love Him without weariness. They always see Him, and always desire to see Him, such a desirable sight is He. They always love Him, and always desire to love Him, so amiable is He.”[1] In this delightful enjoyment they have perpetual repose; they are always filled with God, always united with God, not otherwise than a drop of water poured into a vessel full of wine, or a piece of iron made red hot in the fire; the water indeed still remains water in its nature, and the iron is still iron; but the former is so mixed and confounded with the wine, and the latter with the fire, that one cannot distinguish between them; and he who drinks out of the vessel of wine cannot say that he has drunk water, but pure wine; and he who is burnt by the hot iron cannot say that it is the iron, but the fire that has injured him. So, says St. Bernard, will it be with me when I go to heaven and there behold God: “the substance indeed shall remain, but in another form, another glory, another power, when I come and appear before the face of God.”[2] Thus by this vision I shall be united with my God, and take to myself all His properties, so that there shall hardly be any traceable difference between God and me. Like God, I shall not be able to sin; like God, I shall be immortal; like God, impassible; like God, beautiful, free, reposeful, happy; nay, I shall enjoy the same happiness that my God enjoys, and for as long as He shall enjoy it. “We shall be like to Him, because we shall see Him as He is.”
And shall rule with Him forever. O my God! is not that a too great and lavish reward for the little I can do for Thee here on earth? To be like Thee for all eternity! Would it not be more than enough for me to have the happiness of being numbered among Thy elect as their companion, and of living forever in Thy own house? Would it not be honor enough for me to wait on Thee at the throne of Thy glory as Thy servant and attendant? Would it not be happiness enough for me to be with Thee always as Thy friend and child? Would it not be joy enough to behold and admire forever the infinite beauty of Thy countenance? Would it not be wealth enough to possess Thee, the supreme Good, as my very own property? No; “I have said: You are gods, and all of you the
- ↑ Quotquot ibi sunt, dii sunt: omnes cognoscunt Deum sine errore, vident sine fine, laudant sine fatigatione, amant sine fastidio. Semper vident, et semper videre desiderant: tam desiderabilis est ad videndum. Semper amant, semper amare desiderant: tam dulcis est ad amandum.—S. Aug. l. de anima et spiritu.
- ↑ Manebit quidem substantia, sed in alia forma, alia gloria, alia potentia, quando veniam et apparebo ante faciem Dei.
