Stopover 10

    At the Deathbed of a Nationalist Heroine

    (The Kingdom of God As Future)

    our host: Nationalist Heroine

     The ‘When’ of the Kingdom. Very well, our signposts thus far have supplied a wealth of information about what the Kingdom of God is. We who have traveled this far are perhaps inquisitive and impatient about when all this will come about. Our signposts will show that the Kingdom of God has both a present and a future aspect. It is, as the dull formula goes, already here and not yet.

    In this Stopover our signposts point to the Kingdom of God in its future aspect.

    What Is It All About? In this Stopover, we find ourselves at the bedside of a human rights worker. She lies in critical condition, after being wounded by a military armalite.43 After a lifetime of commitment, and facing possible death, she asks: is it all about going to heaven? Or is it accompanying humankind toward the final Kingdom of God?

    A few years ago, if I had been asked, ‘Which moment of our life is the most crucial?’—I would have had no second thought. I would answer, ‘the moment of death of each individual person.’ In my mind, that moment was associated with the soul’s subsequent fate: eternal damnation or bliss. And it was my task to bring souls to heaven. But people like our dying host and, of course, the biblical Jesus, have taught me that it is not all about going to heaven at death. It is also about helping to move history towards the definitive Kingdom of God of the future.

    Kingdom of God As Future.

    Future … These indicators talk about a Kingdom of God as something in the future:

    Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and eat in the Kingdom of God. (Lk 13:29) Jesus sees a vision of a future reality: it is a sight of men and women who will be streaming towards the banquet of the Kingdom from all parts of the globe. Truly, I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God. (Mk 14:25) At the last supper, Jesus foresees that the next time he will share wine with his disciples will be in the future Kingdom of God. [May] your Kingdom come! (Mt 6:10) The principal petition in the Lord’s prayer is for the Kingdom to come. It has not yet come. It is still in the future.

    … End of Human History. Can we determine this future with more precision? When is this future moment of the coming of God’s Kingdom? Is it the moment of a person’s death? Or is it some other moment in the story of humankind? Our signposts:

    The Kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. (end of human history) (Mt 13:47-49) There will be a separation of the good and the bad – generally known as ‘general judgment’ to precede the coming of the Kingdom of God. That scenario is calendared for the end of human history. Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. (Jn 11:23-24) The resurrection, one of the foremost Kingdom-blessings, will be a reality ‘at the last day.’ Then comes the end (i.e., of human of history) when he (Jesus) hands over the Kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. (1 Cor 15:24) There will then be a ‘mission accomplished’ ceremony in which Jesus hands over the final Kingdom – at the ‘end,’ referring to the end of history. When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ Jesus answered them, "Beware that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Messiah!’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs … And this good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, as a testimony to all the nations; and then the end will come." (Mt 24:3-14) In this passage, this end is associated with the coming again or parousia of Jesus.

    The Kingdom of God then, in so far as it is still future, will be experienced not when you and I die, but at that moment in world history when humankind will arrive at the ‘end.’ That is the message of such expressions as ‘the close of the age,’ ‘on the last day,’ ‘end.’

    Where Are We Going?

    The All-Important Moment. There was a time when, as a priest, I was psychologically and theologically geared to the moment of death as the all-important moment. As soon as a human being was born, my quite praiseworthy concern was to administer baptism, i.e. to prepare that baby for death (!) and for eventual beatific vision. Now, without minimizing the importance of the moment of death, I have come to realize that my view was too narrow. For, Jesus and the Bible speak of another moment as the all-important and decisive moment: the close of the age or the end-time, the climax of history, the coming of the definitive Kingdom.

    Ultimate Goal of Salvation History. It is therefore at the consummation of human history that the Bible locates our ultimate destiny and final salvation. Where are we going? – this is indeed a very consequential question. What is our ultimate destiny? What is the ultimate goal of salvation-history? Where is it all leading? Heaven after death? Or Kingdom of God at the end-time? The answer is clear for the First Look.

