Tag Archives: Heaven

Faith, Heaven, Prayer, Psalm, Quotes of Saints

Twenty-five Quotes about Heaven from the Saints

July 3, 2025 Vicki Scheenstra

Have you pondered what heaven might be like. We will only know for sure when we enter into the Kindom of Heaven. The saints share their insights with us in the quotes below.

6. What does it matter to you whether Jesus wishes to guide you to heaven by way of the desert or by the meadow, so long as He is always with you and you arrive at the possession of the blessed eternity.

St. Padre Pio

7. Walk with your feet on earth, but in your heart, be in heaven.

St. John Bosco

8. As mariners are guided into port by the shing of a star, so Christians are guided to Heaven by Mary.

St. Thomas Aquinas

9. Let us sing alleluia here on earth, while we still live in anxiety, so that we may sing it one day in heaven in full security.

St. Augustine

10. Heaven and hell are inevitable, but the choice between them is up to us.

St. Teresa of Avila

11. Heaven is full of love, but hell is full of loneliness.

St. Teresa of Calcutta

12. Heaven is for all of us, but we must remember that we must earn it.

St. Francis Assisi

St. Francis of Assisi
Public Domain Image

13. We are not made for this world but for heaven, where we will live forever.

St. John Paul II

14. Can you expect to go to heaven for nothing? Did not our dear Savior track the whole way to it with His blood and tears?

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

15. No one reaches the Kingdom of Heaven except by humility.

St. Augustine

16. Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.

St. Rose of Lima

17. All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, ” I am the way.”

St. Catherine of Siena

18. When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens. I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth.

St. Therese of Lisieux

19. The pains of hell are not the greatest part of hell, the loss of heaven is the weightiest woe of Hell.

St. John Chrysostom

20. An angel fell from heaven without any other passion except pride, and so we may ask whether it is possible to ascend to Heaven by humility alone, without any other of the virtues.

St. John Climacus

21. In the moment of temptation, think of the Love that awaits you in heaven, foster the virtue of hope.

St. Josemaria Escriva

22. Heaven is where all tears are wiped away.

St. Augustine

23. Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.

St. Jerome

24. As in heaven Your will is punctually performed, so may it be done on earth by all creatures, particularly in me and by me.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary

25. O Saving Victim, opening wide, the gate of heaven to us below. Our foes press on from every side, Your aid supply, Your strength bestow.

St. Thomas Aquinas

Faith, Prayer, Spirituality

Why Pray for the Dead?

To understand the doctrine of purgatory, it is necessary to understand several beliefs of the catholic church.

It is good to pray for the dead
We believe in tradition
Nothing unclean may enter heaven

Praying for the dead is a tradition which precedes the New Testament. In 2 Maccabees 23:45-46 it says:

“But if he was looking to the splendid reward that was laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.“

It is good to pray for the dead. Why? If there are only two choices after death…heaven or hell...what purpose is there in praying for the dead? The historical practice of praying for the dead tells us that the belief that our prayer is heard and answered was an ancient belief.

The Catholic Church believes in tradition as well as scripture. The four marks of the church are stated in the Creed. We believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Being apostolic means that not only can the church be traced back to the apostles, but our beliefs can be traced back to the apostles as well. Remember, Jesus came to fulfill the law not to change it. (Matt 5:17)

Oral tradition was the method used to pass on the faith in the beginning. The bible was not even written down during the Apostolic Age. In 2 Thessalonians 2:15 we are told the following:

“So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the tradition that you were taught by us either by word of mouth or by our letter.”

Praying for the dead is an established tradition of the early Christians. One example of this is that in the fourth century St. Monica requested St. Augustine to remember her in the mass after she died.

Most of us know that we are unworthy to enter heaven. Jesus came to save us, however we still need to be cleansed by purifying fire before entering heaven. In Hebrews 12:29 it states the Our God is a consuming fire. We believe that before we enter heaven the fire of God’s love consumes the scars and effects of the sins we committed in out life. This explains the doctrine of purgatory as we understand it.

It is very comforting to know that our prayers make a difference. It is also comforting to know that I will be purified before facing God in heaven. A God whose love is so strong it is compared to fire….a fire which will consume and purify me.

Another way to look at purification is a cleansing. Before we go to a party or celebration we usually bathe and dress up to look appropriate. The purification we receive before partaking in the heavenly banquet makes us able to see God without the stain and scars of the sin which occurred during our lifetime.

We attend the heavenly banquet appropriately cleansed and dressed!

Praying for those souls who are in the purification process in purgatory relieves the suffering of both the soul in purgatory and my own soul.

The following prayer was given to St. Gertrude the Great by our Lord in a vision. Her feast day is celebrated on Nov. 16.

“Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious Blood of thy divine son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”

Just as I pray on a regular basis for my loved ones who I confidently hope are already in heaven, I pray that those who love me will in turn pray for me after my death.

Prayer can heal! Prayer is powerful!

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Faith, Prayer, Visionary

Do Heaven and Hell Really Exist?

March 6, 2016 Vicki Scheenstra

Last Judgement. by Michelangelo

If we turn to the teachings of Jesus, it is clear heaven and hell do exist. The following parables in Matthew given to us by Jesus describe heaven.

1. In Mat 13 1. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again and out of joy goes and sells all the he has and buys that field.

2. “The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.

3. “The kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.

4. “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat and then went off. When the crop grew the weeds appeared as well. “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles for burning; but gather the wheat into my barn”.

5. The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. It is the smallest of seeds yet when full grown it is the largest of plants. It becomes a large bush and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches.

6. The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flower until the whole batch was leavened.

Jesus has many references to the existence of hell. In Matthew 25:41 He says “Depart from me unto the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” In Mark 9:47-48 He refers to hell as the fire which is never quenched.

The Catholic Church firmly believes in the existence of heaven and hell. It is the jurisdiction of God to determine who enters heaven and who ends up in eternal fire. We believe hell is actually the absence of God. We are given the gift of free will. We actually choose our future. Do we want to be with God, who is love and mercy, or do we choose selfishness and evil? If we choose love and mercy, we must be sincere and actually walk the talk. We must take the time to love both God and our neighbor. In Matt: 7:13 Jesus tells us…

“Enter through the narrow gate, for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

It is hard to imagine choosing evil. However, sin and evil are actually glamorous and tempting. Selfishness and anger can easily dominate our will and life.

In the past it was believed that the number of people entering heaven were few. The culture reflected the belief that most people deserved eternal punishment. The result was that most people had great fear of literally “going to hell”. Today’s culture believes the opposite. Many people find it hard to believe anyone is in hell…that God forgives all sins and eventually we will all go to heaven.

Jesus teaches us that Hell is a place to fear. To be forgiven, we must first repent. Let’s take the time to get to know and love Jesus. When we actually love God, we will want to spend time with him and come to know his will for us. Jesus himself tells us in Matt: 22 37 Jesus said:

“The greatest commandments are “You shall Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

If we do this we have no need to fear hell, but can look forward to eternity in heaven…a treasure beyond understanding.

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The Mystery of Faith

Tag Archives: Heaven

Twenty-five Quotes about Heaven from the Saints

1. How insignificant earth seems to me, when I consider heaven.

2. The gate of heaven is very low, only the humble can enter it.

3. Heaven is a city on a hill; hence we cannot cast into it, we have to climb.

4. Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.

5. Those who carry God in their hearts bear Heaven with them wherever they go.

6. What does it matter to you whether Jesus wishes to guide you to heaven by way of the desert or by the meadow, so long as He is always with you and you arrive at the possession of the blessed eternity.

7. Walk with your feet on earth, but in your heart, be in heaven.

8. As mariners are guided into port by the shing of a star, so Christians are guided to Heaven by Mary.

9. Let us sing alleluia here on earth, while we still live in anxiety, so that we may sing it one day in heaven in full security.

10. Heaven and hell are inevitable, but the choice between them is up to us.

11. Heaven is full of love, but hell is full of loneliness.

12. Heaven is for all of us, but we must remember that we must earn it.

13. We are not made for this world but for heaven, where we will live forever.

14. Can you expect to go to heaven for nothing? Did not our dear Savior track the whole way to it with His blood and tears?

15. No one reaches the Kingdom of Heaven except by humility.

16. Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.

17. All the way to heaven is heaven, because Jesus said, ” I am the way.”

18. When I die, I will send down a shower of roses from the heavens. I will spend my heaven by doing good on earth.

19. The pains of hell are not the greatest part of hell, the loss of heaven is the weightiest woe of Hell.

20. An angel fell from heaven without any other passion except pride, and so we may ask whether it is possible to ascend to Heaven by humility alone, without any other of the virtues.

21. In the moment of temptation, think of the Love that awaits you in heaven, foster the virtue of hope.

22. Heaven is where all tears are wiped away.

23. Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.

24. As in heaven Your will is punctually performed, so may it be done on earth by all creatures, particularly in me and by me.

25. O Saving Victim, opening wide, the gate of heaven to us below. Our foes press on from every side, Your aid supply, Your strength bestow.

Why Pray for the Dead?

Why Pray for the Dead?

“Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious Blood of thy divine son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal Church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.”

Prayer can heal! Prayer is powerful!

Do Heaven and Hell Really Exist?

Discovering the Spirituality of Catholicism

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