St. Paul does not say, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”
What he is saying is that we would rather be with the Lord than be here on earth.
Trent Horn has a good analogy for this. We might be at work and think, I would rather not be here at work and be home with my Family. It does not mean that the moment I step out of work that I am instantly at home with my Family. If there is a process of purification that needs to take place before we enter into Heaven (as nothing unclean can enter Heaven), this likely takes place on our way Home.
There is another problem if one says “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,” taken literally. What about individuals who are not saved? Is there no Hell, if, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord”? Yes, St. Paul is speaking to the faithful and not to unbelievers, but if taken out of context one could draw the conclusion that there is not Hell. But this is not what St. Paul is saying.
I will post future misquoted verses in their own posts, so that we can discuss each individually : )
How does the Mind of God become flesh? Work? Becoming Again? We ask Romans?
From Three Gods of Powers preexisting before creation was ever created was even created we become through two natures becoming One Body becoming again for all creation in One Holy Spirit Family One God in being, I believe.
[Catholic Public Domain Version]
For from him, and through him, and for him are all things. To him is glory, for all eternity. Amen.
So true, Cade_One, transformation is through the transformed Immaculate Flesh immortalized becoming from glorified Holy Spirit incorruption power manifesting for all becoming again re-imaged and transfigured in One Family Body, I believe.
The Body becomes again immortalized from spirit power never dying becoming from Incorruption becoming again in all One Holy Family, I believe.
Undefiled is from unfailing Christ Son of God Spirit incorruption through immaculately immortal Christ Son of Man Flesh becoming One Body from death through resurrection for both natures becoming again in One Holy Spirit Family One God in being, I believe.
“We are courageous, I say, and are willing rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:8)
On December 28th, 1943, in a transcript dictated to Maria Valtorta by the Blessed Virgin Mary, She referenced 2 Cor. 5:8, saying, "Everything was cancelled by the desire to possess God, as I was convinced that one can do everything when one possesses Him.
Endeavor, o Christians, to arrive at such total love. Let all earthly things be of no value. Aim only at God. When you are rich in this poverty of desire, which is an immeasurable wealth, God will bend over your spirits, to teach them first, to take them later, and you will ascend with them to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, to know them and love them for the blessed eternity and to possess their riches of graces for your brothers. Men are never so active for their brothers as when they are no longer among them, but they are lights reunited to the Divine Light." You can read the excerpt in full in The Poem of the Man-God: Vol. 5 (pp. 476-477).