Reflecting on the day of his wedding, a good friend of mine stood up at the reception and gave this speech:
“This must be what Heaven feels like, because this is the only time this side of Heaven that so many of our friends and family who love us will be all in one place together.”
I have shared this with friends who have gotten married since, and they have agreed. Then I gave the same speech at my wedding. It really felt like a taste of Heaven to have a whole day dedicated to our sacrament of marriage, our commitment to each other, and our starting a new family.
Heaven as the Wedding Feast
In his book, Jesus the Bridegroom, Brant Pitre lays out thorough evidence that Jesus is the groom, the Church is the bride, and Heaven is the wedding feast.
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready.” – Revelation 19:6-7
If our wedding of a few hundred family and friends was so amazing, I can’t even imagine the extraordinary joy of a heavenly wedding. Not only will there be more family and friends there than we could ever gather here below, but also all of those who have gone before us who we didn’t get to meet. Think of the amazing stories! Also, we will encounter the vast array of Saints who have given us examples with their lives.
Most importantly, this heavenly wedding will have the most personal and deep encounter of love that will ever exist, the love of the Trinity, God Himself – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
FOMO, OH: Fear of Missing Out, On Heaven
Have you ever experienced the fear of missing out (FOMO)?
I know I have. Whether it was a conference I couldn’t attend or even just a small backyard fire, it doesn’t feel great to feel like you’re missing out.
FOMO can be a negative thing if we dwell on it with sadness or let it pull us away from what we are called to be doing in the present moment; but, what is it pointing to?
When we ask why we feel this, FOMO points to our longing and desire for community. We want to be in communion, in relationship with others.
Even Blaise Pascal understood FOMO in 1669! But he also knew what it was a sign of:
“What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.”
Blaise Pascal in Pensees, Translation and Introduction by A. J. Krailsheimer (Pg. 43)
Man Was Not Meant to be Alone
Adam in the garden was not meant to be alone (Gen 2:18). Neither are we.
When we are in a bad place, we turn inward and are selfish. At our best, we are giving ourselves to others, loving and serving them.
Heaven is Together, Hell is FOMO Forever
We want to be in Heaven, the fullness of relationship, a celebration, and the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Hell is turning away from God, turning inward – sad and alone in torment.
Motivated by love for God and others, let’s aim for Heaven because we won’t want to miss out on that party! Imagine the infinite FOMO that Hell would be, away from all Goodness.
We might have a little FOMO for Heaven now while we wait, but we can recognize that longing and pursue God, knowing that only He can fulfill the infinite void.
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