When heaven and earth get a little bit closer together

A Reflection for Thursday before Epiphany (feast of St. John Neumann)

Find today’s readings here.

Nathanael answered him,”Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”Jesus answered and said to him,”Do you believebecause I told you that I saw you under the fig tree?You will see greater things than this.”And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you,you will see the sky opened and the angels of Godascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (Jn 1:49-51)

This winter—really, the past two weeks—I’ve been reminded of death a few more times than I’d prefer. First, there were the deaths of two parishioners at my church whom my parents knew, then my grandma’s friend, then also famous people like Pelé, Barbara Walters and, of course, Pope Benedict XVI. Although winter is generally a more somber time, it’s Christmastime, and we should be celebrating the birth of Jesus, the new year, the early parts of Jesus’ life like the Epiphany and the Presentation.

Yet here we are, surrounded by news of the pope emeritus’ funeral today. Actor Jeremy Renner and NFL player Damar Hamlin are both in critical condition, and I sincerely hope that neither of them will have their funeral arrangements announced anytime soon.

But today’s reading brings heaven and earth, and thus life and death, closer together. After Nathanael, known as Bartholomew in the other Gospels, confesses Jesus to be the Son of God, Jesus says, “You will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Both Jesus and the angels bridge that gap between heaven and earth, making death not so far away and terrifying.

The reference to the sky being opened, such as at the second coming, comes only on Jesus’ second day of public ministry. He truly has come to bring us all to God in the end, when the living and the dead will be reunited.

The fig tree where Jesus says he saw Nathanael has a number of meanings, one of which is that this tree is a symbol of the end times. At this, the beginning of his ministry, Jesus is already referencing the fullness of time, when the kingdom of God will be fulfilled and we all are brought together.

Pope Benedict’s requiem Mass today ended, as funeral Masses do, with the “In Paradisum” antiphon: “May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs come and welcome you and take you to the holy city, the new and eternal Jerusalem. / May choirs of angels welcome you and with Lazarus, who is poor no longer, may you have eternal rest.”

May these words be a comfort to any of us who are mourning. The angels are not so far from us here on earth, and they welcome those whom we have lost into heaven—the ladder between heaven and earth is not infinitely tall, and the second coming will join us all together in the kingdom of God.