    Where to Direct Our Steps Today. Knowing what our final goal is, we know where to direct our steps today. That future Kingdom of God at the end-time, and not just the lone moment of the individual’s death, is what we should work towards, now. That future fullness of life should, in some provisory way, become a reality through our deeds and life here and now. So it was in the deeds and life of Jesus. So it is in that of our host, the dying human rights worker.

    Why Talk about the Future? What is the use of talking about the Kingdom of God as future? Should we not just talk about it as present? Well, a bit of patience will help until our next stop exhibits roadsigns about the Kingdom as present. Meanwhile, we devote attention to its future aspect for two reasons. First, in order to be faithful to the biblical data. Second, our future goal determines the kind of Christian life and practice we engage in today. A Church whose goal is heaven-after-death will be content to send souls to heaven. It will be concerned for life after death. A Church whose goal is the coming Kingdom of God will dedicate itself to total salvation for humans and nature today. It will (also) be concerned for life before death as it journeys towards the Kingdom.

    Co-Travelers Along the Road to the Future. We Christians are not alone on this road to the future. We have co-travelers. In fact, others, of different Faiths and faiths, have gone ahead of us—more courageous and more committed even. ‘Kingdom of God’ is our Christian vocabulary for the new world, new history. Others have their own. What’s in a name? The new world, that longed-for ‘Utopia,’ by any other name, works like a potent magnet for people with vision and love. Our host is one of them.

    What Kind of World?

    What Kind of World? The Kingdom of God is a future new world at the end of human history.

    Our question now is: what kind of a world? Is it heavenly? This very earth transformed? Another earth? There is no uniform view.

      We can discern three different views.

      The New World Is Heavenly. It is something already existing in heaven, to be manifested at the end-time or the parousia of Christ:

      Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1Pet 1:3-5. You may also see: Col 1:1-5, 3:4; Mt 25:34; Rev 21:2; Gal 4:26; 1Pet 1:4.) 44 This Present Earth Transformed. Another view is that it is this very earth of ours but totally transformed! A re-born creation! Luke’s Kingdom is a new world or reborn creation in Matthew: And I confer on you, just as my Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Lk 22:29-30)

      Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, (in Greek: paliggenesia, transformed creation) when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Mt 19:28)

      Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. (Mt 5:5)

             Also: Rom 8:18-23; Rev 5:10.

      Another World. A third view is that it is another world to take the place of the present one after its destruction.

      But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire? But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness (justice) is at home. (2 Pet 3:10-13)
    Why the Variety of Views. Why is it not easy to provide an accurate floor plan of the new world of the end-time? Because no one has yet experienced it empirically. Thus, even the biblical authors have various expressions for their faith-intuitions. In spite of the diversity, however, there is common intuition here. They all share the view of a full and integral life for people and nature at the consummation of history (and not simply a heaven-and-beatific-vision for the soul).

    Life After Death Now

    Life after Death before the Coming of the Final Kingdom. Finally, we take up that view, very familiar to us from childhood catechism: going to heaven after death.

    If our final destination is the Kingdom at the end-time, what happens to a person before the coming of the Kingdom? When a person dies today, is there life-after-death now, before the final Kingdom of the end-time? Our sign-posts speak of people who die now:

    The poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. (Lk 16:22)

    To the good thief Jesus said: today you will be with me in Paradise. (Lk 23:43)

    I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart [i.e., to die] and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh [i.e., to stay alive] is more necessary on your account. (Phil 1:23)

         Also perhaps: Jn 14:2; 2 Cor 5:8(?)

    According to these roadsigns then, is there a life sometime after death now, before the final Kingdom of the end-time? Yes. there is life-after-death before the end-time Kingdom.

    Terminology for Life-after-Death. But we must pay attention to the terminology used. What are some of the names/expressions given to this life-after-death? Here:

    • ‘to be with Abraham,’ i.e., to be re-united or recline at table with the ancestor

    • ‘paradise, i.e., a lovely place full of bliss

    • ‘to be with Christ,’ i.e., to be re-united with Christ in the next life.

    Going to Heaven, Anyone? Are you ready for a shock? The terminology ‘going to heaven’ after death is not found in the New Testament! Jesus never used that phrase.

