LIVE IN HEAVEN

“A CHRISTIAN WALKS ON EARTH BUT LIVES IN HEAVEN.” This is a statement from the Easter Meditation of the Vatican II Weekday Missal.

The Easter Meditation dwells on the words of St. Paul in his Letter to the Philippians which says: “ For us, our citizenship is in heaven, from where we await the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the Lord. He will transfigure our lowly body, making it like his own body, radiant in Glory, through the power which is his to submit everything to himself.” (Phil. 3:20-21).

From these words of St. Paul the meditation concludes that though our bodies keep us on earth, by nature and by grace we belong to heaven.

I have been pondering on how I could really put into practice this wonderful statement. The big question that confronted me is: “WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LIVE IN HEAVEN?”

We have been used to think of heaven as a PLACE where GOD IS. Spiritual writers, however, view heaven as a STATE wherein one is UNITED WITH GOD. Hence, even here on earth one can already be in heaven, if he is united with God. UNION WITH GOD is, therefore, the essence of HEAVEN.

The challenge to me then is “HOW TO LIVE IN UNION WITH GOD?”

This, I believe, is precisely the WORK that has been attributed in a special way to the HOLY SPIRIT – the WORK OF SANCTIFICATION.

PENTECOST – the Feast we celebrated last Sunday, May 23, is the Mystery of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity – which gives Birth to the Church and makes her alive in dispensing the graces we need to become HOLY and be UNITED WITH GOD. The Church ordinarily dispenses these graces through the seven Sacraments. There are also other means or channels, by which one can obtain these graces, such as prayer, corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

For me, then, TO LIVE IN HEAVEN, means to strive to be ALWAYS UNITED WITH GOD, through the GRACES coming from the HOLY SPIRIT Who dispenses them through the Church or through various works of sanctification.

This consciousness of being united with God, regardless of whatever situation one may be in, is indeed, a great inspiration that brings me peace and joy – a foretaste of the LIFE IN HEAVEN.

by: Salvador 'Buddy' Cagurangan
May 30, 2010