Chapter 6. On the Joy of the Ears.

THAT the sense of hearing* will be an in strument of speech in heaven, we cannot doubt, for the bodies of the blessed will be truly animated and perfect in every part ; such was the body of Christ after His resurrection, which all the apostles, many of the disciples, and many women clearly saw. They heard Him speaking, and He answer ed their questions. St. Paul also tells us, that he heard Christ speaking from heaven, and that he answered Him. That there will likewise be '*' Canticles" sung in heaven, and especially that of s< Alleluia/' Tobias and St. John testify. From them it is evident, that there will be in that city many most sweet canticles, by which God will be praised, and the ears of the blessed wonderfully delighted. And if everything be in proportion, there can be no doubt but that this canticle will be as sweet and excellent as the cantors themselves are learn ed, as He who will be praised is so holy, and as the place wherein the canticle will be sung is so glorious, and the choir of hearers so intelligent and numerous ! What then will it be amidst a most profound peace, in such concord of mind, and ardour of charity towards their great Benefactor,

to hear the most melodious voices singing Alleluia ! If St. Francis, as it is related by St. Bonaventure,* was so moved by the sound of a harp touched by an angel for a moment, that he supposed himself to have been in another world, how will our ears be delighted when thousands of harps and cantors shall praise God with most melo dious voices ! when other thousands, with the like harmony, shall repeat the same canticles again and again ! But the praises of God only will not be sung in this city; for the triumphs of the martyrs also, the merits of the confessors, the glory of the virgins, and the victories of all over the snares of the devil, will be celebrated in song : all these praises will redound to the glory of God. Ecclesiasticus says : " Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting. He that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed ; and could do evil things, and hath not done them: therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the Church of the saints shall declare his alms." (chap, xxxi.) Now, although these words are to be understood as relating to the praises of those who dwell in the Church on earth ; yet nothing prevents us from apply ing them to the blessed in heaven, and the Church triumphant. For there the saints will have true and eternal glory : there is

• In his " Life" of St. Francis, chap. v.

truly the Church of the saints. And since in the Gospel our Lord saith, that faithful and prudent servants will be praised by God in heaven in these words: "Well done,

food and faithful servant, because thou ast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy Lord;" what prevents us from supposing that these words of ^ our Lord will be taken up by the whole choir of the celestial city, and most sweetly repeat ed again and again ? The Catholic Church has not hesitated to say of St. Martin : " Martin, here poor and mean, now rich, enters heaven, and is honoured with heavenly hymns.''" In fine, St. Augustine, in the last book of the " City of God/7 affirms the same in these eloquent words : " There will be true glory, where no one will be praised, either by the error or flattery of the praiser. True honour will be there, that will be denied to no one who is worthy of it, nor given to any unworthy of it. Nor will any unworthy person aspire to it there, where none but the worthy are admitted." Oh, thrice blessed then will those be, who in this place whence flattery is banished, and where^ no deceit is found, shall hear their praises sung without danger of pride, but not without an increase of their joy!