    Try verifying this; fine-comb the New Testament for the phrase ‘going to heaven.’ It could mean an exciting, if sleepless, night of research in Seattle or Manila or anywhere you are. But be on your toes! I am not saying that people do not go to heaven. They do, because what Scripture calls ‘to be with Abraham,’ ‘paradise,’ ‘my father’s mansions,’ etc. are the same thing as heaven. So, people do go to heaven after death, but the terminology ‘going to heaven’ is not found in the Scriptures. The term ‘heaven’ is found. The term ‘kingdom of heaven’ is found. But the term ‘going to heaven’ is not.

    ‘Going to heaven’ is a phrase that developed after biblical times. And it is what we are accustomed to in our standard catechisms today.

    Heaven Is Not the Kingdom of God. A sigh of relief. There is then a heaven after death. (Our host, the dying human rights worker, is an excellent candidate for heaven.) But – and this is a significant point—this heaven-after-death is not referred to as Kingdom of God by the First Look. Heaven is not the Kingdom of God. Heaven is not identical with the Kingdom of God. This is so, notwithstanding inaccurate contemporary liturgical formulations, stemming from unawareness of the biblical meaning. For example, ‘Grant us the peace and unity of your Kingdom where you live forever and ever.’

    Going to Heaven or Entering the Kingdom? Recall that the phrase ‘going to heaven’ is absent in the New Testament. Accordingly Jesus’ language was always ‘entering the Kingdom of God.’ That means that strictly speaking Jesus never invited or challenged us to go to heaven! His invitation was not to heaven but always to the Kingdom of God.

    Heaven Not Our Final Goal. Now, back to the question of goal. Where are we going? People indeed do go to heaven, but it is clear by now that that is not the final goal. 45 I am amused and saddened to see well-meaning Christians expend their best efforts ‘in order to go to heaven,’ as if that is all there was to living the Christian life. ‘Ever since I joined a certain Church organization,’ said one, ‘my life ceased to be an ambition to make millions and became a single-minded passion to go to heaven.’ So much energy chasing clouds when you can shoot for the stars!

    Not Much on Life-after-Death. Quite differently from us today, the First Look did not talk much about life-after-death before the end-time. Mark, for example, never once refers to this, always to the Kingdom of the end-time. Why? Because, for the most part, the expectation was that the end-time Kingdom would come soon, within their own lifetime.

    But as we have seen, the First Look did indeed believe in a life-after-death. Yet while having that belief, the First Look never lost sight of the Kingdom perspective.

    Our situation today is the opposite. We focus on going to heaven after we die, but forget the journey to the Kingdom of the end-time.

    Summary Points.

    The First Look does by all means speak, though rarely, about life-after-death now, before the final Kingdom of the end-time. However, we must expand our understanding. This life-after-death is not given the name Kingdom of God. Heaven is not the Kingdom of God! The characteristic biblical way of speaking is not ‘going to heaven’ but ‘entering the Kingdom.’ The final goal of salvation history is the Kingdom of God! Finally, unlike us today, the First Look generation, in their belief in a life-after-death, never lost sight of the Kingdom.

    In later post-biblical centuries, Christian consciousness focused on the life-after-death and practically forgot the Kingdom of the end-time. We developed a spirituality and pastoral practice of merely saving souls for heaven. Little or nothing was said about going to the Kingdom and participating in Kingdom-promoting history.

    Once More with Feeling: Heaven and Kingdom

    Heaven and Kingdom of God Not the Same. The customary mix-up of heaven and Kingdom calls for some recalls and elaborations. Biblically speaking, heaven is not the same as Kingdom of God. Scripture does speak of both heaven and Kingdom of God. But these two entities are not the same.

    1. For the Bible, there is definitely a reality called heaven.Thus:

    In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’ (Mk 1:9-11)

    Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. (Mt 18:10)

    He has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. (Eph 1:9-10)

         2. But heaven is not the same thing as Kingdom of God! The principal meaning of heaven in the bible is: the abode of God above. (Remember the pre-scientific understanding as heaven being above and earth below.) Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. (Mt 5:16)

    If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! (Mt 7:11)

    Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven. (Mt 18:10)

    Pray then in this way: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name (Mt 6:9)

         3. Heaven is also where God’s messengers (angels) are (Mt 19:10; 22:30; 24:36). Heaven is also where the righteous go after the moment of death.

