sons of the Most High.”[1] “We shall be like to Him,” when we see Him. When King Pharao gave Joseph authority over the whole of Egypt, he said to him: “Thou shalt be over my house, and at the commandment of thy mouth all the people shall obey, only in the kingly throne will I be above.”[2] So shall God say to the elect soul in heaven; now you see Me as I am; all that I am, all that I have shall be yours too; you shall rule and govern as I do; you shall rejoice with the same joy in which My happiness consists; only in the kingly and divine throne will I be above you; that is, I am God of Myself, and in My own nature; you shall be a god by My grace and in My likeness. O happiness of the saints, how great thou art! as great as is the immense, infinite God Himself!
From this vision springs a most ardent love of God. From this we can easily see how fervent, intimate, and joyful is the love that will burn for all eternity in the souls of the elect on account of this vision of and union with God. There is nothing on earth that can be compared to it even remotely. There is nothing on earth sweeter to the hearts of those who love each other than the enjoyment and gratification of their mutual affection; but neither is there anything on earth more bitter or tormenting to the heart than love, because it can never be fully satisfied. If the beloved object is away, the heart is tormented by desire and longing; if the loved one is present, there is a fear of losing him, or of his suffering some accident; if he is always before the eyes, either the progress of age, causing his appearance to change, or the fact of having his company always takes away much from the first fervor and happiness. Oh, how different it will be with the love of the elect for their God, and of God for His elect! To love always and burn in the fire of love, and always be loved most perfectly by the Person whom one loves; to love always and always have the loved One present; to love always and be always united with the loved One; to love always and always possess with the Beloved all that one can wish for and desire; to love always and he always certain that for all eternity that love will never bring weariness; to love always, and since the Beloved is unchangeable, never to suffer a change in that love,—oh, what bliss! what joy!
The joy that arises from this O eternal vision of my God! O eternal love of my God! O eternal joy of my Lord! what am I to think and say of thee?
