This Is Heaven!

A Reflection on the Second Reading for May 8th, 2022:
​Fourth Sunday of Easter

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Revelation
7.9, 14b-17

After this I, John, looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. And one of the elders then said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
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What a tremendous vision John had! “[A] great multitude from every nation, tribe, peoples and language,” all standing together before God. All “robed in white with palm branches in their hands.” Too many to count, John says. All standing before God after coming out of the great ordeal of life, washed white by the blood of the Lamb. John is getting a glimpse of what the Catholic Church calls the beatific vision.

“Those who are united with Christ will form the community of the redeemed, "the holy city" of God, "the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." She will not be wounded any longer by sin, stains, self-love, that destroy or wound the earthly community. The beatific vision, in which God opens himself in an inexhaustible way to the elect, will be the ever-flowing well-spring of happiness, peace, and mutual communion.” (CCC 1045) 

This is heaven! 

I don’t know about you, but I want to see this with my own two eyes some day. I want to be in the company of saints praising God day and night. But how can I get there? What can I do to deserve a place in this crowd of holy men and women? 
      
In the gospel of John Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish.” (John 10:27-28)

 Jesus gives us eternal life. It is a free gift! All we have to do is follow Him.

When I was 23 years old, I made a decision to follow Jesus. I decided that I would strive every day to put Him at the center of my life. Thirty years later I’m still striving to keep Jesus at the center and I have no regrets. I don’t miss the things that I have left behind to follow Him. I don’t wish I had my old ways back. I don’t mourn the loss of habits, material goods, friendships, career goals, time or anything else that is of this world and not His world. As Saint Paul says, “I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8-10)
        
Today ask Jesus what are the things that you can leave behind in order to see Him face to face some day. Remember that there is an ever flowing well-spring of happiness, peace and communion waiting for you. And please God let us see it together!




​Maxine Brown
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