by Zach Egan
If anyone has even talked to me just once, they know that I ask a lot of questions, you know, the usual, Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? So when I started high school a couple weeks ago, I didn't know what to expect, I had tons of questions of what everything would be like. Everyone said that freshman year was terrible, and I'll absolutely hate it, but to me, I love being in high school, I'm not saying I'm absolutely thrilled about going to school, but I'm not dreading it like I used too.
Anyways... I was at a Confirmation retreat in April and we want into small group and we got off topic from what we were originally supposed to talk about, and just started asking random questions about our Catholic faith. I still don't know how I came across this question, and maybe some of you have thought about it before
What does heaven look like?
I asked my small group leader - now ordained as a transitional deacon, "If heaven is considered paradise, what does it look like?"
He asked me without hesitation, "What do you think it looks like?"
Now I know most of you might have the same image that I do, you're in the clouds, or sky, or everything around you is just white, nothing else. The bible verse I liked the best is Hebrews 3:4 and it says "Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." I feel like it relates to this a ton! Heaven might be different to everyone, built by a different person, but every heaven has God in it, God helps you build your heaven. God helps build every heaven. Everyone will have a different spiritual experience of heaven
The rest of the day I couldn't take my mind off that question, I thought that everyone has a different type of paradise, for most, a type of paradise might be the beach, or for others it might be in the city, or the mountains, or the forest, or the snow. So then I thought, Is everyone's heaven different? Does heaven look different to everyone, even if you're all in the same place? What if Heaven is like a town, or city, and we all have neighborhoods with all of our friends and family, and in the big house on the top of the hill is where God is.
I realized that I wouldn't know until I get there, that's what it is for everything that is new to you, not just starting high school, it could be that you're trying a certain food for the first time, going to a new school, or trying a new sport. You won't physically know what something is like, until you see it for yourself, until you experience it first handed.
The question has still lingered in my head ever since, I've thought about it all throughout the summer and the more I thought about it, the more I realized, the paradise aspect of heaven doesn't have to be about the scenery, or the objects in it, paradise is about being with God, with Jesus and Mary, with the angels and saints eternally, in a place of never-ending joy and happiness, no stress or worries, just you and God 1 on 1.
Heaven fulfills us with a sense of peace and joy that nothing on this earth can. It's a place of relaxation, a place of paradise. We can find places on this earth that make us happy, but as you know, all good things must come to an end, and that's why heaven can sustain that happiness in us, it doesn't end. That to me, is worth the wait.
-Zach
Anyways... I was at a Confirmation retreat in April and we want into small group and we got off topic from what we were originally supposed to talk about, and just started asking random questions about our Catholic faith. I still don't know how I came across this question, and maybe some of you have thought about it before
What does heaven look like?
I asked my small group leader - now ordained as a transitional deacon, "If heaven is considered paradise, what does it look like?"
He asked me without hesitation, "What do you think it looks like?"
Now I know most of you might have the same image that I do, you're in the clouds, or sky, or everything around you is just white, nothing else. The bible verse I liked the best is Hebrews 3:4 and it says "Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." I feel like it relates to this a ton! Heaven might be different to everyone, built by a different person, but every heaven has God in it, God helps you build your heaven. God helps build every heaven. Everyone will have a different spiritual experience of heaven
The rest of the day I couldn't take my mind off that question, I thought that everyone has a different type of paradise, for most, a type of paradise might be the beach, or for others it might be in the city, or the mountains, or the forest, or the snow. So then I thought, Is everyone's heaven different? Does heaven look different to everyone, even if you're all in the same place? What if Heaven is like a town, or city, and we all have neighborhoods with all of our friends and family, and in the big house on the top of the hill is where God is.
I realized that I wouldn't know until I get there, that's what it is for everything that is new to you, not just starting high school, it could be that you're trying a certain food for the first time, going to a new school, or trying a new sport. You won't physically know what something is like, until you see it for yourself, until you experience it first handed.
The question has still lingered in my head ever since, I've thought about it all throughout the summer and the more I thought about it, the more I realized, the paradise aspect of heaven doesn't have to be about the scenery, or the objects in it, paradise is about being with God, with Jesus and Mary, with the angels and saints eternally, in a place of never-ending joy and happiness, no stress or worries, just you and God 1 on 1.
Heaven fulfills us with a sense of peace and joy that nothing on this earth can. It's a place of relaxation, a place of paradise. We can find places on this earth that make us happy, but as you know, all good things must come to an end, and that's why heaven can sustain that happiness in us, it doesn't end. That to me, is worth the wait.
-Zach
Zach Egan
I am currently a freshman at Kings High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. I'm a very energetic person and am always active! I play football, basketball, and baseball. I love being around people and exploring new things. I've been a parishioner at St. Margaret of York all of my life and I love being involved in Mass through altar serving or being an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion.
I am currently a freshman at Kings High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. I'm a very energetic person and am always active! I play football, basketball, and baseball. I love being around people and exploring new things. I've been a parishioner at St. Margaret of York all of my life and I love being involved in Mass through altar serving or being an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion.