New Heaven and New Earth: A Meditation

[ Estimated Read Time: 8 minutes ]

1. "Nothing unclean shall enter [heaven]," according to the Book of Revelation. (Revelation 21:27), which explains that only the pure are allowed to approach God's presence. We have faith that God, in his mercy, offers timely opportunity for that purification.
2. “At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will come in its fullness. After the universal judgment, the righteous will reign for ever with Christ, glorified in body and soul. The universe itself will be renewed” (CCC 1042).
3. “Sacred Scripture calls this mysterious renewal, which will transform humanity and the world, ‘new heavens and a new earth’” (CCC 1043).
4. “The visible universe, then, is itself destined to be transformed, so that the world itself, restored to its original state, facing no further obstacles, should be at the service of the just, sharing their glorification in the risen Jesus Christ” (CCC 1047).
5. “We know neither the moment of the consummation of the earth and of man, nor the way in which the universe will be transformed” (CCC 1048).

For a moment, try to imagine what is practically unimaginable: a new heaven and a new earth.  Reach toward God for an answer, not demanding an answer nor wiggling around in the delusion that the human mind can fully capture nor contain an answer.  Ask God for grace.  A prayer comes to mind: Lord, I do believe; help Thou my unbelief.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a great voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.”

We are told the new Jerusalem will be "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband," and "death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain."  In this life, we catch glimpses of perfection - in the love (agape) we share, in the beauty of a newborn child, in the joy of parents playing with their children, in the selfless acts (caritas) that liberate others, in the awe inspired by natural wonders, in the arts and in lifegiving medical advances and benevolent scientific accomplishments.

And he who sat upon the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life. He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And in the Spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed; on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And he who talked to me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its breadth; and he measured the city with his rod, twelve thousand stadia; its length and breadth and height are equal. He also measured its wall, a hundred and forty-four cubits by a man’s measure, that is, an angel’s. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, clear as glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, transparent as glass.

There is an obvious connection between the 12 stones and the 12 tribes of Israel, as evidenced by the inscriptions on the walls of Jerusalem that list the names of each tribe for each stone.

Saint John's testimony describes the city's foundations as made of jasper, sapphire, and emerald.  These descriptions serve to emphasize the beauty of the city and the heavenly light that illuminates it.  The imagery suggests that the city is a metaphor for God's majesty and presence among His people, as well as an actual place.

Connection to the Church.  The Church - the Bride of Christ - is represented by the gemstones.  The Church is built on the foundation of the apostles, represented by the twelve stones, and is adorned with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  This connection highlights the Church's role as a living entity that reflects the beauty and holiness of God.

Covenant. A second basis for the use of gemstones in Revelation is the Old Testament, when valuable stones were used in the breastplate of the high priest (Exodus 28) and were associated with the splendour of God.  This continuity highlights how God has fulfilled his word and how a new covenant has been created by Christ, the cornerstone of this new creation.

Purgatory

And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light shall the nations walk; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it, and its gates shall never be shut by day—and there shall be no night there; they shall bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean shall enter it, nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

"Nothing unclean shall enter it."

Saint John reminds us that nothing unclean shall enter into the presence of God.  We rely on God's mercy to purify us of venial obstacles that remain after death.

The Catholic Church's understanding of purgatory, of purification after death for the elect, is rooted in both the Old and New Testaments, as well as in the tradition of the Church.

Old Testament References

The book of 2 Maccabees (12:38-46) is often cited as a foundational text for the belief in purgatory. It describes Judas Maccabeus making atonement for the dead by sending money to Jerusalem for sacrifices, indicating a belief that the deceased could benefit from prayers and offerings made on their behalf. This passage concludes with the statement that it is a "holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from their sins"1.

New Testament Insights

In the New Testament, Jesus mentions a form of forgiveness that can occur in the age to come, particularly in Matthew 12:32, where He states that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven "in this age or in the age to come." This implies that some sins can be forgiven after death, suggesting a purifying process 2,1.

Additionally, 1 Corinthians 3:15 speaks of a person being saved "as through fire," which has been interpreted as a reference to the purification process that occurs after death 3.

Theological Development

The doctrine of purgatory was formally articulated by the Church, particularly at the Councils of Florence and Trent, which emphasized that purgatory is distinct from the punishment of the damned and serves as a final purification for the elect 2,4.

Prayers for the Dead

The practice of praying for the dead, which is rooted in the belief in purgatory, has been a part of Christian tradition since the early Church. This practice reflects the understanding that the living can assist the deceased in their purification process through prayer and good works 5,6,7.

References

1. Catholic Encyclopedia Purgatory
2. CCC 1031
3. Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church: Christ – Our Pascha 250
4. Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines 251
5. General Audience of 4 August 1999
6. Spe Salvi 48
7. Catholic Encyclopedia Prayers for the Dead

Unlike some heretical sectarian teachings that would have us ignore the necessity of doing our part to cooperate with God as we work out our salvation in fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12-13), true to the Apostolic teaching, the Church provides us with ample opportunities, wisdom and spiritual practices that help us acknowledge sin and dispose us to God's grace, and that help us to invite others to let God reach into their souls with His love and truth.