Letters

What is Heaven?

Winsome De Jong

Contents - May 2013 - Buy a copy now Editorial: AD2000: looking towards the future - Damian Wyld Francis: pope of paradox - Damian Wyld News: The Church Around the World Youth: Reasons for Hope retreat for young adult Catholics - Barry Coldrey Legacy: An Act of Faith: AD2000 after 25 years - B.A. Santamaria Church unity and the Anglican Ordinariate - Archbishop Gerhard Müller Abortion: confused pain in a confused society - Anne Lastman The plight of Egypt's Christians - Youssef Sidhom History: The Church in the Middle Ages: the role of bishops - Frank Mobbs Order of Malta: 900 years young (Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium) Pauperum. - Damian Wyld Ancient Greek contributions to Western Church music - Christopher Warner Letters: Holy Land visit - Julie-Ann McLoughlin Letters: Jesuit legacy - Ken Bayliss Letters: What is Heaven? - Winsome De Jong Letters: Hypocricy - Arnold Jago Letters: Letters of thanks to Michael Gilchrist - Various Books: SAINTS, SACRILEGE AND SEDITION: Religion and Conflict in the Tudor Reformations - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: SIXTUS V: the Hermit of Villa Montalto, by W.T. Selley - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Pentecost: opening our minds to truth and our hearts to love - Bishop Arthur Serratelli

Thank you Andrew Sholl for your letter titled "The Second Coming" (April AD2000). It sheds new light for me on the Gospel meaning. Although I have completed a Diploma in Theology, I was not aware of this.

I would now like to mention another matter unrelated to the letter. It involves a description of Heaven. Last year Cardinal George Pell on Q&A (ABC television) was asked by a person in the audience to describe Heaven. And just recently the Archbishop of Brisbane was asked also to describe Heaven by a person in the audience on Q&A.

I was frustrated by the responses given because the descriptions of Heaven as presented by them, I felt, would not win over the person in the street. So upon reflection and prayer I perceived an idea of Heaven that truly relates for me and I thought I would share it with others.

Heaven is a state of being. It is a time when the human beings pass beyond their earthly lives and their souls are transformed into a state of grace. When people receive the state of grace they are one with Christ and all heavenly beings. When they ascend to grace they enter a heaven: a state created by Christ for those He deems worthy. To experience Heaven is to know the truth and purity of God's wisdom.

When this state is achieved the human form becomes a heavenly body and enters into the realm of Christ's Kingdom. God's Kingdom is for those He chooses and who in their lives have believed in Christ's teachings and exercised His love in their daily tasks.

WINSOME DE JONG
Irrewillipe East, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 26 No 4 (May 2013), p. 15