Dear Father Angelo,
I got a question regarding heaven regarding something I’ve been discussing with a friend recently.
When a soul goes to heaven, will it enjoy a static or dynamic situation?
Meaning, will there be a chance for them to raise above their initially assigned position?
Praying for those souls in heaven, would bring them benefits?
Once we are in heaven we will already be whole since we will enjoy the beatific vision of God, but this question stems from a friend who talked to a mystic friend. This mystic has
a few charisms and talking about the blessed souls  said that by offering prayers and good deeds, we can help them progress in their eternal dwellings.
I always believed that Dante was right and this has been confirmed by many saints over the centuries. Even in heaven there are multiple ranks.
This is a very complex topic, but also very charming.
I thank you for your answer.
I ask you to pray for me and my family.
Thank you.
Jonathan

Answer from the priest

Dear Jonathan,
1. Since eternal life has no before or after, we may be under the impression that it is a static life.
It isn’t.
Jesus promised full vitality for the life to come.”It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel”  (Lc 22,28-30).
Saint Paul, remembering what was said by Jesus Christ, says that “if we persevere we shall also reign with him”  (2 Tm 2,12).
In heaven there will be fullness of life and action without having to pass from potential to act, just as God is fullness of life and action without passing from potential to act.

2. The lack of a before or after, and being permanently in the present, as is characteristic of eternal life, is therefore not a symbol of immobility.
It is the fullness of life that expresses itself simultaneously in many directions, as the Book of Wisdom reminds us. “In the time of their visitation they shall shine, and shall dart about as sparks through stubble. They shall judge nations and rule over peoples, and the LORD shall be their King forever”  (Sap 3,7-8)
“They shall dart about” to burn and defeat evil. Hence, the Saints in heaven simultaneously  help multiple people, freeing them from many evils without toil or need to duplicate, in the same way that God simultaneously preserves everything in existence.

3. Eternal life is “perfect and simultaneous possession of an unending life” (“interminabilis vitae tota simul et perfecta possessio”) as said by Boezio (De consolatione, 5).
Saint Thomas too: “eternity has no succession, being simultaneously whole.” (Somma teologica, I, 10, 1).
Eternal life isn’t like possessing an object, but is the possession of a perfect and unending communion with God. It is a full sharing of the very same life of God. It is a whole life and as such it knows no improvement.

4. With that said, in a certain sense there can be an improvement regarding the accidental blessedness: “this may apply to the accidental reward, or secondary punishment, which are subject to increase until the day of judgment. (…). by whose activities some are drawn to salvation, whereby the joy of the blessed angels is increased, and some to damnation, whereby the punishment of the demons is augmented”” (Supplemento alla Somma teologica, 98,6).

5. To correctly understand this, it is necessary to make a few distinctions.
We will again refer to Saint Thomas, which uses the concept of aeviternity , a midway between time and eternity:  “ Aeviternity differs from time, and from eternity, as the mean between them both. (…).
In this way time has “before” and “after”; aeviternity in itself has no “before” and “after,” which can, however, be annexed to it; while eternity has neither “before” nor “after,” nor is it compatible with such at all.” (Somma teologica, I, 10, 5).

6. As shown, Saint Thomas says that in Aeviternity there is no before or after, but they can be annexed to it. This is evident from the fact that we see the actions of the saints and of the angels in a consequential way in respect to ourselves and our life. In which way this all combines, it can be hard to understand. Though, the fact that we are unable to fully understand it, doesn’t mean that it isn’t so. In fact, it is.

7. Regarding our prayers for those in heaven, it is again necessary to distinguish: we cannot help them in increasing their essential glory, since in it there is no possible improvement. Instead, we can increase their accidental glory. Which means that we can pray so that God glorifies them even more, and allows them to continue operating in heaven what they were operating on earth.

I will gladly keep you and your family in my prayers.
I wish you a peaceful and Holy Christmas and bless you.
Father Angelo

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