Earthly Possessions

Once there was a man who loved gold. His most prized possessions were the three gold bars he had accumulated by selling all his other possessions and converting them to gold. This man carried these gold bars with him everywhere in a briefcase.

It happened that the man died, but he refused to go to heaven without his briefcase. After a delay, an angel got permission for the man to take his briefcase with him. At the pearly gates, St. Peter stopped him and said, "You can't bring anything from Earth with you up here." The man patiently explained that he had permission to do so. St. Peter checked out the man's story, but told him that he was required to inspect the contents of the briefcase.

When St. Peter opened the briefcase, he looked at the man and said, "You brought pavement?"


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By his death and Resurrection, Jesus Christ has "opened" heaven to us. The life of the blessed consists in the full and perfect possession of the fruits of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He makes partners in his heavenly glorification those who have believed in him and remained faithful to his will. Heaven is the blessd community of all who are perfectly incorporated into Christ. (Catholic Catechism Par. 1026)

This mystery of blessed communion with God and all who are in Christ is beyond all understanding and description. Scripture speaks of it in images: life, light, peace, wedding feast, wine of the kingdom, the Father's house, the heavenly Jerusalem, paradise: "no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him." (Catholic Catechism Par. 1028)