be tied to my body are free choices when I choose wrong. What about material evils like Down's Syndrome or other genetic disorders which are no fault but not a choice of the person? Or other physical deformities?

If potentially everything in heaven is perfect and orderly how can people with material evils be in paradise?

I mean this with no disrespect for the mentioned groups of people. I see it as God Almighty would have to do some radical change in these people somehow. Even cure them before entering Heaven. But these genetic problems are tied to other things like personality and such. Wouldn't this change their minds to the point to effect their Souls/free will (or consequences of free will with Adam and Eve)? Sorry this is so long but thank you in advance and it is much appreciated. I hope all is well.



Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r)

Dear Joseph:

Your sentence, "At this point in my life I have been learning about the warfare aspects, esp. as I age and now have a family and child on the way" makes no sense. You are developing Extrasensory Perception (esp) as you age? Wink

Now for a Public Service Announcement: As a reminder to all posters. Please do not use abbreviations unless the abbreviation is universally and globally accepted and known by someone born before 1960 (such as U.S., T.V.). If the abbreviation is not known on Mars, do not use it. Smile

Especially do not use the so-called "texting language". Any question with texting language will be rejected summarily. Please post in English, not in the non-existent language of textlish.

That's the public service announcement for the day Smile

--------------------------------------------------------------

Forgive me for the announcement.

Now to answer the question.

If it were true that anyone who dies when their body is effected by material evil cannot enter heaven, then no one goes to heaven. All of us suffer the material evil called Original Sin, concupiscence, personality problems, the ravages of old age or death prematurely for some reason. No one's body is perfect.

Sanctification is the process of perfection. St. Paul explains in 1 Thessalonians 4:3 & 5:23:

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification . . . Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless at the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

At the the end of time our bodies will be resurrected and, for those bound for heaven, we will be completely sanctified (made perfect). The reason for purgatory is that most of us will not be fully perfected at our death, but will be in purgatory in preparation for entering the throne room of God.

St. John says it more directly in 1 John 3:2:

Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

We are not sure what the substance of our bodies will be like, but we know that our bodies will be like that of the Resurrected Christ. After the resurrection when Jesus appeared to his followers he could be physically touched, he could eat, but he could also appear in a room without going through the door (sort of like a ghost). Thus, we will have physical bodies, but they will be transformed into glorified bodies.

This means that all illness, infirmities, disabilities, and such will be healed and our bodies restored to the perfection that humans had before the Fall. This means that in heaven the lame can walk, the bind can see, the deformed will be made whole, the fat will be normal, and all people will be beautiful beyond imagination.

As St. Paul points out, this sanctification (perfection) is made complete in "spirit, soul, and body". Thus, our minds, our personalities, our psychology, our spirits will all be made whole, healed, and perfect.

There is no disorder in heaven. There are no effects of material evil in heaven. When we enter heaven we will be perfect (fully sanctified) in every way. Praise God!

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

 



 


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