How Does In God's Love relate to the Catholic Church?

How does In God's Love 
written by Janet Hurlow
relate to
the Catholic Faith ?

  Chapter 5  We Believe in Heaven, Hell and Purgatory 1/5

            Part 1 Heaven
                      Section 1 Heaven on Earth Before our Death

314     There is heaven on Earth.  The idea that heaven already exists on Earth is not a new idea in the Church.  The Catechism professes, “To fulfill the Father's will, Christ ushered in the Kingdom of heaven on Earth. The Church "is the Reign of Christ already present in mystery."(1)   According to the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus states that one can experience the kingdom of heaven now: “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs IS the Kingdom of heaven… Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness for theirs IS the Kingdom of heaven.”(2)   Obviously, while yes, we are in the kingdom when by the power of the Holy Spirit we live these beatitudes, the fact that we can be persecuted and still experience the kingdom means that it is not as perfect as it is in heaven, in the afterlife.  Yet, to be in God’s presence, no matter what may be going on around us, is to be in heaven.  The messengers state that because their spirits are in God’s presence, they are in a heavenly state and we, too, if we are in God’s Spirit, can be in a “heavenly state”: “Heaven is in our spirits.  It is in our spirits because we are in God’s presence.  In God’s Spirit is Heaven.  Blessed of Earth are in a heavenly state.  In God’s Spirit is security.  In God’s Spirit is life.  All who are in God’s Spirit need only ask for His blessing.”(3)   Indeed, they proclaim that if everyone turned to God, then Earth could be a heavenly paradise: “‘On Earth as it is in Heaven,’ is a bit of wisdom.  Suppose everyone who lives on the Earth became God’s spiritual inspiration.  Everyone who lives on the Earth turned his/her heart and soul to God.  This would be seen.  Very Earth would become a paradise.  Earth would be as Heaven is.  This is exactly what Jesus told you.”(4)

                      Section 2 Entry into Heaven After Death

315           The messengers speak of heaven as a “state of life”: “Songs are sung on Earth to reach such sacred state of life inscribed: Heaven.”(5)   They also describe it as a blessing for those who enter at the end of our journey: “This is your blessing at the end of your journey.”(6)   Those who are on this journey are to keep this end, this day, in sight: “You have worked hard.  You have suffered much, yet you have kept this day in your sight, and you have been brave and true to what you believe in.  So you have arrived with such gladness.  Blessed day, when you come to the feast clothed in God’s love.”(7)

316            The messengers talk about entering the Kingdom of God and there is one image that they use that every parent with small children can appreciate.  They illustrate, “Earth children who wait for Christmas morning are something like those waiting for the dawn of God’s Kingdom.  So very happy are the our dear, little ones.”(8)   Every parent has enjoyed watching the bubbling up of excitement as the kids can’t wait to come down the stairs to see want Santa has brought them.  The day has arrived!!!  Those who enter heaven will be so excited when finally get to see the presents of the Kingdom of Heaven we have been waiting for.  In another powerful image of entry into heaven they state, “So, while you arrive, God’s Spirit overflows in your spirit.  Come, Earth children, make yourselves full of life and good times.  Live so well in God’s love.  In this state, you remain so blessedly, laughing and singing to God with such joy and peace.  This is the way God wants you.  This is the way you shall arrive.  This is the only state of blessed singing you are to come in, blessed of Earth. Amen.”(9)   They also describe another transformation that will happen at the door of heaven: “When you come to the door of God’s Kingdom, you will wonder why you ever had a grievance with another human being.  The happiness will rush into your heart and fill you with love and kindness.”(10)

317           Those who enter heaven are welcomed home.  Before reading any further in “The Presentation,” I would encourage the reader to reread In God’s Love’ s best passage on coming home to heaven which is passage # 502 “You Have Arrived Home”.  Here are some of the phrases from this passage: “Mom and dad are at the gate to welcome you home.  They throw their arms around you and hug you and kiss you with great tears of joy streaming down their faces.  All the relatives greet you and are so grateful that got you home safe.  Then you see your little brother and your little sister.  They are so beautiful.  They take you in and show you the great feast prepared in your honor. This is you.  You are so young and beautiful.  You are so full of energy and life.  What happened to the old body?  That person who was crippled and blind?  That person who could not remember who you were?  This is the day.  This is the great and glorious day.  It is the beginning of a new day.  You have arrived home!....It was a wonderful road.  You knew you were on the road leading home.  You could walk and talk.  You could see and hear.  You felt so energetic and full of life.  You knew where you were for a long while.  You did not know, but now you knew.  You could not remember where you had been.  Where you had been an old man didn’t matter.  You wonder, ‘Where did the words “old man” come from?’  It doesn’t matter.  This day, as the sun rises in the horizon, a free man walks this road.”(11)   They speak about tears of joy when those who are in heaven see God’s glory: “God brings in His children with tears in their eyes, and, when they see His glory, the tears are turned to such joy.  His Spirit makes souls of Earth reach such happiness though tears of pain they still have from Earth’s sorrow.  When those tears are turned to exclamations of such joy, nothing is quite so lovely.”(12)   They describe the walk to heaven as a journey of great joy made by heroes of God: “Come, children.  Walk with great joy, for His love is shining in your faces.  Sing praises forever.  They are marching two by two, marching through the pages of time.  Even unto death they come, trusting in His promise, trusting in His love.  Each one was a hero.  Each one was brave and honest.  They come filled with faith and love, those saints of Earth, walking to God, their love.”(13)

318          For those who enter heaven their life on Earth will fade away: “When you cross over, the life you spent on Earth will be as a dream.  When your life begins in Heaven, all reality will be yours.”(14)    “You will be like a woman who has gone through the pain of bringing forth a child.  You will hold your baby and not remember the suffering of childbirth.  You will welcome the Spirit as you welcomed your child.  You will be filled with happiness.  You will be a zillion times happier than when you held your baby for the first time.  You who accept and love God, more cannot be had.”(15)

319           Those who enter heaven, will realize that heaven is greater than anything they have experienced on Earth.  When the “blessed day comes when souls are brought in.  ‘What were we afraid of?’ each one says, ‘Earth was nothing compared to this.’”(16)   They tell us the magnificent moments of beauty that we experience on Earth are only a brief moment of a preview of heaven.(17)   They explain that “Heaven is so lovely.  What is found on Earth is so much fuller and richer in Heaven.”(18)   They draw another comparison between the known experience of Earth and the unknown experience of heaven when they discuss how they are trying to guide us from what we know into heaven: “We are trying to guide you through this dense fog of things that are real and unreal, true and untrue, (our life on Earth now) into a place where all things are true and real, a place where nothing fails you nor deceives you ever again.”(19)   Think about it.  We profess that lies and everything false will not be in heaven, and yet we know they coexist here on Earth along with the truth of God.  So, when those who are in heaven are surrounded by all truth, the spirit of truth that is the Holy Spirit, how could this not be more real, more full, more beautiful than what they experienced in the world that is mixed with the lies and the king of liars.  

  The next section in Part One    Chapter 5  :  2/5