I Believe in Life Everlasting – VThe New Heaven and the New Earth

Begin with prayer to the Holy Spirit

Readings: 2 Peter 3: 11-13; 2Thess. 1: 10-12; Rev. 20: 11-15;Rev. 21: 1-8

One of the most fascinating and inspiring doctrines of the Christian faith is one we hardly ever hear of or even think about. When we think about the afterlife, we think about its wonderful and dreadful possibilities, but these are not the ultimate condition of human beings. Eternal life for human beings who are saved in Christ begins at the hour of death, either with entrance into eternal glory, or with a time of final purification, which is really a passage to heaven itself. But there is still the resurrection of the body, and the reuniting of the body and soul to achieve the final triumph over death, or the complete victory of Christ’s grace within us. This is the final victory when we shall be mysteriously transformed into the image of Christ. The victory that began at baptism and with twists and turns, and ups and downs, went on during our earthly life, was perfected at once by our entrance into eternal life. The victory will come to completion in a “new heaven and a new earth.” When we think of the coming of a new heaven and a new earth, of course our attention is drawn to the apocalyptic scenes of the Last Judgment and the dissolving of the present universe in fire. We are intrigued by the thought of the Last Judgment, when the final justice of God will be vindicated before all who have ever lived, the saved or the lost. Our Lord, St. Peter, St. Paul, as well as the author of the Book of Revelation tell us of this great judgment at the end of the world. The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives these texts and others too numerous to list here (#1038-1050). Our imaginations tend to dwell on this because the scene of the great judgment is so fascinating, but like all things in eternity, it is incomprehensible. But to stop here may lead to a kind of morbid preoccupation with the end of the cosmos and the judgment of the wicked. Our Christian vocation calls us to grow into the image of Christ, and then we shall join our Savior as the Head of the Mystical Body in a totally transformed world. This is described by St. Paul in imagery of extraordinary beauty and mystery. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God . . . the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as children of God, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8: 19-23

So many of the ills and sufferings of human beings are part of our physical reality, our bodies - sickness of all kinds, the effects of age, and many others. It is with the body, which includes the brain, that we grow in the image of Christ. This growth is ultimately rooted in the soul, which is the spiritual element joined to our body to make us human. The immortal soul rejoices in union with Christ at death, but now the body, with all creation, will be transformed. That is what is meant by the heavenly Jerusalem. In the course of our life of struggle and suffering, especially the suffering we endure for those whom we love, we should keep before our eyes the mysterious and lyrically beautiful symbols of the last chapters of Revelation – the new heaven and the new earth. Although quite beyond our comprehension, we have these hauntingly beautiful images. We shall see His face and His name shall be on our foreheads and night shall be no more, for the Lord God shall shed His light upon us and we shall reign forever (Rev. 22: 4-5).

Quotation for Meditation

Confessions of St. Augustine (Book 13)

O Lord God, grant us peace, for Thou hast granted us all things, the peace of repose, the peace of Thy Sabbath, the peace that has no evening. For this gloriously beautiful order of things that are very good will pass away when it has achieved its end: it will have its morning and its evening. But the seventh day is without evening. It has no sunset, for You sanctified it that it may abide forever. After all Your works which were very good, You rested on the seventh day - although You made them with no interruption of Your repose. And likewise the voice of Your book tells us that we also, after our works – which are only very good because You have granted us to accomplish them – will rest in You in the Sabbath of life everlasting.

Quiet Time and Then Discussion

Questions for Meditation

1. Do I ever spend any time thinking about the world to come and the resurrection of the body?

2. Do I spend some time meditating on the reality – which is after all my final hope?

3. Does this mystery make me look at life and its struggles in a different way?

Prayer

O Eternal Son of God, You come from Eternity, from everlasting bliss, with Your Father and the Holy Spirit into this dark world. You suffered the worst that the world could do to You, but You will come at the end of the ages and our little world containing our whole person, body united with soul, will move from the passing of time until the endless day of eternity. In the sufferings of life, help us to keep before our minds the glory that is to come, not only for ourselves, but for all who might suffer and those who turn to you in faith and the hope of salvation. Amen.