Temporal goods


Question from Jason on 10/7/2007:

Will all goods that exist in time exist again in eternity. Or all goods that we wish to exist at least?

This questions has many possible applications of course, but the biggest thing I'm thinking of right now is actually a romantic relationship I had that I lost due to my own stupidity, combined with some mistakes on her part as well. At this point, I think largely to help her deal with it, she is saying that essentally what we had is just something that happened and has no significance even as a life experience. This despite it being the first time either of us had felt we were in love, for example. I want to believe that, at least if we both go to heaven, some level of the love and caring we had for each other may be revived, alongside any later loves and of course the unifying love for God.

Answer by Richard Geraghty on 10/17/2007:

Dear Jason,

You have good instincts. In heaven the saves see God face to face. Since God is infinite in his existence and in his goodness and is the cause of all the existence and goodness we have experienced, we will be taking in all of this existence and goodness without any fear that it will be incomplete or that we will lose it. In life our grasp of goodness is not secure because we often lose a loved one or lose the love that once bound us to someone. Our loves on earth are filled with disappointment and loss. This is not so in heaven. Thus in heaven all the beauty of a first love is not lost or changed. We will have arrived!

Dr. Geraghty

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