47. What Is Heaven?

"Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him." - 1 Corinthians 2:9

Heaven is the eternal happiness of the blessed in the vision and possession of God. A beginner must learn this because man was not made merely to be moral, useful, comfortable, or successful. Man was made for God forever.

The catechism answer is simple: Heaven is the eternal life and perfect happiness of those who die in God's grace and are purified, seeing God face to face.

Heaven is the homeland of the City of God.

The question is not, "Will heaven contain the earthly comforts I prefer?" It is, "Will I possess God?"

Heaven is not chiefly a place of natural pleasures. It is perfect union with God, the Beatific Vision, the fulfillment of faith, hope, charity, worship, truth, peace, and joy.

The blessed are happy because they see and love God without loss.

The Beatific Vision is seeing God as He is, by the light of glory. This exceeds every earthly joy.

Faith gives way to sight. Hope gives way to possession. Charity remains forever, perfected and unbroken.

The soul in heaven cannot lose God.

Heaven is also communion with the angels and saints, with the Blessed Virgin Mary, and with all who are saved in Christ.

There is no envy, hatred, impurity, falsehood, rivalry, or sorrow there. Order is perfect because charity is perfect.

The heavenly Jerusalem is the city of peace.

At the resurrection, the bodies of the just will be raised glorious. Salvation is not escape from creation as though the body were evil. God will restore man, body and soul, according to His victory.

The body that served God in suffering, purity, worship, and duty will share in glory.

The resurrection gives Christian hope its full shape.

The soul should desire heaven. This desire is not hatred of earthly duty. It strengthens duty because the soul knows where it is going.

To desire heaven is to desire God, holiness, purity, worship, and freedom from sin.

The Christian should not be more attached to passing comforts than to eternal life.

The soul must learn that heaven is the possession of God.

The soul must learn to desire the Beatific Vision.

The soul must learn that charity is perfected in heaven.

The soul must learn that the body will rise.

The soul must learn to live now as one made for heaven.

Heaven is the eternal life and perfect happiness of those who die in God's grace and are purified, seeing God face to face.

A beginner should ask: Do I desire God above earthly comforts? Do I live for heaven? Do I pray for final perseverance? Do I think of the saints as alive in glory? Do I remember that my body is meant to rise?

Heaven is not vague consolation. It is the end for which man was made: God possessed forever in perfect charity.