“those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead”
Luke 23:43 – While on the Cross Jesus turns to the repentant thief St. Dismas and says, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
Paradise is not possible on earth. One of the basics of philosophy is the concept of “means” and “ends”. For example money is a means to an end. Money is never an end in and of itself. We make money, a means, in order to buy a car. Is the car an end? No! The car itself is a means to an end. The car may be a means, enabling a person to get to work, or get popularity and attention. Marriage is a means to an end. The end is heaven. Jesus says, “the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage”[i]The dead don’t need marriage, they are dead, they have reached their end. “We have to remind ourselves of the crucial fact that our soul is immortal, that it will be untied to our physical body at the end of time, that the union of our body and soul has an eternal destiny. Everything which we undertake in this life ought to be oriented to this momentous truth: We belong to God completely, soul and body, flesh and bones, all our senses and faculties.”[ii]
Search: Marriage
What is the purpose of marriage? The purpose of marriage is two-fold: First, the married couple enters into a heterosexual, permanent, and exclusive relationship on earth in order to help each other get to heaven. Second, marriage is for the procreation and education of children. Both of these goals express the four pillars of marriage: heterosexual, permanent, exclusive, and open to life. The primary goal of marriage is not happiness, this is why in the marriage vows the groom and bride say, “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.”[iii] A spouse’s goal is not to necessarily make their spouse happy, but to help their spouse reach what will ultimately make them happy: heaven.
Can we be happy? Where does our happiness come from? There are mixed feelings in our society about whether happiness can be achieved.
One thought is that we can live happily ever after on this earth. If a person finds the perfect spouse, has the perfect job, the perfect house then they will live happily ever after. Many hope in “forever”. The original “Happily ever after” that most of us our familiar with is Cinderella, who is miserable, but then finds prince charming and lives happily ever after. One of the main plots in the Twilight Series is the dream of living with a soul mate forever and just being happy forever and ever.
Our modern society has become skeptical and wonders if happiness is possible and asks, “Will I end up happy?” Why have we become skeptical, why do we wonder if we will end up happy?
MUSIC VIDEO – “Happily Ever After” by He is We
Our Catholic faith tells us that this earth does not provide “happily ever after”, but rather that the things of this earth are only the “means” to the true “end” which is heaven the real “happily ever after”. We understand that although this world is good and has much to offer, it also disappoints us, especially when we make the things of this world our “end” rather than our “means”.
Saint Paul says, “For to me life is Christ and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, (for) that is far better. Yet that I remain (in) the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.”[iv]In these words, Saint Paul expresses great hope that our life is in Christ and if we die in Christ we will also rise in Christ. Saint Paul also expresses assurance that afterlife will be far greater than our present life. Jesus describes the afterlife to the good thief as “paradise”. The afterlife is so far greater than the temporal life that Saint Paul finds it hard to stay on earth.
What motivates Saint Paul to stay on earth? Although we desire heaven and the afterlife, why is it necessary for us to be on earth? Saint Paul says that he remains in the flesh for the benefit of those he is working with. We are to use our time on earth for good, in fact to waste the time God has given to miss opportunities to do good to do His will is a sin against the seventh commandment, thou shall not steal. To “waste time” is also the sin of sloth, which is opposite of the beatitude “to hunger and thirst for holiness”. When we waste time, we are in a sense stealing time by wasting and misusing what God has given us. We pray in the collect, “graciously keep from us all adversity, so that, unhindered in mind and body alike,
we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.” Health of mind and body enables us to further the work of God. “Our present life is called a ‘time of probation’ because we are now being tried in our loyalty to God. If we use our freedom to serve God faithfully in this life, we shall be rewarded in the life to come. Christ warned us always to be ready, ‘You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect’ (Luke 12:40).”[v] We are called not only to be loyal to God and to work out our own salvation but to help others be loyal to God and to help others work out their salvation.
[i] Gospel Reading in this packet
[ii] Fr. Francis Fernandez; In Conversation with God; Vol 5., 75.1
[iii] The Rite of Marriage
[iv] Philippians 1:23-24
[v] Fr. John Hardon, S.J., Basic Catholic Catechism Course; page 40