heaven IS for real!

As I sat in that darkened theater and watched "Heaven is for Real," I cried. I cried for the father who, as a pastor, did not know what to believe when his four year old son told him all about heaven. You'd think, "he's a pastor, he should know, right?" and yet.....
I cried for his mother, who thinks that her son is creating scandal within their community. I cried for the woman who sat on the church board of directors and who, afraid of the unknown and bitter about her own son's dying too soon, sees this miracle as nothing more than contrived fantasy.

The child, Colton Burpo, contracts appendicitis and all of it's complications and it is while he is in the operating room that he goes to heaven. He describes in vivid detail all that he sees, including his dad's beloved grandfather and the little girl who "died in my mommy's tummy. She kept hugging me!"

I think the saying applies here: "if you have faith, no amount of explanation is necessary. For those without faith, no amount of explanation is possible."

I have spoken to several people who have had those glimpses of heaven. I myself, bitter for several months after my own sister's passing, was able to see her for a brief moment of time. She was beautiful...perfect. The scenary behind her was also breathtaking, the colors so vivid is almost hurt my eyes. My bitterness passed. I knew she was in a better place.

Many people ask, "why do only select people get these glimpses? Why can't we all see things such as apparitions, or view angels or see the Virgin Mary?" My answer is this: we are a mortal people. Those who are of heaven are IMMORTAL. For us to gaze upon them is so much more than our feeble, earthly brains can comprehend. Indeed, one saint was quoted to say that for any of us to gaze upon those things of heaven would cause us to tremble and grow faint.

Thus we go back to Colton. Four years old. His mind is so innocent that for him to see all that he did of heaven, rather than faint, he just accepted it. As adults, we tend to read too much into it, as did the parishioners at Todd Burpo's church. But why question? Why not just know that Jesus, who called us to be like little children, exists to those who believe in the simplicity of such things? Look to the three shepherd children in Fatima, Portugal, who saw apparitions of the Blessed Mother, who heard her message and delivered it. (Our Lady of Fatima). Juan Diego, who also saw the Blessed Mother in Guadalupe, Mexico, was only 15. (Our Lady of Guadalupe). Bernadette Soubirous, who viewed apparitions of Mary in Lourdes, France, was only 14 years old. (Our Lady of Lourdes). Why do children see these things? Because, as I said, adults tend to over think these things. We look for absolute answers, while children accept things at face value, no questions asked.

So, how does one become like a little child? See things with eyes of faith! Look around you....It is not hard. God is all around us. Have you seen Him? Sure you have! The lunar eclipse of several nights ago...the birth of a new Spring season, a beautiful cardinal at the bird feeder, the sounds of migrating geese flying over head. I can go on, but do you see what I mean? To see God...one must be open to His Presence! As Reverend Todd Burpo explains at movie's end, Heaven is all around us. It is what we make of it. It is the love that we share with each other. Hell is also all around us. It can be seen in the hate, the intolerance, the judgments and condemnations of others. I don't know about you, but I choose to live in Heaven. Until we can get that Love spread around to all that we meet--and I do mean ALL...we have a long way to go. When you look at another with eyes of love, when you can truly feel it within your heart...then you can say with assurance, you have seen heaven.