Part 1 (1/2)
The Happiness of Heaven.
by F. J. Boudreaux.
PREFACE.
Many books, owing to their special character, are designed for only a small circle of readers. But topics involving general and vital interests deservedly claim the attention of all persons. Such is the subject of the present work--”The Happiness of Heaven.” For who is he that, believing in the existence of that blessed abode, does not hope eventually to arrive there?
What sublime descriptions do not the Holy Scriptures give us of the blessed City of G.o.d! Her wails are built of jasper-stone; but the City itself is of pure and s.h.i.+ning gold, like to clear crystal gla.s.s.
And the foundations of the City are adorned with all manner of precious stones. Her gates are pearls. The very streets are transparent as gla.s.s. This glorious City has no need of the sun or of the moon to s.h.i.+ne in her; for the glory of G.o.d is her light.
In the midst of her sits the Ancient of days: His garments are white as snow: His throne is like flames of fire. Thousands and thousands minister unto him, and ten thousand times a hundred thousand stand before Him. A river of life-giving water, as clear as crystal, whose banks are adorned with the tree of life, issues from the throne of G.o.d. The Blessed drink of the torrent of pleasure, and are inebriated with the plenty of the house of G.o.d. All tears are wiped away from their eyes: and death shall be no more, nor mourning, nor crying, nor sorrow shall be any more, for the former things are pa.s.sed away.
And, when we are a.s.sured that no mortal eye hath seen nor ear heard, nor heart of man conceived the happiness prepared for G.o.d's children, we must conclude that the magnificent language describing the heavenly Jerusalem is only symbolical; that the Holy Ghost speaks of the most precious and beautiful things we know, in order to raise our minds to the reality which they faintly represent. It has been the aim of the author of the following pages to discover the meaning concealed under those enticing figures. In his exposition of ”The Happiness of Heaven,” he has endeavored to follow the teachings of the most approved theologians of the Church. Moreover, mindful that our Divine Model spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven in parables, he has laid aside, as far as possible, the technical language of the schools, and has replaced it by ill.u.s.trations, which are better adapted to the capacity of all.
Should the wors.h.i.+pper of mammon, on perusing these pages, pause in his headlong course, to think of ”treasures which neither the moth nor rust consumes;” should the votary of pleasure be induced to sigh after the joys that pa.s.s not away; should the poor and the afflicted of every description, cast a lingering, longing glance toward that blessed region where sorrow is unknown; should those who have consecrated themselves to G.o.d be incited to a greater perfection and to a desire of a higher degree of glory in heaven, the writer will deem himself amply rewarded for his labor.
THE HAPPINESS OF HEAVEN.
CHAPTER 1.
THE BEATIFIC VISION.
Reason, revelation, and the experience of six thousand years unite their voices in proclaiming that perfect happiness cannot be found in this world. It certainly cannot be found in creatures; for they were not clothed with the power to give it. It cannot be found even in the practice of virtue; for G.o.d has, in His wisdom, decreed that virtue should merit, but never enjoy perfect happiness in this world. He has solemnly pledged himself to give ”eternal life” to all who love and serve him here on earth. He has promised a happiness so unspeakably great, that the Apostle, who ”was caught up into paradise,” and was favored with a glimpse thereof, tells us that mortal ”eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things G.o.d hath prepared for them that love him.”*
* 1 Cor. xi. 9.
This happiness--which is now so incomprehensible to us--is none other than the possession and enjoyment of G.o.d himself in the Beatific Vision, as well as the perfect satisfaction of every rational craving of our nature in the glorious resurrection of the body. It is on this glorious happiness we are going to meditate; and first, we shall endeavor to obtain a definite idea of the Beatific Vision, which is the essential const.i.tuent of heavenly bliss.
In meditating upon the happiness in store for the children of G.o.d, we are very apt to build up a heaven of our own, which naturally takes the shape and color which our sorrows, needs, and sufferings lend thereto. The poor man, for instance, who has suffered mutely from toil and want, looks upon heaven as a place of rest, abounding with all that can satisfy the cravings of nature. Another, who has often endured the pangs of disease, looks upon it as a place where he shall enjoy perpetual health of body and mind. Another again, who, in the practice of virtue, has had all manner of temptations from the devil, the world, and his own flesh, delights in viewing heaven as a place totally free from temptation, where the danger, or even the possibility of sin, shall be no more.
All these, and other similar views of heaven, are true, inasmuch as they 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 them takes in the whole of heavenly bliss, such as G.o.d has revealed it to us. They all ignore the Beatific Vision, which is the essential happiness of heaven.
But even among those who look upon heaven as a place where we shall see G.o.d, very few indeed understand what is implied in the vision of G.o.d. They imagine that we shall simply gaze upon an object whose surpa.s.sing perfection will make us happy in a way which they do not understand. These last do not fully comprehend what is meant by the Beatific Vision, though they view heaven as a place where we shall see G.o.d. Let us, therefore, endeavor to understand what faith and theology teach us concerning the Beatific Vision. We shall see that it is the essential happiness of the blessed which not only fills them with the purest and completest satisfaction, but that it is, moreover, in virtue of this Beatific Vision that they are enabled to enjoy the additional or secondary pleasures which cl.u.s.ter around the throne of G.o.d.
Theologians divide the happiness of heaven into essential and accidental. By essential is meant the happiness which the soul receives immediately from G.o.d in the Beatific Vision. By accidental are meant the additional pleasures or joys which come to the blessed from creatures. Thus, when our Blessed Lord says: ”There shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner doing penance,” He evidently means a new joy, which the blessed did not possess until sorrow for sin entered that 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, they experience a new joy in his conversion, because therein they see G.o.d glorified; and, moreover, they have reason to look for an additional brother or sister to share their bliss. Yet, although the blessed do rejoice in the conversion of the sinner, they do so in virtue of the Beatific Vision--without which they could receive no additional pleasure from creatures. Therefore the Beatific Vision is not only the essential happiness of heaven, but it is also that which imparts to the saints the power of appropriating all the other inferior joys wherewith G.o.d completes the blessedness of his children. As this is a point of importance, we shall endeavor to understand it more clearly by an ill.u.s.tration.
A man who is gifted with perfect health of body and mind, not only enjoys life itself, but he likewise receives pleasure from the beauties of nature from literature, amus.e.m.e.nts, and society. Now, suppose he loses his health, and is thrown on a bed of sickness. He is no longer able to enjoy either life itself or its pleasures. What is all the beauty of earthly or heavenly objects to him now? What are amus.e.m.e.nts, and all the joys of sense, which formerly delighted him so much? All these things are now unable to give him any pleasure; because he has lost his health, which afforded him the power of appropriating the pleasures of life. Therefore, we say that health is essentially necessary, not only to enjoy life itself, but also to relish its pleasures. So too in heaven. The Beatific Vision is necessary not only to enjoy the very life of heaven, but likewise to enjoy the accidental glory wherewith G.o.d perfects the happiness of his elect. What, then, is this Beatific Vision? Is it an eternal gazing upon G.o.d? Is it an uninterrupted ”Ah!” of admiration? Or is it a sight of such overpowering grandeur as to deprive us of consciousness, and throw us into a state of dreamy inactivity? We shall see.
”Beatific Vision” is composed of three Latin words, _beatus_, happy; _facio_, I make; and _visio_, a sight; all of which taken together make up and mean a happy-making sight. Therefore, in its very etymology, Beatific Vision means a sight which contains in itself the power of banis.h.i.+ng all pain, all sorrow from the beholder, and of infusing, in their stead, joy and happiness. We shall now a.n.a.lyze it, and see wherein it consists; for it is only by doing so that we can arrive at the clear idea of it, which we are seeking.
Theologians tell us that the Beatific Vision, considered as a perfect and permanent state, consists of three acts which are so many elements essential to its integrity and perfection. These are, first, the sight or vision of G.o.d; secondly, the love of G.o.d; and thirdly, the enjoyment of G.o.d. These three acts, though really distinct from each other, are not separable; for, if even one of them be excluded, the Beatific Vision no longer exists in its integrity. We shall now say a few words on each of these const.i.tuents of heavenly bliss.
1. First, the sight or vision of G.o.d means that the intellect which is the n.o.blest faculty of the soul is suddenly elevated by the light of glory, and enabled to see G.o.d as He is, by a clear and unclouded perception of his Divine Essence. It is, therefore, a vision in which the soul sees G.o.d, face to face; not indeed with the eyes of the body, but with the intellect. For G.o.d is a Spirit, and cannot be seen with material eyes. And if our bodily eyes were necessary for that vision, we could not see G.o.d until the day of judgment; for it is only then that our eyes will be restored to us. Hence, it is the soul that sees G.o.d; but then, she sees Him more clearly and perfectly than she can now see anything with her material eyes.
This vision of G.o.d is an intellectual act by which the soul is filled to overflowing with an intuitive knowledge of G.o.d; a knowledge so perfect and complete that all the knowledge of Him attainable, in this world, by prayer and study, is like the feeble glimmer of the lamp compared to the dazzling splendor of the noonday sun.
This perfect vision, or knowledge of G.o.d, is not only the first essential element of the Beatific Vision, but it is, moreover, the very root or fountainhead of the other acts which are necessary for its completeness. Thus we say of the sun that he is the source of the light, heat, life, and beauty of this material world; for, if he were blotted out from the heavens, this now beautiful world would, in one instant, be left the dark and silent grave of every living creature.