Enkindle in Us with Deacon Dan Wagnitz
By Deacon Dan Wagniz | For On Mission
“Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (1 Jn 3:2).
Several years ago, at the suggestion of good friends, my wife Michelle and I visited the Basilica of St. Josaphat in Milwaukee. As we were led to expect, it turned out to be a deeply spiritual experience. The church is amazingly beautiful. Since it was a weekday morning, we had the church pretty much to ourselves, so we were taking our time. When I saw the ceiling painting over the main altar depicting heaven, it was a compelling invitation to sit down and gaze up, contemplating.
The painting features God the Father, God the Son, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Holy Spirit, depicted as a dove, is the center point in the stained glass, allowing sunlight to illuminate the scene. The artist, I think, to offer fitting recognition and honor for God the Son, God the Father, and Mary, depicted each of them on their own cloud. There are other clouds scattered across the view that many angels inhabit.
While the painting is striking, a few aspects gave me pause. The use of the clouds also created distance between the members of the Trinity and Mary as well. And while the artist certainly emphasized the very foundations of our faith, no humans are depicted other than Mary; all the other figures are winged angels.
The opening quote above from John’s letter has always intrigued me, as it highlights the deep mystery of God. While three of the apostles viewed a glimpse of the brilliance of Jesus’ divine glory on Mt. Tabor, no one on this side of the Resurrection has beheld God’s full beauty. What amazement awaits?
Church teaching about the Trinity is God’s gift to us. God as persons provides us with images we can relate to, even those reflected in our personal experience of close family. The images we have in Scripture of the Holy Spirit as a dove, wind, or fire provide dramatic visuals, but I think they also lead many people to struggle to have a personal relationship with him. How do you have a relationship with the wind? It can be challenging.
My own thought is that when we see God as he truly is, he isn’t going to be sitting on three thrones, or three clouds as seen at St. Josaphat’s. While the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” stresses God as three persons, it also stresses the unity of God: “The divine persons are relative to one another. Because it does not divide the divine unity, the real distinction of the persons from one another resides solely in the relationships which relate them to one another: ‘In the relational names of the persons the Father is related to the Son, the Son to the Father, and the Holy Spirit to both. While they are called three persons in view of their relations, we believe in one nature or substance’” (CCC 255). I don’t know what that is going to look like, but I’m sure it will be amazing!
I also don’t believe that each of us will be assigned a cloud of our own in heaven. If, indeed, God is love, as the Apostle John tells us, it helps me to remember that love is an action word. Love is not a spectator experience; you enter into love actively. I anticipate that, in some way, according to God’s will and purpose, each of us will be active participants in God’s love. I believe this is exactly what has allowed Mary to appear in Champion, Fatima, Lourdes, Mexico, and many other places and times. I think this is consistent with the Catechism in its definition of heaven: “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.’” (CCC 1024). The word “with” in that definition is powerful to the imagination!
We rightly give due respect for the dignity and value of all human life in this world from conception to natural death. I also think we would benefit spiritually to extend our contemplation of life to include eternal life. For if we fail to consider eternal life, to pray about it, to contemplate it, how can we possibly begin to yearn for it and nurture its development into our heart’s desire?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal. But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be” (Mt 6:19-21).