14 November Feast
About the joys of heaven I dare not write inconsiderately. Isaiah and then Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians wrote: Those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor ever entered the heart of man, these has God prepared for those who love him. How could I attempt to put into words what you cannot even imagine? I will however say something to urge you to desire to see those things that mortal eyes are unable to see. Such desire, by elevating the mind from earthly things to heavenly things, causes them, while still remaining earthly and mortal, at least in part to become heavenly. If it is true that where your treasure is, there will also be your heart, if our treasure is in heaven, it is necessary that our heart also be in heaven. If it is in heaven, it has heavenly dimensions, and it is necessary that heavenly be the desires of our heart, through the endeavor to meditate on great and infinite things starting from the smallest.
As heaven surpasses earth in size, height and beauty, so I do not doubt that heavenly goods are to be preferred to earthly ones. I say that I do not doubt them; and yet I do not know them, because they are superior to all our imagination. Man has two intellectual faculties: the intellect and the will. The intellect likes to know the truth, the will likes to have comfort, and to such a degree that there can be nothing more desirable in this life. Our knowledge is imperfect, and imperfect is our prophecy. We reason as children, we speak as children, for we see as in a mirror, in a confused way; in fact, a corruptible body burdens the soul and burdens the mind from many thoughts. But in Heaven man will see face to face and know perfectly as he is known; that which is imperfect will disappear, and our desire will be fully satisfied because the supreme essence, which is the truth first, will be revealed to our intelligence. Then the word “stop and know that I am God” will be fulfilled. Now the intellect, tormented by so many fantasies like a child in a marketplace, admires now this or that; it does not stop, it does not see God, but frets and toils in vain.
This homeland, on the other hand, insofar as we live holy, is the homeland of our hope and desires. Placed in it the prophet says: Wonderful things are said of you, city of God. And also: How lovely are your dwellings, Lord of hosts! My soul languishes and longs for the atria of the Lord. And: as a doe yearns for streams of water, so my soul yearns for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and see the face of God? Then God will be all in all, and as much as each one wants will be provided by God. God will creep so sweetly into our minds, that what the Prophet says will be perfectly fulfilled: I will be satisfied with your presence.
The blessed will hear resounding from all sides the highest praises of God, according to the word of the Prophet: blessed is he who dwells in your house: always sing your praises. They will see the heavens and taste all their harmony, they will see Christ and His Mother and all the glorious bodies of the blessed. These, now incorruptible and clothed in incomparable beauty, will be such a sweet spectacle to the beholders that they will not know what better to desire.
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