Question:
I was wondering why people are allowed to remarry once their spouse died. Will marriages on Earth be honoured in Heaven? I love my girlfriend and plan on marrying her and the idea of losing the special exclusive connection we have terrifies me.
Answer:
In the passage (Mt 22:23ff) where the Sadducees challenged Jesus about the existence of the resurrection, Jesus stated clearly that in the resurrection, there will be no more marriage, but all will be “like angels”, not marrying nor given to marriage.
The Church understands this not as an annihilation of the marital relationship on earth, but that there is something significantly far better in Heaven. Marriage, as good and wonderful as it is on Earth, is a pointer, or a sacrament, pointing to that greater union in Heaven, which is the beatific vision of God, or the union with God and all the blessed.
On Earth, we can only see dimly, and already we experience the greatness of love. In Heaven, our union with God and with all the saints will be even greater. The lesser union of marriage, will give way to the greater one. But the love we have experienced here on Earth will not be annihilated or forgotten. No, all the good and wonderful things we experience here will be made a million times greater in Heaven. The people we come to love so much here will be known and loved even more in Heaven.