" I can not grasp 1 billion or even 1 million people in the "presence of God" save the Eucharist." --

That is because you are trying to use your imagination which is limited to understanding those things you have expierenced.

"eye has not seen, ear has not heard, what God has ready for those who love him".

The word 'sacrament' means sign ... all signs will pass away and be replaced with the real thing.  We will, of coarse, still make communion with christ , but what we now do finitely and imperfectly we will then do perfectly and as infinately as his grace will allow.

Our communion with him in the parusia will make our communion with him now seem like a shadow in respect to how real it will be.

Haveing recently had a child I found myself contemplating this.

if we were to examine our enviourment in the womb and consider ourselves we might easily conclude that we do not want to be born.

after all we have what we need.  we understand the usefulness of our eyes , our legs are good for swimming and we use them for that.  Not quite sure what finger nails are for but all is safe and warm so what does it matter.

Is not wanting to die kind of like not wanting to be born?

Well our eyes still do what they used to but also see in a new way ?

deep thoughts... no answers...

lpioch - agreed, but what of eternal life after the judgemnent of mankind and the placement of the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, within the new heaven and the new earth?

Do you offer that the New Jerusalem is completed upon one's own death? That the room that Jesus has prepared for those worthy of eternal life will be available before the judgement day?

Also, i belive the book of revelations is an attempt to answer your question.  The mass is forever and eternal and there is only one mass.

All masses are a type of that single mass a realization of that type in heaven we will participate in the real deal

David,

I am convinced that "time" and all discussions here relating to "time" hinder what reality and Truth are.  "after" "before" whatever they may be.

When we are purified and made holy, we will experience the New Jerusalem in ITS completeness.

However, until the Parousia, when the New Jerusalem is in its completeness ON EARTH, WE cannot completely experience the New Jersusalem.  Because we are human - both matter and spirit - we are not complete until we have both.

These are my own words, given what I understand our teachings to be.  I could easily be proven wrong.

However, I cannot but help recognize that "time" is our limiting factor in truly understanding how things "will be" (again...there's that time thing again).  As a scientist, this tells me there is much to "time" that we truly do not understand.  I am still always brought back to "in the fullness of time..."  Maybe modern science, string theory, etc...will help shed a little more light on something (time) that I think we have very little knowledge of. 

As far as the Bible ... and the Liturgy of the Word:

Why would we want to read the Bible when we could experience God?  Why would we want to hold the Bible when we will KNOW God?

Before I was married to my wife, we were in a long distance relationship.  I looked forward to talking to her on the phone more than anything in the world.  But, now that I am married to her and see her everyday, I hate talking on the phone to her.  I'd rather be there to experience all that she is then talk on the phone.

As far as the Eucharist ... and the Liturgy of the Word:

Why would we want to taste and eat the Tranfigured Host when we can in some way be a part of Jesus himself?

It will be a participation of our very being somehow ...  What specifically do you think it will be?

GK - God is good!

to get a picture in your mind of Heaven 

read Revelations and some OT.  Isaiah, etc.,. great stuff.  

Genesis says God put Adam in Paradise.  

Tree of life

Water of life

all these things are there.

Peace 

David,

I would say that by reading the accounts of Angels and elders worshipping non-stop is not what we will be doing.  I think for the most part because we are Gods perfect creation and that Christ is the first of our kind that we will live life like on earth but in a perfect environment.  No "crap that broke" or "why can't this thing last."  Honey I have to run to the store and pickup a new tooth brush.  The Sabbath will still be Sabbath. 

Our wills will have been perfected and we won't need to have to choose between good and evil because we will have overcome that weed.   Revelations says a New Heaven and a New earth, along with New Jerusalem. Israel is still Israel but a New Israel.  Life is still life but no death and pain.  Invincible like Angels.  Immortal like God. What a joyous life it will be. 

Pretend we are in a nightmare at this present time when we wake up will be in Kansas, oops.  We will be in Paradise lost back to what God intended in Genesis.  Back to the real Garden of Eden of things to come. We were delayed because of a kink in the cable called Satan and sin.

When I re-read the Bible I see the outline and a clearer picture of Gods design for heaven.  River running down the center, gold streets, gems and beautiful glitter everywhere in the City.  Absolutely fantastic.

Heaven is a wide open space with Arks and tables and courts. God is heaven. 

One account Jesus mentions Mansions prepared for the faithful.  Some folks tend to think we will bowing down every two seconds.  If so we would be Angels. But we are not.  This is crucial to get right away.  This earthly life we endure is but a shadow of things to come in the next phase of life.  What I mean is we will have countries, cities and buildings and dwelling places and such and do things as we do now but without the hassles we endure today.  No headaches.  Our life today gives us the outline or blueprint the world and  these things.  Another account says lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.  This life got corrupted by sin and Satan. The next life will not have sin nor Satan.

We will worship God with our whole being as was intended, that is to live according to Gods will in love.  To be children of Light.  How happy and pleased God will be no more grief or sorrow, for these things will be removed.

A life of true virtue. 

Ok why would Revelations mention, a New earth?  This means we will continue to work and live but in total pleasure without the garbage of sin.

We were created different from the Angels we have to understand that we are not beings like them and our function is not the same as theirs.  We were given something that pissed off Satan and some angels.  That's why they rebelled.  They wanted what we have been given. In an instant Satan received the vision of Man and that didn't go so well with him.

Peace. 

"No marriage. No babies."

This is pre-heaven thinking.  Right?  If God created Adam out of dust, if he wants babies, what makes us think we will not have babies?  Or will we be babies?

"Are we locked in at a certain age for eternity?"

Great question!  I have no answer other than ... whatever it is will make perfect sense in God's love.  It would be cool if we could morph as we wanted.  And why couldn't we since we will be with God and beyond time?  Or to be all ages at once?

One of the things I like about our Catholic faith is it can handle mystery.  It uses logic.  It has Canon Law.  There are many doctrines.  But, it still has mystery.  We worship in mystery.  We believe in the Trinity but cannot fully explain it or understand it.  Many non-Catholics cannot handle mystery.  Not that we shouldn't continue to seek and ask and delve ... but some things are not revealed.  Or are they all?

GK - God is good!

Here's what Christ says:  men do not marry nor are given in marriage but are as the angels.  heaven was meant to be occupied after all were born.  As the angels in heaven who do not marry no give birth.

Age: 30 or 33 same as Christ. Young strong and good looking for men and beautiful for women. 

Here's a better way to look at this:

If sin had not come into the picture here on earth, we would be living and achieving with greater ease.  And Christ would not have come to save us.  We would not require being saved.   We would have transfered direct to heaven. Or God would have transformed everything instantaneously. Or whatever your theory.  This just happens to be what pops out. It is their in black in white. I do by no means say this is exactly and precisely what it is. Just that if sin had not come to us we would still be having children and living till the last man was born.  Basically erase sin from memory and try to imagine a sinless life.  Then once you have removed the nuisance, you can see Gods real plan.  The problem right now is that we have two enemies sin and Satan which distorts everything.  This does not detract from the current salvation plan God has setup to acquiring us back to Himself.  Just what it would have been like if we did not know sin.  So once you see this you can then say God really loves us that much!

Peace