Mission, Day 1

Fr. McCaffrey is excellent. Some brief notes from his lecture.

In Heaven, we will be so close to God that we will become indistinguishable from Him. Like iron that is in the midst of a fire, it glows as bright as the fire itself. We will still be iron, but just the thought of being perfect as the Father is perfect. Oh, to be a saint and accomplish that here!

Reasoning for angels was based on the order of the universe. Material to spirit, the scale runs thusly: Mineral, Vegetable, Animal, Human(both matter and spirit), BLANK SPACE, and an uncreated Primary Mover who is pure spirit (God).
The blank space has to be pure spirit due to the scale, but was created, since there can only be one God. That is where some of the reasoning for the angels place in the universe came from.

Disobedience of Adam in the garden, on the wood of the tree, closed the Gates of Heaven.
Obediance of Jesus in a garden, and on the wood of the Cross, re-opened the Gates of Heaven.

The Pure of Heart mentioned in the Beatitutes can see God, (Matt 5:8), not just in Heaven, but in all things. They see the reality of problems, and can see the Hand of God even in times of grief and suffering.