A "What If.." Question

TITL

What if questions are annoying, but I'm going to ask one anyway.

What if we went to heaven and found out someone we loved dearly didn't; wouldn't that keep us from being in a joyful, rejoicing, bliss mood? I mean, I don't know about you all, but I would be devastated (maybe for eternity) to know that someone I love is in eternal damnation. Living with the Lord is happiness unlike any other, I know that, but it would kill me to know that a loved one is in punishment... forever... and ever... and ever.

If what I just said doesn't make any sense, please let me know so I can reword that into English.

Thank you.

peterfarrington

It is not a question I have a definite answer to in my own mind except that the Lord is merciful and desires that no-one perish. I cannot say much more because I am not sure in my own thoughts. I also struggle to unite the two concepts you present and therefore hope that further study and prayer will provide more of an answer.

TITL

Thanks for taking the time to read and reply Father :-)

God bless you.

servant33

I'm sure God has it already taken care of and you don't need to worry about it  ;)

TITL

How? Will He make that feeling inside us go away?

ilovesaintmark

I will answer with questions:  How does God feel when one of us sins?  How does God feel when someone is loved until the last moment of his/her life and still does not repent and has to be damned?  How did God feel when Satan, initially God's most beautiful angelic creation, rebelled against Him?  How did God feel when Adam, His son, disobey Him?

I think your answer is in pondering these questions, initially.

One may look to different examples in the Holy Bible:

1.  The Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.  The Rich Man as he encountered the fire of hell asked for Father Abraham to dip his finger in water and quench his burning misery.  The two were separated, and it is apparent that our Father Abraham was not moved with sympathy or empathy.  He was resolved in that his expression was relative to fulfilling the Will of God.

2.  When the Saducees tried to corner Our Lord relative to the afterlife as a contrast to the Pharisee acceptance of the afterlife.  They gave Our Lord an example of seven brothers who successively took a woman as a wife, each to fulfill the duty of the previous brother.  Our Lord replied that in Heaven, they are neither given or taken in marriage, that they are formed in bodies of light [paraphrase].

3.  In the Book of Revelation we find that the Heavenly Jerusalem is described.  It glistens and is bedazzled with jewels and gold.  Yet, there is no sun and no moon, for the Light of the Lord is all that is necessary.  This highlights that there are no worries of the day as identified by the sun/moon.  The Lord fulfills all of our needs.  There are no troubles or anxiety or emotion that goes beyond the love of us for God and in uniting with the Love that He will share with us throughout eternity.

4.  In another regard, St. John in the Apocalypse ascribes emotions to different angels that he encounters.  We know that the angels and heavenly beings are touched by the actions and functions of humans.  We also know that God is touched by His Creations.  It seems that emotions may be allowed to express.  I think however that the anxiety component or anything that detracts from the total thought and concentration on God is disspelled.

The kinship and bodies we have on earth will be transformed.  Our ultimate kinship is in uniting with the Love and Will of God.  Nothing else will have importance or relevance. 

I do not think there is a distinct answer, because we do not know fully. 

I think Fr. Boules Bassily wrote a book about different heavenly matters (in Arabic).  I will see if I can find it and offer any thoughts from his meditations.

anba bola

Here is some food for thought:


In our lives there may be some of our friends and family who don't know God, nor love him, which greatly saddens us. However this doesn't hinder us from being happy with God also, nor to be joyful in him, though we are saddened over this loved one. For example I know people who go to church yet don't really know God, which sometimes brings me to tears, but this doesn't prevent me from the happiness that being with God brings.

Now, I'm not sure whether this will be how it is in the situation you presented and I like ilovesaintmark's answer alot, but I just thought to bring this up.

Please Correct me if I'm wrong in anything and God Bless.

TITL

I don't want to talk about the emotions of God, because it's complicated and I will never understand in a million years (He can feel multiple things at once). But what about St. Mary who's always crying over our sins? Is she REALLY crying in heaven? You said Abraham wasn't moved with sympathy. So we too won't be moved if we see our friends/relatives/sisters/brothers/fathers/mothers suffering in hell? Are you saying God DOES take those feelings away from us once we're in Heaven? I think that's what your number 4 said, right?

George_Mina_Awad

Revelation 21:4 says, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." The last sentence does imply that the issue you bring up isn't factored in, and I've wondered about it too. But what you can do is pray for the salvation of all your loved ones every time you pray.

TITL

I asked my parents this question last night and they basically reiterated everything ilovesaintmark said lol. I understand now. Thank you :-)

mabsoota

george-mina-awad, that's what i was going to say!
God will sort it out and wipe our tears.
we will be so close to Him we will accept His judgement and we will understand then what we don't now.
may He have mercy on us too.