Posted on 04/17/2014 2:35:18 PM PDT by NYer
I’m not one of those twelve million readers who bought the book “Heaven is For Real” and torpedoed it to the New York Times’ Bestseller List. But I did check it out from the library and enjoyed both the story and the accounts of heaven. “Heaven is for real” is, in fact, only one among the many testimonies of near death experiences I’ve heard about from both Christians and non-Christians. With some suspect exceptions, most of the descriptions of heaven are fascinating and inspire me to work hard to aim for the ultimate prize. But that’s just the good news.
On the flip side, I’ve come across near death testimonies of Catholics about the reality of sin and the judgment we face when we die with mortal sin. These testimonies impacted my life more than Todd and Colton Burpo’s story. I list them below, not with the intention of convincing you, or debating with you on the truth or falsity of the testimonies. I offer the perspective of Catholics who have had a similar near death experience, because they helped me understand that since we have been given so much through the Church, more will be expected of us on our particular judgment.
Heaven is real, and from what I’ve heard it’s astounding. But in order to get there, we are also challenged to sanctify our souls and get an ego check in this life.
1. Fr. Steven Sheiers was interviewed by Mother Angelica on his near death experience. After dying in a car accident, he returned to life and testified that he heard a conversation between Jesus and his mother. Fr. Scheiers was judged not worthy to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, because he had been a priest for himself . However, Our Lady interceded on his behalf. She requested that he be given more years on earth and more graces to remedy his life. In the end, Jesus told Mary, “Mother, he’s all yours.” The video is available on YouTube. Father Steven Scheier judgment experience
2. Gloria Polo was a Catholic dentist living in Columbia when she was struck and burned by lightning. During her injury, she was placed on the judgment seat, so to speak, and given insights on how the choices of her life almost led her to the abyss. Her book details how Divine Justice views chastity, purity, contraception and abortion among other moral issues. Dr. Polo struggled with materialism, a critical attitude and indifference to motherhood, but after her full recovery, she transformed her life. Her testimony is also available on YouTube. YouTube Testimony, and The Detailed Testimony of Gloria Polo. She has a free book online and an e-book “Standing before God: The Judgment” is for sale on Amazon.
3. Marino Restrepo was a Hollywood actor who was kidnapped by the rebels of the FARC (Revolutionary Arm Forces of Columbia) and held captive for six months. During his ordeal, Marino testifies to a mystical experience similar to a near death experience where he faced Jesus unworthily with all his sins of impurity, selfishness, and new age beliefs. He was also given a life review where he was showed how a brief compassionate act in his childhood meant the world to Jesus. After Mr. Restrepo’s release, he immediately went to Confession, returned to the Catholic Church and reformed his life. He has spoken to bishops and dioceses on invitation and his testimony is available on YouTube. YouTube Testimony. Mr. Restrepo’s book “From Darkness into the Light” is on Amazon.
If you liked “Heaven is for Real,” you will learn more from these Catholic witnesses.
Testimonial links have been embedded for your convenience. Ping!
Uh oh.
That corroborates what a number of saints have said that in heaven we will be the age of the prime of life, around 33 years old.
Other parts of his testimony were indeed very interesting.
Thank you for this posting.
The “flip side” accounts are not at all strange to me. As I’ve read many cases of near death experiences, the people who have them are varied in their reports. Many do report that they find out that they must ‘mend their lives’ or are shown a new mission for their life.
Though not a religious book, Dr. Penny Sartori’s
“The Wisdom of Near-Death Experiences” provides several accounts that she has studied in detail over her 20+ years as a nurse and now has done PhD in it.
I also recommend reading the following which contains a variety of reports: Near-Death Experience: An Introductory Sampler http://www.bswett.com/1993-02NDE.html
See the link in my post # 5.
The same age as Christ when he rose again.
Ping for later.
Thank you for your post # 5.
Does the author consider that the reason some of these Catholics with NDE come back with a dread of their sinful state is because they haven't yet realized that we cannot save ourselves or "work hard for the ultimate prize"? Our redemption comes by faith in Jesus Christ and trusting in the grace of God who loves and saves us IN SPITE of our undeserving and sinful condition. Of course God saves us so that we CAN go on to live holy lives through the strength of the indwelling Holy Spirit, but the minute we think we must do things to earn or merit salvation, we have fallen away from grace.
Good news! I was in my PRIME at 33! ;o)
Saw the interview of the kid, who is now about 15 on the “Hannity” Show on FoxNews this past Monday night, with both his father and the director of the movie.
Yes!
In Heaven there will be no “old people” or “little babies”. The people there will be the same age as Jesus.
....Or rather could it be that they needed to have a TRUE RELATIONSHIP with the Lord?
“work hard for the ultimate prize”?
No Catholic is taught they have to “work hard” or they are not going to heaven. Only doing what God commands.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” ~ Matthew 25
It is doing the will of the Heavenly Father through Christ.
I don't believe that salvation is entirely passive. Trying to lead a good, Christian life is our part.
FAITH
GOOD WORKS
They are a set.
Trying to parse salvation without both of those is useless, non-fulfilling, futile, to no avail, in vain, pointless, to no purpose, unavailing, ineffectual, ineffective, fruitless, unprofitable, unproductive, ineffective and inadequate, to say the least.
Question: if one happened to be brought up without a faith, but one did good works all one's life, would one go to Heaven or hell?
This is just a question. I don't know the answer and am just tossing this out there for interest.
Kinda makes Obama's utopia look like a real sham.
Food for Thought
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