November 4, 2026
Fr. John Riccardo
At present, if we are reborn in Christ, the spirit in us lives directly on God; but the mind and, still more, the body receives life from Him at a thousand removes — through our ancestors, through our food, through the elements. The faint, far-off results of those energies which God’s creative rapture implanted in matter when He made the worlds are what we now call physical pleasures; and even thus filtered, they are too much for our present management. What would it be like to taste at the fountainhead that stream of which even these lower reaches prove so intoxicating? Yet that, I believe, is what lies before us. The whole man is to drink joy from the fountain of joy. As St. Augustine says, the rapture of the saved soul will “flow over” into the glorified body. In the light of our present specialized and depraved appetites, we cannot imagine this torrens voluptatis, and I warn everyone most seriously not to try. But it must be mentioned, to drive out thoughts even more misleading — thoughts that what is saved is a mere ghost, or that the risen body lives in numb insensibility. The body was made for the Lord, and these dismal fancies are wide of the mark. “The Weight of Glory,” C.S. Lewis
What do you think it will be like when the holy city, the new Jerusalem, comes down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (cf. Rev 21:2)? After the Lord God wipes away every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more, and mourning and pain have passed away, and God makes all things new, what will we do for all eternity (cf. Rev 21:3-5)?
November is a month that the Church has, from ancient times, set aside to pray for all of the dead and to ponder our own death. Pondering our own death is to think about that real day when we will stand before the Lord and render an account to Him of what we did with our lives, how we spoke, acted — and failed to act (cf. Matthew 25:31-46; Rev 20:12-3). We all desire to hear the Lord say those most extraordinary words to us, “Well done! Good and faithful servant! Enter into the joy of your Master!” (Matthew 25:21).
What happens after that? What will we do?
For. All. Of. Eternity.
My experience is that most of us have an image of the Kingdom of God that is anything but how Scripture describes it. While we might not say it out loud, I fear many people think the life to come is somehow less and not more than this life. We imagine disembodied spirits floating around, or sitting on clouds playing harps in a kind of cannabis induced daze. Or maybe resting quietly in a chapel all day long in silent prayer. These are not Biblical images of what God has prepared for us!
Lewis’ words from “The Weight of Glory” are worth another slow read. They’re worth taking to prayer and asking the Spirit to speak to us about all that lies ahead, for the Kingdom of Heaven is more — not less — than this life!
To be sure, the new heaven and the new earth that Scripture speaks about uses imagery to convey to us what no eye has seen and no ear has heard (cf. 1 Cor. 2:9). But that imagery is material. And with good reason. Jesus has risen with His glorified body. Our Lady was assumed into heaven with her body. We are going to have our bodies with us for all eternity. Indeed, quoting St. Paul, Lewis reminds us that our bodies are made for the Lord (cf. 1 Cor 6:13).
Revelation describes the new earth as having a city, walls, rivers, trees, leaves, fruits and more. The heaven that John sees in Revelation is populated with angels, saints, and creatures of all kinds. If the earth is full of as many and varied creatures as it is, can you even imagine what we’re going to see, touch and hear in the kingdom of heaven? Think about the colors, the sounds, the animals, and more that will be present! God did not create everything out of nothing only to abandon it. Nor does He consider the material portion of it somehow of less value. God loves matter. So much so that He became Flesh!
We would do well in these days of November, as we pray for our dearly departed and consider our own death, to think about all of this. And to pray about all of this. How we think about what’s coming, after all, should not only arouse within us a desire for that life, but to live better now — since how we live now impacts whether or not we’ll be able to enjoy that life.
To help, it might be worth lingering in these November days with the first 2 chapters of Genesis and the very last chapter of Revelation. These inspired texts show us creation at the very beginning and at the end. They can deeply inform what God intended for His good creation from the start, and help us think about what is coming.
We would encourage you to prayerfully reflect with others on what the Lord shared with us during our time at The Jesus Conference and to discern what’s next.
Head to our streaming channel to check it out!
Now available, The Resistance: God’s Plan for Renewing the Human Family is a bold and timely call to join what Fr. Riccardo describes as “a great campaign of resistance.” It sends us into every sphere of human activity to help restore God’s design by confronting the prevailing cultural trends of anger, division, utility, and materialism; fostering healing where there is brokenness; bringing light where there is darkness; and renewing purpose where all seems lost.
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ACTS XXIX Prayer Intentions
November 2026
For the clergy, that they may encounter anew the Father who runs to them, be renewed in their vocation and that they would courageously equip those in the pews to be mobilized for mission.
For those attending our Leadership Immersive, that the Holy Spirit would open their hearts to hear God’s voice, deepen their identity as beloved sons and daughters, and help them restore the initiative to God in all their pastoral planning.
In thanksgiving for the many graces poured out during the Jesus Conference, that the seeds planted would continue to bear abundant fruit, awakening hearts to the urgency of the mission and mobilizing disciples to rescue, renew and transform the human family into the family of God.
For a blessed Thanksgiving, that our hearts would be filled with gratitude for the Father's inconceivable goodness, that our homes would be places of welcome, joy, and peace, and that we would remain mindful of those who are lonely, grieving or in need.
For all those who partner with us in advancing the mission of ACTS XXIX, both prayerfully and financially, that the Lord would bless them abundantly and allow them to see the fruit of their generosity in lives renewed, hearts healed, and the Church awakened to her mission.