Emanentizing the Eschaton

IC XC
✙
NI KA

ALTHOUGH WE IN this world experience time as a progression of moments God’s eternity is such that all moments are present in an eternal now. Although philosophers and theologians try to discern how it is that we humans will experience eternity, it seems that for the Divine Eternity there is a way in which one’s birth, death, resurrection, judgement, and final disposition are all now and have always been now. At the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom we offer thanks for “all that has been brought to pass for us” – notice the perfect tense – “the Cross, the tomb, the Resurrection on the third day, the Ascension into heaven, the enthronement at the right hand, and the second and glorious coming again.” We thank God now for the way in which the Second Coming has already happened. It is all now. The Eschaton is Now.

Yet, clearly not.

At the moment of communion, standing before the chalice, kneeling qt an altar rail, or making a throne of your hands to receive the proffered Host, you are confronting your Judge, and the eternal situation of your soul.

In the preparatory prayers before holy communion we sing:

I tremble as I receive the Fire, lest I be burned as wax and as grass. O dread mystery! O divine compassion! How is it that I who am but clay partake of the divine Body and Blood and am made incorruptible?

When we consume the Holy Eucharist, yes, it is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus the Messiah. But that means it is fire. This fire is God. We are used to thinking of the image of “hell fire”. There is only the Divine Fire: eternity is the fire of God. Isaiah refers to the eternal burnings (in 33:14ff) but it’s God that is the fire.

Heaven will be that fire and for the blessed that fire will be a joy for eternity. For those disinclined in this life to live in that joy, the fire will be a curse. Everyone will be salted with fire. (Mark 9:49) But the experience of blessing or curse will be our own choices.