Living Our Faith: Heaven: The life of the world to come

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Heaven is so hard to imagine!

Christ's ascent to heaven is depicted in a stained-glass window at St. Therese of Lisieux Church in Montauk, N.Y. In John's Gospel, Jesus says, "In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?" (14:2). (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz, Long Island Catholic)
Christ’s ascent to heaven is depicted in a stained-glass window at St. Therese of Lisieux Church in Montauk, N.Y. In John’s Gospel, Jesus says, “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?” (14:2). (CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz, Long Island Catholic)

What does it mean when we say we “look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come”?
Rather than a physical space, recent popes and theologians explain heaven as a state of complete happiness, being in full communion with God.