The joys of heaven are, in part, not able to be imagined because they are far, far beyond our experience. In part, also, the difficulty is that they are simply unimagined - no one yet has made the effort. But what will it mean for us to be human beings in heaven? Here is the transcript of a short talk by a theologian who is writing a book on heaven and hell. Peter Ryan S.J. identifies some elements of the existence that awaits us. However, the great love that offers us the joys of heaven demands something from us. So a lot rides on how we think of our life that will extend into a never-ending future.
God's plan is truly magnificent. Through Jesus, He calls us to cooperate with His grace, so that we will be able to enter His kingdom and enjoy unimaginable joy, for ever. He promises human fulfillment: resurrection life, fulfillment in all the human goods we naturally desire. It makes sense to understand this to include human friendship, a deep understanding of creation, human culture with music, art, and yes, even play.
God also offers us divine intimacy, intimate friendship with Father, Son and Spirit. Jesus invites us into His own divine family. Now this human in divine fulfillment is what we might call a 'package deal". God offers them together. We can't have one without the other, and to receive it we must become God-like. We can't enter His presence without cooperating with His grace, and becoming like God.
Jesus tells us how to do that [...] with His utterly radical exaltation, "Love your enemies", "Turn the other cheek", "Lend, but expect nothing back". Now, at first, this seems unreasonable. "Love your enemies?", Turn the other cheek?", "Pray for them?" But then we recall that Jesus Himself did this. He laid down His life for ... us, even while we were still sinners!
So He knows what He is talking about. He's got true credibility when He says that God is kind to the grateful and the wicked. For He is the incarnate Lord and He showed that kindness. And if we follow His example, then we will be, as He tells us, God-like, and our reward will be great. We will be, as He says, "children of the Most High", and we will be well-suited to enter into His kingdom of joy!
