And a question I raised.
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Pietro Molla, aged 98, husband of St. Gianna died in his house at Mesero, near Milano. He was surrounded by his children. He died on Holy Saturday this year. - Idle Speculations
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I expect most Catholics are aware of his death by now. However, his death led me to pose a question concerning the death of a husband and wife, on a memorial post for Mr. Molla at Angela's Angels blog. I'm sure she thought my comment was facetious, but I was serious when I asked:
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Since one is married until "death do you part" is the couple still married in heaven after they are both dead? Remember how Christ answered the Sadducees who were testing him about the woman who had seven husbands, asking whose wife she would be in heaven? Jesus explained, "You are badly misled because you fail to understand the Scriptures and the power of God. When people rise from the dead, they neither marry or are given in marriage but live like angels in heaven." - Matt. 22: 23-33
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I'm not trying to be clever here, nor am I trying to 'test' anyone. I suppose it is like the popular question that everyone with a cat or a dog wants answered in the affirmative, "Do pets go to heaven?" In other words, we can't really say for sure. Although we do know that a priest will still be a priest in heaven, because the sacrament confers a character - Holy Matrimony doesn't... so will the couple be married in Heaven?
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Oh! Oh!
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Bonus question: Do you have to be with your family in Heaven?
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Bonus answer: It wouldn't be Heaven then, would it.
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(Just making light here.)
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Photo: Pietro and Gianna Molla. Source.
If you need your wife, your husband, your dog, your family in Heaven to be perfectly happy, then, by all means, you shall have them there.
ReplyDeleteI think a more theologically substantive answer is in order, so I yield to the subsequent comments that follow. But I sure hope to see those I love once again.
If they bible says they won't be married in heaven then they won't be. My vision of heaven is that we are little children - and children don't marry.
ReplyDeleteTom,
ReplyDeleteThe only problem with your answer is, what if you need a hand rolled Cuban cigar and a tumbler of scotch for your "perfect happiness"? I'm not convinced they will be available in heaven.
I do wonder if sometimes our attitude to our pets (and possibly our spouses) breaks the first commandment in terms of our attachment to them....(I'm only wondering, this isn't an accusation).
In heaven we will love everybody because we will all be a reflection of the glory of the Trinity. This love will be dynamic and I'm sure that if two saints in heaven reflect the glory of God more through their love for each other that they could do as single entities, them this will be possible.
There's no marriage in heaven --- we are not Mormons thank God-- but I'm sure St. Gianna was very happy to see him and I'm sure whether's he's in purgatory or heaven that he was thrilled to even catch a glimpse of her after all these lonesome years.
ReplyDeleteI was under the understanding that there would be no marriage in heaven. We would know who they are, but that relationships are 'different' in heaven as we are all one body in Christ. Just as emotions/feelings in heaven are different-we won't care about it the way we do here as our emotions guide the need, but in heaven we are enlightened and want only what God wants and will have understanding.
ReplyDelete"It wouldn't be heaven then, would it?"
ReplyDeleteHAAAAAA!
No, Terry. No it wouldn't.
;)
My mother said she decided she didn't want to be a nun afterall, when the nuns told the kids that their dogs and cats wouldn't be with them in heaven.
ReplyDeleteMarriage/family isn't the goal in this life, it's a means to the Goal. This post has made me think that perhaps all the good bad and ugly nuances of the journey of family/marriage is a lot like the mysteries of the Rosary. Maybe that's common Catholic knowledge, but I really hadn't heard or thought about it like this.
ReplyDeleteRita - right on - we need detachment.
ReplyDeleteCarol - I think you are right.
Thanks everyone for answering.
I suppose I should inform you beforehand that my "mansion" in heaven will be crawling with cats and dogs - with no poop to clean up. ;)
I have to change my answer in the post now too.
ReplyDeleteI hope there are golf courses and hockey games...and blogging! I really hope there's blogging in heaven.
ReplyDeleteAs St. Paul put it, "There are three things that last: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love." - I Corinthians 13:13. Even if there is no marriage or giving in marriage in heaven, it is comforting to know that love will never go away; I think Dymphna is right.
ReplyDeleteTerry, I agree with you, I hope the animals are there, too!
No marriage coz a man or woman could have several wives or husbands if the previous one died..now then Terry when are we gonna find you a nice wifey? Remember u woudn't be married in heaven! lol
ReplyDelete