Chapter 15. Meditation for Saturday Night, on the Happiness of Eternal Glory

1.—Having made the sign of the cross, with the preparation mentioned in the second chapter take, as the subject for thy meditation, the happiness of eternal glory. The consideration of this is so advantageous to the soul, that assisted by the light of a lively faith it should suffice to sweeten all the toils and bitterness that are endured through life in order to obtain it. When we reflect how the love of property sweetens the labours of those who work, and how the love of her offspring lulls the pains of woman in childbirth; what should be the effect of the love of this supreme good in comparison with which every other good is as nothing? And if the seven years that the Patriarch Jacob served appeared so short to

= Pa = = ae aS UES him, through the great love he entertained towards Rachel, what would the love of that infinite beauty, and of that eternal espousal do, if only contemplated with the eyes of a lively faith ? 4 2.—To enable us better to understand this we will consider, amongst others, five principal ingredients to be found in it; viz. the pre-eminent excellency of heaven, the delightful companionship to be found there, the sight of God himself, the body clothed with glory, and lastly the plenitude of all goodness which will be there found.

3.—Consider then, first the pre-eminent excellency of the place, and its wonderful immensity. For when we read in the works of the most celebrated writers that every one of the stars is larger than the whole earth, and further that some are so immense as to be ninety times its size, and then lift up our eyes to heaven and there behold the infinite number of the stars and such extensive openings between them capable of containing so many more, does it not strike the beholder with awe? Does he not stand astounded and beside himself when pondering on the immensity of this space, and much more still on the immensity of the Sovereign Master who created all out of nothing?

4.—Then, words cannot portray the beauty of all; for if in this vale of tears and place of banishment, God has created objects of such marvellous beauty, what must he not have created there in the seat of his glory, the throne of his greatness, the palace of his majesty, the dwelling-place of his elect and the paradise of all delights ? 5.—After the surpassing grandeur of the place, consider Daniel vil: next the nobility of its occupants, whose AMOE* Ye 7 number, sanctity, riches and beauty surpass the powers of the imagination. St. John informs us that the number of the elect is so great that no man can number them. St. Dyonisius tells us, that the number of the angels exceeds beyond all comparison the number of all created things on earth. St. Thomas, in accordance with that, adds that as the greatness of the heavens infinitely exceeds the size of the earth, so the multitude of those glorious spirits surpasses that of all material things in this world in the same magnificent proportion. Then what can be more wonderful than this? Surely this is enough, if rightly considered, to fill every heart with astonishment. And if even the least. of the angels be more beautiful than all this visible world, what must it be to behold such a number and of such beauty, and to witness the perfections and engagements of each in that sovereign city? There the Angels discourse, the Archangels minister, the Principalities triumph, the Powers rejoice, the Dominations are enthroned, the Virtues shine, the Thrones blaze, the Cherubim glitter, the Seraphim burn and all unite in singing praises to

Job xxx. God. If then the company and society of the good be so delightful, what will it be there to associate with so many of the good, to talk to the apostles, to converse with the*prophets, to hold communion with the martyrs and with all the elect?

6.—And if so great be the glory of enjoying -the fellowship of the good, what will it be to enjoy the company and presence of Him whom the stars of the morning praise, at whose beauty the sun and moon are filled with wonder, before whom the angels appear on bended knees, and of whose presence man enjoys the glory? What will it be to see that universal Good in which is all that is good, and that greater world in which are all worlds, and that which being one is all things, and itself the most simple embraces the perfections of all? If only to see and hear King Solomon, was so rich a treat as to make the Queen of Saba exclaim, ‘‘ Happy are

REL RAS, Xe those who serve before thee, and rejoice in thy wisdom.” What will it be to see that true Solomon, that eternal wisdom, that infinite groatness, that inestimable beauty, that inexhaustible goodness, and to rejoice in it for ever? This is the essence of the glory of the saints, the ulti- © mate end and centre of our desires.

7.—Consider after this the glory of the body, every atom of which will be clothed in glory, for there every member and every sense will enjoy its own particular glory and the object of its special delight. Every body there will rejoice in being endowed with these four special gifts, impalpability, velocity, impassibility and brightness which will radiate from each bright as the sun in the kingdom of the Father. If one NAR SANG sun in the firmament suffices to diffuse light Ma and joy throughout the whole world, what will be the effect of so many suns all shedding their radiant beams around ?

8.—To sum up, lastly in this glory will be united all that is good, and there will be an absence of all that is evil. There will be health without sickness, liberty without slavery, beauty without spot, immortality without corruption, abundance without want, rest without disturbance, security without fear, knowledge without error, plenty without satiety, joy without sorrow, and honour without question. “There,” says St. Augustin, “will be found true glory, where none will be praised through mistake or flattery! There will be true honour, denied to none who deserve it, and given to none who deserve it not. There will be true peace, where man will be neither distracted himself nor molested by others. The reward of virtue will be God who gave it and promised himself as its reward, being the greatest and best of all things. “He will be the end of our desires, himself without end will beloved without satiety and for ever praised with unwearied joy. There spacious beautiful splendid and secure, will be the residence, the society will be charming and delightful, and time itself undivided will know no distinction between morning and evening but merely be prolonged into an eternity. There will perpetual summer always reign fanned by the refreshing breath of the Holy Spirit. There ali will ever rejoice and sing the praises of the Supreme Giver of all by whose bounty they live and reign in His glory. Oh heavenly city, eternal and secure resting-place, land of delights, where murmurers are not found, where neighbours are at peace and’ man is without wants! Oh that this strife below were ended! Oh that the days of my banishment here below were finished ! Oh why is the time of my pilgrimage lengthened! When will Psalm xli. that day come! When will it come and when shall I appear before the face of my God ?” 9.—At the conclusion of the meditation make an act of thanksgiving, an oblation and petition as directed in the second chapter.