Mourning into Dancing Session 6

Opening

Almighty ever-living God, whose will is to restore all things in Your beloved Son, grant that, as we await the fullness of healing in Your kingdom, we may remain steadfast in faith and hope, proclaiming Your praise even in the midst of suffering. Let our journey, marked by both trials and grace, draw us ever closer to the ultimate healing of body and soul in Your eternal kingdom. May we, strengthened by Your Spirit, live as witnesses of Your love, uniting in mission to bring the hope of salvation to all, and accompany others on the path toward the joy of heaven. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Objectives

Participants will communally and individually contemplate the perfection of healing, love, virtue, belonging, and absence of a defect of good promised to us in Heaven where everything will be as it ought to be, and that some of that is available even now and progressively as our ability to receive grace deepens, we heal, grow in holiness, and minister to others who experience similar forms and magnitudes of suffering.

Methodology (Volunteer Actions)

Prepare as needed, and the presenting volunteer prepares and delivers a talk on the content of this session, uniting it with personal experience, what one has been taught about the subject/passage from Sacred Scripture or Magisterium, and sharing one's own reflection upon it.. Volunteers who are comfortable and gifted with helping someone grieve may lead small groups, participate in prayer teams, and lead one-on-ones. Volunteers who are not gifted or comfortable with doing so may help the priest with adoration, lecturing at the Mass, or arrange rooms according to needs. All assist with clean up according to the parish staff request, and for the sake of tidiness in any case. Remove all related materials according to the meeting with the parish.

Magisterial Content

"in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life...This perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity - this communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed - is called "heaven." Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness....For man, this consummation will be the final realization of the unity of the human race, which God willed from creation and of which the pilgrim Church has been "in the nature of sacrament." Those who are united with Christ will form the community of the redeemed, "the holy city" of God, "the Bride, the wife of the Lamb." She will not be wounded any longer by sin, stains, self-love, that destroy or wound the earthly community. The beatific vision, in which God opens himself in an inexhaustible way to the elect, will be the ever-flowing well-spring of happiness, peace, and mutual communion.....Heaven is the state of everlasting life in which we see God face to face, are made like unto Him in glory, and enjoy eternal happiness." (CCC 1, 1024, 1395)

"When the form of this world has passed away, those who have welcomed God into their lives and have sincerely opened themselves to his love, at least at the moment of death, will enjoy that fullness of communion with God which is the goal of human life. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “this perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity — this communion of life and love with the Trinity, with the Virgin Mary, the angels and all the blessed — is called ‘heaven’. Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfilment of the deepest human longings, the state of supreme, definitive happiness” (n. 1024). Today we will try to understand the biblical meaning of “heaven”, in order to have a better understanding of the reality to which this expression refers" John Paull II, General Audience on Heaven (21 July 1999), §1.

Even Now we can experience Heaven by degree: "Even when it is celebrated on the humble altar of a country church, the Eucharist is always in some way celebrated on the altar of the world. It unites heaven and earth. It embraces and permeates all creation. The Son of God became man in order to restore all creation, in one supreme act of praise, to the One who made it from nothing." John Paul II, Encyclical Letter on the Eucharist in Its Relationship to the Church Ecclesia de eucharistia (17 April 2003), §9, cf. 18-20,58, 60, 62.

Scripture Content

Everlasting: Daniel 2:44, Micah 4:1-2

No More Suffering: Matthew 18:3, Colossians 1:13-14, Revelation 21:4 (Commentary on this John Paull II, Apostolic Exhortation on the Jesus Christ, Alive in His Church the Source of Hope for Europe Ecclesia in Europa (28 June 2003), §106.)

How Heaven comes to be populated: Matthew 13:31-33, 2 Peter 1:11, Matthew 4:17

The sovereign benevolent reign of Christ, experienced if one let’s Him: Luke 6:40; John 18:36, Isaiah 11:6–9; Revelation 20:4–6, Isaiah 32:17; Joel 2:21–27

Personal Content w/ Example

• Particular type of suffering this is helpful consideration for suffering: Due to Necessary Spiritual Growth

• Share a time when you thought suffering was going to last forever, and then at a later time, it became much easier. When has God given you an experience or glimpse of Heaven, how would you describe it, we are talking about the heights of your emotional experience with God, the most whole one has ever felt.

• Review and have the reflect this:

God made us for love, His life to share,

Sin broke the bond, bringing despair.

Through prophets, priests, and covenants of old,

He prepared the way for His plan to unfold.

In fullness of time, He sent us His Son,

Redeemer and Savior, the Holy One.

By grace, we return, our hearts realigned,

In Christ’s covenant, salvation we find.

His Spirit calls us, His children to be,

Heirs of His life for eternity.

Through His Church, His love and mission expand,

Repent, seek God—the Kingdom’s at hand!

Participant Interaction

1. Listen: Listen attentively to the talk.

2. Discuss in small groups:

• Due to Necessary Spiritual Growth: How does the promise of Heaven and the process of purification shape your understanding of current suffering and inspire your spiritual growth?

• Discuss how participation in the Kingdom heals us. Is experiencing the Kingdom here and now necessary to keep hope alive for the fullness to come? Is Heaven so glorious that current suffering becomes worthwhile? How do you discern this?

3. Pray:

• Due to Necessary Spiritual Growth: Pray for the wisdom and grace to view present suffering as a pathway to spiritual purification and the eventual fullness of joy in Heaven.

• Spend time in prayer contemplating the present experience of the Kingdom as essential for maintaining hope in the Kingdom to come.

Feedback/Measurable Outcomes

1. Participation and authenticity by all.

2. There should be joy in recognizing the universal connection to Eternal, Divine Love. Present suffering is then felt as slightly lightened and understood not as a good in itself, but as something that can be directed toward greater holiness—through grace and self-gift—by enthroning Christ in one’s life, even to the point of His sovereignty over one’s emotions.

Closing

1. Our Father...

2. Make announcements and anticipate the next session's content and how it connects.

3. Consider the optional content.

4. Emphasize rest, processing puts much stress on the body.

Optional Content

• Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary