Happiness of Heaven, by J. Boudreaux. Scroll to bottom of page.

 

CHAPTER 23
The Twelfth Privilege of Virtue:
The Happy Death of the Just -- by Louis of Granada

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The end, it is said, crowns the work, and, therefore, it is in death that the just man's life is most fittingly crowned, while the departure of the sinner is a no less fitting close to his wretched career. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Ps.115:15), says the Psalmist, but "the death of the wicked is very evil." (Ps. 33:22). Commenting upon the latter part of this text, St. Bernard says, "The death of the wicked is bad because it takes them from this world; it is still worse because it separates the soul from the body; and it is worst because it precipitates them into the fire of Hell, and delivers them a prey to the undying worm of remorse."

To these evils which haunt the sinner at the hour of death, add the bitter regrets which gnaw his heart, the anguish which fills his soul, and the torments which rack his body. He is seized with terror at the thought of the past; of the account he must render; of the sentence which is to be pronounced against him; of the horrors of the tomb; of separation from wife, children, and friends; of bidding farewell to the things he has loved with an inordinate and a guilty love: wealth, luxuries, and even the gifts of nature, the light of day and the pure air of heaven. The stronger his love for earthly things has been, the more bitter will be his anguish in separating from them. As St. Augustine says, we cannot part without grief from that which we have possessed with love. It was in the same spirit that a certain philosopher said, that he who has fewest pleasures in life, has least reason to fear death.

But the greatest suffering of the wicked at the hour of death comes from the stings of remorse, and the thought of the terrible future upon which they are about to enter. The approach of death seems to open man's eyes and make him see all things as he never saw them before. "As life ebbs away," says St. Eusebius, "man is free from all distracting care for the necessities of life. He ceases to desire honors, emoluments, or dignities, for he sees that they are beyond his grasp. Eternal interests and thoughts of God's justice demand all his attention. The past with its pleasures is gone; the present with its opportunities is rapidly gliding away; all that remains to him is the future, with the dismal prospect of his many sins waiting to accuse him before the judgment-seat of the just God."

 

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"Consider," the saint again says, "the terror which will seize the negligent soul when she is entering eternity; the anguish with which she will be filled when, foremost among her accusers, her conscience will appear with its innumerable retinue of sins. Its testimony cannot be denied; its accusations will leave her mute and helpless; there will be no need to seek further witnesses, for the knowledge of this life-long companion will confound her."

Still more terrible is the picture of the death of the sinner given by St. Peter Damian. "Let us try to represent to ourselves," he says, "the terror which fills the soul of the sinner at the hour of death and the bitter reproaches with which conscience assails him. The commandments he has despised and the sins he has committed appear before him, to haunt him by their presence. He sighs for the time which he has squandered, and which was given to him to do penance; he beholds with despair the account he must render before the dread tribunal of God. He longs to arrest the moments, but they speed relentlessly on, bearing him nearer and nearer to his doom.

"If he looks back, his life seems but a moment, and before him is the limitless horizon of eternity. He weeps bitterly at the thought of the unspeakable happiness which he has sacrificed for the fleeting pleasures of the flesh: Confusion and shame overwhelm him when he sees he has forfeited a glorious place among the angelic choirs, through love for his body, which is about to become the food of worms. When he turns his eyes from the abode of these beings of light to the dark valley of this world, he sees how base and unworthy are the things for which he has rejected immortal glory and happiness. Oh! Could he but regain a small portion of the time he has lost, what austerities, what mortifications he would practice! What is there that could overcome his courage? What vows would he not offer, and how fervent would be his prayers! But while he is revolving these sad thoughts, the messengers of death appear in the rigid limbs, the dark and hollow eyes, the heaving breast, the foaming lips, the livid face. And as these exterior heralds approach, every thought, word, and action of his guilty life appears before him.

"Vainly does he strive to turn his eyes from them; they will not be banished. On one side – and this is true of every man's death – Satan and his legions are present, tempting the dying man, in the hope of seizing his soul even at the last minute. On the other side are the angels of Heaven, helping, consoling, and strengthening him. And yet it is his own life that will decide the contest between the spirits of darkness and the angels of light. In the case of the good, who have heaped up a treasure of meritorious works, the victory is with the angels of light. But the impious man, whose unexpiated crimes are crying for vengeance, rejects the help that is offered to him, yields to despair, and as his unhappy soul passes from his pampered body, the demons are ready to seize it and bear it away."

What stronger proof does man require of the wretched condition of the sinner, and what more does he need to make him avoid a career which ends so deplorably? If, at this critical hour, riches could help him as they do at many other periods of life, the evil would be less. But he will receive no succor from his riches, his honors, his dignities, his distinguished friends. The only patronage which will then avail him will be that of virtue and innocence. "Riches," says the Wise Man, "shall not profit in the day of revenge, but justice shall deliver from death." (Prov. 11:4).

As the wicked, therefore, receive at the hour of death the punishment of their crimes, so do the just then receive the reward of their virtues. "With him that feareth the Lord ", says the Holy Ghost, "it shall go well in the latter end; and in the day of his death he shall be blessed." (Ecclus. 1:13). St. John declares this truth still more forcibly when he tells us that he heard a voice from Heaven commanding him, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. From henceforth, saith the Spirit, they rest from their labors, for their works follow them." (Apoc. 14:13). With such a promise from God Himself, how can the just man fear? Can he dread that hour in which he is to receive the reward of his life's labors?

Since, as we read in Job, he has put away iniquity, brightness like that of the noonday shall arise to him at evening, and when he shall think himself consumed he shall rise as the day-star. (Cf. Job 11:14,17). Explaining these words, St. Gregory says that the light which illumines the close of the just man's life is the splendor of that immortal glory which is already so near. When others, therefore, are weighed down by sadness and despair, he is full of confidence and joy. For this reason Solomon has said that the wicked shall be rejected because of their wickedness, but the just man hath hope in the hour of his death. (Cf. Prov. 14:32).

What more striking example of this confident hope can we find than that of the glorious St. Martin? Seeing the devil beside his bed at the hour of death, he cried out, "What art thou doing here, cruel beast? Thou wilt find no mortal sin in my soul by which thou mayest bind me. I go, therefore, to enjoy eternal peace in Abraham's bosom." Equally touching and beautiful was the confidence of our holy Father, St. Dominic. Seeing the religious of his order weeping around his bed, he said to them, "Weep not, my children, for I can do you more good where I am going than I could ever hope to do on earth." How could the fear of death overcome one who so confidently hoped to obtain Heaven, not only for himself, but also for his disciples?

Far, then, from fearing death, the just hail it as the hour of their deliverance and the beginning of their reward. In his commentary on the Epistle of St. John, St. Augustine writes, "It cannot be said that he who desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ endures death with patience, but rather that he endures life with patience and embraces death with joy." It is not, therefore, with cries and lamentations that the just man sees his end approaching, but – like the swan, which is said to sing as death draws near – he departs this life with words of praise and thanksgiving on his lips.

He does not fear death, because he has always feared God, and he who fears God need fear nothing else. He does not fear death, because his life has been a preparation for death, and he who is always armed and ready need not fear the enemy. He does not fear death, because he has sought during life to secure in virtue and good works powerful advocates for that terrible hour. He does not fear death, because he has endeavored, by devoted service, to incline his Judge in his favor. Finally, he does not fear death, because to the just, death is only a sweet sleep, the end of toil, and the beginning of a blessed immortality.

Nor can the accompanying accidents and pains of death alarm him, for he knows that they are but the throes and pangs in which he must be brought forth to eternal life. He is not dismayed by the memory of his sins or the rigor of God's justice, since he has Christ for his Friend and Advocate. He does not tremble at the presence of Satan and his followers, for his Redeemer, who has conquered Hell and ! death, stands at his side. For him the tomb has no terrors, for he knows that he must sow a natural body in order that it may rise a spiritual body, that this corruptible must put on incorruption. (Cf. 1Cor. 15:42,44).

Since, as we have already remarked, the end crowns the work, and, as Seneca tells us, the last day condemns or justifies the whole life, how can we, beholding the peaceful and blessed death of the just and the miserable departure of the wicked, seek for any other motive to make us embrace a life of virtue?

Of what avail will be the riches and prosperity which you may enjoy during your short stay in this life, if your eternity will be spent in the endless torments of Hell? Or how can you shrink from the temporary sufferings that will win for you an eternity of happiness? Of what advantage are learning and skill, if the sinner uses them only to acquire those things which flatter his pride, feed his sensuality, confirm him in sin, make him unfit to practice virtue, and thus render death as bitter and unwelcome as his life was pleasant and luxurious? We consider him a wise and skillful physician who prudently seeks by every it means to restore the health of his patient, since this is the end of his science. So is he truly wise who regulates his life with a view to his last end, who constantly employs all the means in his power to fit himself for a happy death.

Behold, then, dear Christian, the twelve fruits of virtue in this life. They are like the twelve fruits of the tree of life seen by St. John in his prophetic vision. (Cf. Apoc. 22:2). This tree represents Jesus Christ, and is also a symbol of virtue with its abundant fruits of holiness and life. And what fruits can be compared to those which we have been considering? What is there more consoling than the fatherly care with which God surrounds the just? What blessings equal those of divine grace, of heavenly wisdom, of the consolations of the Holy Spirit, of the testimony of a good conscience, of invincible hope, of unfailing efficacy in prayer, and of that peaceful and happy death with which the just man's life is crowned? But one of these fruits, rightly known and appreciated, should suffice to make us embrace virtue.

Think not that you will ever regret any labor or any sacrifice made in pursuit of so great a good. The wicked do not strive to attain it, for they know not its value. To them the kingdom of Heaven is like a hidden treasure. (Cf. Matt. 13:44). And yet it is only through the divine light and the practice of virtue that they will learn its beauty and worth. Seek, therefore, this light, and you will find the pearl of great price.

Do not leave the source of eternal life to drink at the turbid streams of the world. Follow the counsel of the prophet, and taste and see that the Lord is sweet. Trusting in Our Saviour's words, resolutely enter the path of virtue, and your illusions will vanish. The serpent into which the rod of Moses was converted was frightful at a distance, but at the touch of his hand it became again a harmless rod. To the wicked, virtue wears a forbidding look; to sacrifice their worldly pleasures for her would be to buy her at too dear a rate. But when they draw near they see how lovely she is, and when they have once tasted the sweetness she possesses they cheerfully surrender all they have to win her friendship and love. How gladly did the man in the Gospel hasten to sell all he had to purchase the field which contained a treasure! (Cf. Matt. 13:44).

Why, then, do Christians make so little effort to obtain this inestimable good? If a companion assured you that a treasure lay hidden in your house, you would not fail to search for it, even though you doubted its existence. Yet though you know, on the infallible word of God, that you can find a priceless treasure within your own breast, you do nothing to discover it. Oh! That you would realize its value! Would that you knew how little it costs to obtain it, and how "nigh is the Lord unto all them that call upon him, that call upon him in truth" (Ps. 144:18)!

Be mindful of the prodigal, of so many others who have returned from sin and error, to find, instead of an angry Judge, a loving Father awaiting them. Do penance, therefore, for your sins, and God will no longer remember your iniquities (Cf. Ezech. 18:21-22). Return to your loving Father; rise with the dawn and knock at the gates of His mercy; humbly persevere in your entreaties, and He will not fail to reveal to you the treasure of His love. Having once experienced the sweetness which it contains, you will say with the spouse in the Canticle, "If a man should give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing." (Cant. 8:7).

Chapter 24. The Folly of those who Defer their Conversion (See "Sinner's Guide" by Louis of Granada)

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Taken from "The Sinner's Guide," by Venerable Louis of Granada.

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The Happiness Of Heaven:

The Joys and Rewards of Eternal Glory, by F.J. Boudreaux

 Shows how the joys of Heaven stem from the direct vision of God--the joys of the heart; of the mind; of physical beauty; of the senses; of friendship; and of perfect love of God. Tells of the magnificent variety in Heaven. How Mary Magdalen's glory exceeds that of many innocent souls; etc. Explains that a high degree of glory in Heaven is within the reach of all baptized souls; however poor; ignorant or insignificant they may be here. A marvelous book!
The Rev. Fr. J. Boudreau, S.J., was a priest of the Society of Jesus and author of the nineteenth century. His work The Happiness of Heaven: The Joys and Rewards of Eternal Glory was originally published in 1872 by John Murphy & Company, Maryland. It discusses the infinite joy of the souls in Heaven, as well as the fact that all baptized persons are capable of obtaining it, no matter how seemingly insignificant they may be. Father Boudreau's book was also reset and published by TAN in 1984 with the Imprimatur.

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Chapter 25. How our Lord Jesus and all the Saints console the souls of the just in their last moments. And with what love our Lord communicates Himself to His elect in the Sacrament of the Altar.

As Gertrude reflected on death, she exclaimed to our Lord: "How happy and how honored are they who merit to be consoled and strengthened by Thy Saints in their last moments! I am unworthy of this consolation, for I have never honored Thy Saints worthily; therefore I cannot expect consolation from any Saint, save from Thee alone, the Sanctifier of all the Saints". Our Lord replied: You will not be deprived of this consolation because you expect all from Me; on the contrary, My Saints will love and minister to you all the more for it, and at the moment when men usually feel most fear and anxiety, I will send My Saints to assist you, and I will come to you Myself in all the glory and beauty of My Divinity and Humanity. She replied: "And when wilt Thou accomplish Thy promise and bring me from this land of exile to the land of rest?" Our Lord answered: Will a royal bride complain of the applause of the populace if it only increases the love of her bridegroom for her? "But, Lord", continued the Saint, "how can this apply to me, who am the vilest of Thy creatures?" He replied: Know that I communicate Myself to you entirely in the Sacrament of the Altar, which after this life cannot be; and in this union there is more blessedness and delight than in any human love, for that is often vile and transitory; but the sweetness of this union ennobles and dignifies the soul.
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Chapter 25. How our Lord Jesus and all the Saints console the souls of the just in their last moments. And with what love our Lord communicates Himself to His elect in the Sacrament of the Altar.

As Gertrude reflected on death, she exclaimed to our Lord: "How happy and how honored are they who merit to be consoled and strengthened by Thy Saints in their last moments! I am unworthy of this consolation, for I have never honored Thy Saints worthily; therefore I cannot expect consolation from any Saint, save from Thee alone, the Sanctifier of all the Saints". Our Lord replied: You will not be deprived of this consolation because you expect all from Me; on the contrary, My Saints will love and minister to you all the more for it, and at the moment when men usually feel most fear and anxiety, I will send My Saints to assist you, and I will come to you Myself in all the glory and beauty of My Divinity and Humanity. She replied: "And when wilt Thou accomplish Thy promise and bring me from this land of exile to the land of rest?" Our Lord answered: Will a royal bride complain of the applause of the populace if it only increases the love of her bridegroom for her? "But, Lord", continued the Saint, "how can this apply to me, who am the vilest of Thy creatures?" He replied: Know that I communicate Myself to you entirely in the Sacrament of the Altar, which after this life cannot be; and in this union there is more blessedness and delight than in any human love, for that is often vile and transitory; but the sweetness of this union ennobles and dignifies the soul.

Our Lord had often incited the Saint to desire her deliverance from the flesh; and now she became seriously ill, so that the physicians had no hope of her recovery. This intelligence filled her with joy, and she said to Our Lord: "Although I desire above all things, to be delivered from the prison of the flesh, and united to Thee, nevertheless, if it pleases Thee, I would willingly remain on earth and endure the severest suffering, even until the day of judgment". Our Lord replied: Your good will so moves My Divine benignity, that I accept it as if you had accomplished what you offer. As He said this, a marvelous joy appeared in His Divine countenance, which imparted a new and ineffable gladness and consolation to all the Saints. Then He continued: In that hour when I draw you entirely to Myself, the mountains - that is, the Saints, shall drop sweetness; the heavens shall pour honey on the earth, from the abundance of your beatitude; the hills shall flow with milk and honey-that is, I will attract carnal and earthly souls by My grace, for your sake.

Then she began to make fervent thanksgiving for these favors and to excite her gratitude further by reflecting on many graces which Our Divine Lord had promised her. And these favors were: first, a promise that she should die of Divine love, and that her death shall be caused thereby, even as love caused the Death of the Son of God on the Cross; second, that in the adorable counsels of the Ever-Blessed Trinity the Holy Spirit had prepared to preside at her death, and order all that passed within her; third, that all who assisted her in her last illness, or even desired to do so, should themselves be assisted and protected by Divine love in their last moments; fourth, that Our Lord would bestow as many graces on them as it was possible for men to receive; fifth, that in the hour of her happy departure an immense number of sinners should be converted to true penance by the infinite and gratuitous mercy of God; sixth, that an infinite number of souls should be delivered from suffering, and obtain an increase of merit and beatitude, and enter with her into the celestial kingdom; seventh, that whoever besought Our Lord to bestow any grace on her should be rewarded by receiving the same grace themselves; eighth, that whoever returned thanks to God for the graces bestowed on her should receive, sooner or later, according to the decrees of His Providence, all they desired for their salvation, if they observed the following conditions-1) to praise the eternal love of God, who chose her from all eternity; 2) to thank Him for having drawn her so sweetly to Himself; 3) for having united her to Himself so intimately and familiarly: 4) for having blessedly consummated His work in her, and for having granted all her petitions; ninth, that Our Lord had sworn to Gertrude by the truth of His Passion, and confirmed His promise by the seal of His Death, that whoever prayed for her during her life, at her death, or after her death, should receive the most abundant graces and favors, if they had also the intention of including in this prayer all for whom God wished them to pray, if they commenced their petition by offering it through the merit of the infinite love which drew Him down from Heaven to earth to accomplish the work of our salvation and concluded it by offering it in union with His Death, and the glory and triumph with which He presented His adorable Humanity to the Father on the day of His glorious Ascension. Further, He promised that those who prayed thus for her should receive all the graces which they had asked for her, as if they had made themselves worthy of obtaining them.

Taken from "Revelations of Saint Gertrude, Book 5"

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• Revelations of St. Gertrude, Books 1 to 5

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Holy Death of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga --

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The Vocation of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, by Guercino

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= = = = THE HAPPINESS OF HEAVEN.
CHAPTER 1.
THE BEATIFIC VISION.
Reason, revelation, and the experience of six thousand years unitetheir voices in proclaiming that perfect happiness cannot be found inthis world. It certainly cannot be found in creatures; for they werenot clothed with the power to give it. It cannot be found even in thepractice of virtue; for God has, in His wisdom, decreed that virtueshould merit, but never enjoy perfect happiness in this world. He hassolemnly pledged himself to give "eternal life" to all who love andserve him here on earth. He has promised a happiness so unspeakablygreat, that the Apostle, who "was caught up into paradise," and wasfavored with a glimpse thereof, tells us that mortal "eye hath notseen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man,what things God hath prepared for them that love him."*
* 1 Cor. xi. 9.
This happiness--which is now so incomprehensible to us--is none otherthan the possession and enjoyment of God himself in the BeatificVision, as well as the perfect satisfaction of every rational cravingof our nature in the glorious resurrection of the body. It is on thisglorious happiness we are going to meditate; and first, we shallendeavor to obtain a definite idea of the Beatific Vision, which isthe essential constituent of heavenly bliss.
In meditating upon the happiness in store for the children of God, weare very apt to build up a heaven of our own, which naturally takesthe shape and color which our sorrows, needs, and sufferings lendthereto. The poor man, for instance, who has suffered mutely fromtoil and want, looks upon heaven as a place of rest, abounding withall that can satisfy the cravings of nature. Another, who has oftenendured the pangs of disease, looks upon it as a place where he shallenjoy perpetual health of body and mind. Another again, who, in thepractice of virtue, has had all manner of temptations from the devil,the world, and his own flesh, delights in viewing heaven as a placetotally free from temptation, where the danger, or even thepossibility of sin, shall be no more.
All these, and other similar views of heaven, are true, inasmuch asthey represent it as a place entirely free from evil and suffering,and, at the same time, as an abode of positive happiness.Nevertheless, they are all imperfect views, because not one of themtakes in the whole of heavenly bliss, such as God has revealed it tous. They all ignore the Beatific Vision, which is the essentialhappiness of heaven.
But even among those who look upon heaven as a place where we shallsee God, very few indeed understand what is implied in the vision ofGod. They imagine that we shall simply gaze upon an object whosesurpassing perfection will make us happy in a way which they do notunderstand. These last do not fully comprehend what is meant by theBeatific Vision, though they view heaven as a place where we shallsee God. Let us, therefore, endeavor to understand what faith andtheology teach us concerning the Beatific Vision. We shall see thatit is the essential happiness of the blessed which not only fillsthem with the purest and completest satisfaction, but that it is,moreover, in virtue of this Beatific Vision that they are enabled toenjoy the additional or secondary pleasures which cluster around thethrone of God.
Theologians divide the happiness of heaven into essential andaccidental. By essential is meant the happiness which the soulreceives immediately from God in the Beatific Vision. By accidentalare meant the additional pleasures or joys which come to the blessedfrom creatures. Thus, when our Blessed Lord says: "There shall be joyin heaven upon one sinner doing penance," He evidently means a newjoy, which the blessed did not possess until sorrow for sin enteredthat sinner's heart. They were already happy in the Beatific Vision,and would not have lost the slightest degree of their blessedness,even if that sinner had never repented of his sins. Still, theyexperience a new joy in his conversion, because therein they see Godglorified; and, moreover, they have reason to look for an additionalbrother or sister to share their bliss. Yet, although the blessed dorejoice in the conversion of the sinner, they do so in virtue of theBeatific Vision--without which they could receive no additionalpleasure from creatures. Therefore the Beatific Vision is not onlythe essential happiness of heaven, but it is also that which impartsto the saints the power of appropriating all the other inferior joyswherewith God completes the blessedness of his children. As this is apoint of importance, we shall endeavor to understand it more clearlyby an illustration.
A man who is gifted with perfect health of body and mind, not onlyenjoys life itself, but he likewise receives pleasure from thebeauties of nature from literature, amusements, and society. Now,suppose he loses his health, and is thrown on a bed of sickness. Heis no longer able to enjoy either life itself or its pleasures. Whatis all the beauty of earthly or heavenly objects to him now? What areamusements, and all the joys of sense, which formerly delighted himso much? All these things are now unable to give him any pleasure;because he has lost his health, which afforded him the power ofappropriating the pleasures of life. Therefore, we say that health isessentially necessary, not only to enjoy life itself, but also torelish its pleasures. So too in heaven. The Beatific Vision isnecessary not only to enjoy the very life of heaven, but likewise toenjoy the accidental glory wherewith God perfects the happiness ofhis elect. What, then, is this Beatific Vision? Is it an eternalgazing upon God? Is it an uninterrupted "Ah!" of admiration? Or isit a sight of such overpowering grandeur as to deprive us ofconsciousness, and throw us into a state of dreamy inactivity? Weshall see.
"Beatific Vision" is composed of three Latin words, _beatus_, happy;_facio_, I make; and _visio_, a sight; all of which taken togethermake up and mean a happy-making sight. Therefore, in its veryetymology, Beatific Vision means a sight which contains in itself thepower of banishing all pain, all sorrow from the beholder, and ofinfusing, in their stead, joy and happiness. We shall now analyze it,and see wherein it consists; for it is only by doing so that we canarrive at the clear idea of it, which we are seeking.
Theologians tell us that the Beatific Vision, considered as a perfectand permanent state, consists of three acts which are so manyelements essential to its integrity and perfection. These are, first,the sight or vision of God; secondly, the love of God; and thirdly,the enjoyment of God. These three acts, though really distinct fromeach other, are not separable; for, if even one of them be excluded,the Beatific Vision no longer exists in its integrity. We shall nowsay a few words on each of these constituents of heavenly bliss.
1. First, the sight or vision of God means that the intellect whichis the noblest faculty of the soul is suddenly elevated by the lightof glory, and enabled to see God as He is, by a clear and uncloudedperception of his Divine Essence. It is, therefore, a vision in whichthe soul sees God, face to face; not indeed with the eyes of thebody, but with the intellect. For God is a Spirit, and cannot be seenwith material eyes. And if our bodily eyes were necessary for thatvision, we could not see God until the day of judgment; for it isonly then that our eyes will be restored to us. Hence, it is the soulthat sees God; but then, she sees Him more clearly and perfectly thanshe can now see anything with her material eyes.
This vision of God is an intellectual act by which the soul is filledto overflowing with an intuitive knowledge of God; a knowledge soperfect and complete that all the knowledge of Him attainable, inthis world, by prayer and study, is like the feeble glimmer of thelamp compared to the dazzling splendor of the noonday sun.
This perfect vision, or knowledge of God, is not only the firstessential element of the Beatific Vision, but it is, moreover, thevery root or fountainhead of the other acts which are necessary forits completeness. Thus we say of the sun that he is the source of thelight, heat, life, and beauty of this material world; for, if he wereblotted out from the heavens, this now beautiful world would, in oneinstant, be left the dark and silent grave of every living creature.This is only a faint image of the darkness and sadness which wouldseize upon the blessed, could we suppose that God would at any timewithdraw from them the clear and unclouded vision of Himself.Therefore, we say, that the vision of the Divine Essence is the rootor source of the Beatific Vision.
Yet, although this is true, it does not follow that the vision of theDivine Essence constitutes the whole Beatific Vision; for the humanmind cannot rest satisfied with knowledge alone, how perfect soeverit may be. It must also love and enjoy the object of its knowledge.Therefore, the vision of God produces the two other acts which weshall now briefly consider.*
* Dico 1. Essentiam beatitudinis formalis primo ac principaliterconsistere in clara Dei visione, in qua, quasi in fonte ac radicetota beatitudinis perfectio continetur. Est enim præcipua acperfectissima animæ operatio in ratione consecutionis finis ultima,et immediate cum ipsius conjunctione, ac forma essentialiterdistinguens statum beatum a non beato.... Tamen, dico 2: Amorcharitatis et amicitiæ divinæ est simpliciter necessarius, ut homosit supernaturaliter perfecte beatus: atque ita absolute est deipsius beatitudinis essentia.--Suarez de Beat. Disput. 7.
2. The second element of the Beatific Vision is an act of perfect andinexpressible love. It is the sight or knowledge of God as He is,that produces this love; because it is impossible for the soul to seeGod in his divine beauty, goodness, and unspeakable love for her,without loving Him with all the power of her being. It were easier togo near an immense fire and not feel the heat, than to see God in Hisvery essence, and yet not be set on fire with divine love. It is,therefore, a necessary act; that is, one which the blessed could notpossibly withhold, as we now can do in this world. For, with ourimperfect vision of God, as He is reflected from the mirror ofcreation, we can, and unfortunately do withhold our love from himeven when the light of faith is superadded to the knowledge we mayhave of him from the teachings of nature. Not so in heaven. There,the blessed see God as He is; and therefore, they love Himspontaneously, intensely, and supremely.
3. The third element of the Beatific Vision is an act of excessivejoy, which proceeds spontaneously from both the vision and the loveof God. It is an act by which the soul rejoices in the possession ofGod, who is the Supreme Good. He is her own God, her own possession,and in the enjoyment of Him her cravings for happiness are completelygratified. Evidently, then, the Beatific Vision necessarily includesthe possession of God; for without it, this last act could have noexistence, and the happiness of the blessed would not be complete,could we suppose it to have existence at all. A moment's reflectionwill make this as evident as the light of day.
A beggar, for instance, gazes upon a magnificent palace, filled withuntold wealth, and all that can gratify sense. Does the mere sight ofit make him happy? It certainly does not, because it is not, andnever can be his. He may admire its grand architecture and exquisiteworkmanship, and thus receive some trifling pleasure; but, as he cannever call that palace nor its wealth his own, the mere gazing uponit, and even loving its beauty, can never render him happy. For this,the possession of it is essential.
Again, the starving beggar gazes upon the rich man's table loadedwith every imaginable luxury. Does that mere sight relieve the pangsof hunger? It certainly does not. It rather adds to his wretchedness,by intensifying his hunger, without satisfying its cravings. Even sowould it be in heaven, could we suppose a soul admitted there, andallowed to gaze upon the beauty of God, while she cannot possess orenjoy Him. Such a sight would be no Beatific Vision for her. Thepossession of God is, therefore, absolutely necessary in order thatthe soul may enjoy Him, and rest in him as her last end. Hence, theact of seeing God is also the act by which the blessed possess God,and enter into the joy of their Lord.*
* Si generatim loquamur, verum est quod visio, ut visio, non sitpossessio. Nam visio, ut sic, solum dicit claram cognitionem objectivisi. Possessio autem significat habere et tenere objectum, eo modo,quo natum est haberi et genera. Jam vero, quia Deus non aliter potesta nobis haberi et teneri quam per visionem, ideo fit, ut visiosortiatur nomen et officium possessionis respectu Dei.--Becanus, deBeat. quæst. 3.
But this is not yet all. We have been considering the acts by whichthe soul appropriates God to herself; meanwhile, we must not forgetthat the active concurrence of God is as essential in the BeatificVision as the action of the creature. The Beatific Vision means,therefore, that God not only enables the soul to see Him in all hissurpassing beauty, but also that he takes her to his bosom as abeloved child, and bestows upon her the happiness which mortal eyecannot see. It means, furthermore, that God unites the soul toHimself in so wonderful and intimate a manner, that, without losingher created nature or personal identity, she is transformed into God,according to the forcible expression of St. Peter, when he assertsthat we are "made partakers of the divine nature."* This is thehighest glory to which a rational nature can be elevated, if weexcept the glory of the hypostatic union and the maternity of theBlessed Virgin Mary.
* 2 Pet. i. 4.
In explaining this partaking of the divine nature in heaven,theologians make use of a very apt comparison. If, say they, youthrust a piece of iron into the fire, it soon loses its dark color,and becomes red and hot, like the fire. It is thus made a partaker ofthe nature of fire, without, however, losing its own essentialiron-nature. This illustrates what takes place in the Beatific Visionin relation to the soul. She is united to God, and penetrated by Him.She becomes bright with His brightness, beautiful with His beauty,pure with His purity, happy with His unutterable happiness, andperfect with His divine perfections. In a word, she has become apartaker of the "divine nature," while she retains her created natureand personal identity.
Abstract words, however, and reasoning fail to convey a definite ideaof this glorious happiness reserved for the children of God. Let us,therefore, have recourse to an illustration in the shape of a littleparable. It will be as a mirror, wherein we shall see faint but truereflections of the Beatific Vision.
A kind-hearted king, while hunting in a forest, finds a blind orphanboy, totally destitute of all that can make life comfortable. Theking, moved with compassion, takes him to his palace, adopts him ashis own, and orders him to be cared for and educated in all that ablind person can learn. It is almost needless to say that the boy isunspeakably grateful, and does all he can to phase the king. When hehas reached his twentieth year, a surgeon performs an operation uponhis eyes by which his sight is restored. Then the king, surrounded byhis nobles and amid all the pomp and magnificence of the court,proclaims him one of his sons, and commands all to honor and love himas such. And thus the once friendless orphan becomes a prince, and,therefore, a partaker of the royal dignity, of the happiness andglory which are to be found in the palaces of kings.
I will not attempt to describe the joys that overwhelm the soul ofthis fortunate young man when he first sees that king, of whose manlybeauty, goodness, power, and magnificence he had heard so much. Norwill I attempt to describe those other joys which fill his soul whenhe beholds himself, his own personal beauty, and the magnificence ofhis princely garments, whereof he had also heard so much heretofore.Much less will I attempt to picture his exquisite unspeakablehappiness when he sees himself adopted into the royal family, honoredand loved by all, together with all the pleasures of life within hisreach. Each one may endeavor to imagine his feelings, joy, andhappiness. We can only say that all this taken together is a beatificvision for him--in the natural order.
Here we find the three acts already explained. The first is the sightof the good king in all his glory and magnificence; the second is theintense love which this sight produces; and the third is theenjoyment of the king's society, and all the happiness wherewith hisadoption has surrounded him.
The application of the parable is obvious. God is the great andmighty King who finds your soul in the wilderness of this world. Touse the forcible words of Scripture, He found you "wretched, andmiserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."* Moved with compassion,He brought you into His holy Church. There, He washed you with hisown precious blood, clotured you with the spotless robe ofinnocence, adorned you with the gifts of grace, and adopted you ashis own child. Then He commanded his ministers and others to educateyou for heaven. By His grace, and your own co-operation, your soul isbeing gradually developed into a more perfect resemblance to JesusChrist, who, in His human nature, is the standard of all createdperfection. But you are blind yet, and must remain so until yourHeavenly Father calls you home. When that happy day dawns, you willleave this world; your eyes will be opened by the light of glory, andyou will see God as He is, in all his glory and magnificence. Youwill also see yourself as you are, adorned with the jewels of themany graces He has bestowed upon you. You will also see the beautifulangels and saints, clothed with the beauty of God himself, standingaround his throne to hear the sentence that is to admit you intotheir society. This sight of the Living God, and of all themagnificence which surrounds Him, will fill your soul with a perfectknowledge of him; and this knowledge will produce a most ardent andperfect love; and when he presses you to his bosom, proclaims you oneof his children, and commands all to honor and love you as such, yourjoy will be full. This will be emphatically a Beatific Vision foryou. you will then enter into the possession and enjoyment of God,who alone can fill the soul with pure and permanent happiness.
* Apoc. iii. 17.
We shall now close this chapter with a beautiful extract from thegreat theologian Lessius. Speaking of the three acts which constitutethe Beatific Vision, he says: "In these three acts resides God'schiefest glory, which He himself intended in all his works; and so,likewise, in these same acts reside the highest good and formalbeatitude of men and angels. By these acts the blessed spirits arevastly elevated above themselves, and, in their union with God,become godlike, by a most lofty and supereminent similitude with God,so that the mind can conceive no greater. Thus, like very gods, theyshine to all eternity in the divine brightness. By these same actsthey expand themselves into immensity, so as to be co-equal andco-extensive, as far as may be, to so great a good, that they maytake it in, and comprehend it all. They linger not outside, as itwere upon the surface of it; but they go down into its profounddepths, and enter into the joy of their Lord; some more, some less,according to the magnitude of the light of glory imparted to each.Immersed in this abyss, they lose themselves, and all created things;for all other good and joys seem to them as nothing by the side ofthis ocean of good and joys. In this abyss there is to them nodarkness, no obscurity, such as now hangs over us about the Divinity;but all is light and immense serenity. There are their eternalmansions, with a tranquil security that they can never fail. There isthe fulfilling of all their desires. There is the possession andenjoyment of all things that are desirable. There nothing will remainto be longed for, or sought for any more; for all will firmly possessand exquisitely enjoy every good thing in God. There the occupationof the saints will be to contemplate the infinite beauty of God, tolove His infinite goodness, to enjoy his infinite sweetness, to befilled to overflowing with the torrent of his pleasures, and to exultwith an unspeakable delight in his infinite glory, and in all thegood things which he and they possess. Hence comes perpetual praise,and benediction, and thanksgiving; and thus the blessed, havingreached the consummation of all their desires, and knowing not whatmore to crave, rest in God as their last end."*
* De Perf. Divin. lib. xiv. c. 5.

CHAPTER II.
THE BEATIFIC VISION. (CONTINUED.)
In the Beatific Vision, "we shall be like Him; because we shall seehim as he is."*
* 1 John iii. 2.
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