    4. But heaven is not spoken of as a new world or transformed creation of the end-time (Mt 19:28) where there is food for the hungry (Lk 6:21), resurrection for the dead (Jn 11:25; Mt 11:5), unity in Christ of all created things in the universe (Eph 1:10), etc., which is what the Kingdom of God is.

    5. Another tell-tale detail. The language that is sometimes used for the Kingdom of God is suggestive. It is ‘coming’ to us, rather than we are ‘going’ to it. We ‘go’ to heaven, rather than heaven comes to us, right? On the other hand, the Kingdom of God—a new world—can more readily be conceived of as ‘appearing’ or ‘coming’ to us.

    ‘I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ (Lk 22:18)

    ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.’ (Lk 11:2)

    … He was near Jerusalem, and … they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. (Lk 19:11)

    Jesus was asked by the pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed.’ (Lk 17:20)

         The Word ‘Heaven’. It will help, therefore, to be clear about the word or term ‘heaven,’ as used in the Bible. When you meet the word heaven in the Bible—

    1. it can refer to the blue dome above where (or above which) God was thought to dwell. This is the normal use. Examples: ‘Our Father, who are in heaven,’ ‘ … give glory to your Father who is in heaven.’

    2. or it can function as a substitute-word for the word God; in this case it does not refer to the abode of God. This is the special use. Example: ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven (=against God) and before you …’ (Lk 15:18)

    If You Miss Your Step

    Where God Does Not Want Us to Go. It is clear by now that we are going to God’s abode after death, and to the new earth at the end of time. Well, suppose you miss a step or lose your way? Where are we headed for then? Hell? Purgatory? We will not dwell long on these topics, for I am interested more in where God wants to bring us rather than where he wants us not to go! I remember, however, that these were concerns, actually points of obsession, in my childhood catechism. And perhaps still in catechisms today. And so, they need corresponding attention.

    If you (decide to) lose your way, could you find yourself in hell? Did Jesus speak of hell? Jesus did warn about a place or state of punishment. He called it ‘hell’ or ‘gehenna.’ Gehenna, or more precisely, Ge Hinnom, referred to the Valley of Hinnom, a ravine running along the south side of Jerusalem. It was what our Smokey Mountain once was, the city garbage dump. There, fire burned and worms thrived.

    In later times, over-resourceful imagination—popular, artistic and even theological—threw in non-biblical details.46 But we will not, since, as I take it, none of us is planning a trip there, much less, make our permanent residence there.

    But one thing we can pause to note. Although Jesus seldom says what kinds of sin will get people to hell, the one that is most dramatically portrayed is found in Matthew 25:41-45:

    Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?’ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. Favorite Halfway House. And what about that "favorite halfway" house for Catholics, purgatory? Well, purgatory is not mentioned in the New Testament, although there might be some oblique hint in 2 Macc 12:43-45. Later tradition arrived at this notion through a theological logic. If a person is not ready to enter heaven due to some imperfection, he/she must first undergo purgation. And this is done in a place aptly called ‘purgatory,’ a place of cleansing. Prayers for the deceased are part of accepted Catholic practice.

    Ultimate Object of Hope

    So, back on biblical track and safer ground …

    If I had been asked a few years ago what I thought of a religion whose ultimate object of hope was a new world, a new history, a new humanity, I would have thought it to be an interesting religion or philosophy but it would not be the Christian religion. Here is where I was mistaken. This was the Christian religion for Jesus and the first Christians, the religion of the New Testament. The question ‘Where are we going?’ is answered by the biblical tradition: to a new world, a new history, a new humanity at the end of time. Samples and partial realizations of that future new world, however, should be experienced through our actions and deeds here and now.

    At this juncture in our journey, we can whisper a short prayer of thanks for people like our host, the human rights worker. They know where to go. They can show us the way.

    In this stopover we have let our mind and imagination race through time and space up to their utmost limits. It is time perhaps to let the ‘no-mind’ do the same without effort, without fatigue …
     

    Be Still and Know …