On Heaven

First Point - What is heaven? It is a country whose inhabitants possess naught save God Himself. In heaven we shall see God, we shall possess God, we shall love and enjoy God. We shall see Him face to face. (1 Corinthians 13:12) We shall possess God without the fear of losing Him. We shall love Him uninterruptedly, perfectly and undividedly, for He will fill each heart entirely. We shall enjoy Him unceasingly, because each moment new beauties will radiate from Him. Though always the same in Himself, He will be forever new to us. Hence the words of Saint John in the Apocalypse: And they sung as it were a new canticle. (Apocalypse 14:3)

Second Point - In seeing and possessing God in heaven, we shall become like to God: holy, pure, wise, powerful and happy, sharing the happiness of God Himself, a pure, constant, universal and eternal happiness. We shall be transformed into Him; our wills, our affections, our desires, will be like God's. He will be all things to us, and we shall find our all in Him. He alone, O Lord, who can conceive what Thou art, can conceive the things Thou hast prepared for them that love Thee. But Thou alone, my Saviour, canst enable me to conceive these things, since it is Thou alone Who canst enable me to merit and possess them.

Third Point - When, O my Saviour, shall I conceive of Thy goodness? When shall I contemplate Thy divine face? When shall I admire the glory of Thy kingdom? When shall I see Thee robed in Thy splendor? When wilt Thou fill my soul with this torrent of pleasures that inundates the holy city of Sion? How long will my enemies insult me, saying, Where is Thy God? (Psalm 41:4) I know that no one can see Thee and live, but death would be a boon to me, if by it I could possess Thee forever.

Imitate the practice of Saint Ignatius who, continually occupied with the thought of heaven, was wont to say, "How I despise this world when I think of heaven."

How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts. My soul longeth, and fainteth for the courts of the Lord. - Psalm 83:2,3

In heaven we shall possess only one good; but it will embrace all other goods. - Saint Augustine of Hippo

- text taken from Meditations for Every Day in a Month, by Father François Nepveu