A. 12 - Life Everlasting. Amen.

The end of all our desires, eternal life, is fittingly placed last among those things to be believed; and the Creed says: life everlasting. Amen. (Parallel texts: ST I.75.6; In II Sent. 19.1; In IV Sent. 50.1.1; SCG II.79 and following; Quodlibet X, q. 3, a. 2; Commentary on Aristotle’s On the Soul, a. 14; Compendium theologiae, ch. 84.) They wrote this to stand against those who believe that the soul perishes with the body. If this were indeed true, then the condition of man would be just the same as that of the beasts. This agrees with what the psalmist says: man when he was in honor did not understand; he has been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them (Ps 49:20 [48:21]). The human soul, however, is in its immortality made like unto God, and in its sensuality alone is it like the brutes. He, then, who believes that the soul dies with the body withdraws it from this similarity to God and likens it to the brutes. Against such it is said: they knew not the secrets of God, nor hoped for the wages of justice, nor esteemed the honor of holy souls. For God created man incorruptible, and to the image of his own likeness he made him (Wis 2:22–23).

We must first consider in this article what is everlasting life.

And in this we must know, first, that in everlasting life man is united to God. (Parallel texts: ST I.12.1; I-II.2.8; SCG IV.54; On Truth, q. 8, a. 1; Quodlibet X, q. 8; Compendium theologiae, bk. 1, ch. 109; bk. 2, ch. 9.) God himself is the reward and the end of all our labors: I am your protector, and your reward exceeding great (Gen 15:1). This union with God consists in a perfect vision: we see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face (1 Cor 13:12). (Parallel texts: SCG III.56, 59, 61, 62, 63.)

It also consists in the highest praise: we shall see, we shall love, and we shall praise, as says Augustine; (Augustine, City of God, bk. 22, ch. 30, para. 5 (CCSL 48; PL 41:804).) joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of praise (Isa 51:3).

Then, too, in everlasting life is the full and perfect satisfying of every desire; for there every blessed soul will have to overflowing what he hoped for and desired. The reason is that in this life no one can fulfill all his desires, nor can any created thing fully satisfy the craving of man. For only God satisfies and infinitely exceeds man’s desires. And, therefore, perfect satiety is found in God alone. As Augustine says: you have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you. (Augustine, Confessions*, bk. 1, ch. 1 (CCSL 27; PL 32:661).)* Because the blessed in the fatherland will possess God perfectly, it is evident that their desires will be abundantly filled, and their glory will exceed their hopes. The Lord has said: enter into the joy of the Lord (Matt 25:21). Complete joy will not enter into those who rejoice, but all those who rejoice will enter into joy, as Augustine says. I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear (Ps 17 [16]:15). And again: who satisfies your desire with good things (Ps 103 [102]:5).

Whatever is delightful will be there in abundant fullness. Thus, if pleasures are desired, there will be the highest and most perfect pleasure, for it derives from the highest good, namely God: then shall you abound in delights in the Almighty (Job 22:26); at the right hand are delights even to the end (Ps 16 [15]:11).

Likewise, if honors are desired, there too will be all honor. Men wish particularly to be kings, if they be laymen; and to be bishops, if they be clerics. Both these honors will be there: and has made us a kingdom and priests (Rev 5:10); behold how they are numbered among the children of God (Wis 5:5).

If knowledge is desired, it will be there most perfectly, because we will possess in the life everlasting knowledge of all the natures of things and all truth, and whatever we desire we will know. And whatever we desire to possess, that we will have, even life eternal: now, all good things come to me together with her (Wis 7:11); to the just their desire shall be given (Prov 10:24).

The third consists in perfect security. In this world there is no perfect security. For insofar as one has many things, the higher one’s position, the more one has to fear and the more one wants. But in the life everlasting there is no anxiety, no labor, no fear. He shall enjoy abundance, without fear of evils (Prov 1:33).

Finally, in heaven there will be the happy society of all the blessed, and this society will be especially delightful, since each one will possess all good together with the blessed. They will love one another as themselves, and they will rejoice in others’ good as their own. It will also happen that, as the pleasure and enjoyment of one increases, so will it be for all: the dwelling in you is as it were of all rejoicing (Ps 87 [86]:7).

The perfect will enjoy all this in the life everlasting, and much more that surpasses description. But the wicked, on the other hand, will be in eternal death suffering pain and punishment as great as will be the happiness and glory of the good.

The punishment of the damned will be increased, first, by their separation from God and from all good. This is the pain of loss which corresponds to aversion, and is a greater punishment than that of sense: and the unprofitable servant, cast out into the exterior darkness (Matt 25:30). The wicked in this life have interior darkness, namely, sin; but then they will also have exterior darkness.

Second, the damned will suffer from remorse of conscience: I will rebuke you, and set the charge before you (Ps 50 [49]:21); groaning for anguish of spirit (Wis 5:3). Nevertheless, their repentance and groaning will be of no avail, because it rises not from hatred of evil, but from fear and the enormity of their punishments.

Third, there is the great pain of sense. It is the fire of hell which tortures the soul and the body; and this, as the saints tell us, is the sharpest of all punishments. They will be ever dying, and yet never die. Hence, it is called eternal death, for as dying is the bitterest of pains, such will be the lot of those in hell: they are laid in the underworld like sheep; death shall feed upon them (Ps 49:14 [48:15]).

Fourth, there is the despair of their salvation. If some hope of delivery from their punishments would be given them, their punishment would be somewhat lessened. But since all hope is withdrawn from them, their sufferings are made most intense: their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched (Isa 46:24).

We thus see the difference between doing good and doing evil. Good works lead to life, evil drags us to death. For this reason, men should frequently recall these things to mind, since they will incite one to do good and withdraw one from evil. Therefore, very significantly, at the end of the Creed there is placed: life everlasting, so that it would be more and more deeply impressed on the memory. To this life everlasting may the Lord Jesus Christ, blessed God forever, bring us! Amen.