3 Joys of Heaven

1. The Angel Hosts

First, there is a servant of noble lineage, beautiful to look upon, who will be at your beck and call. That servant is not one only, for the whole angelic assembly—yes, even the very Son of God will be in readiness to attend to your wants. Listen to what He says of Himself as reported in the Holy Gospel of St. Luke: “Amen, I say to you, that He will gird Himself, and make them sit down at table, and passing, will minister unto them” (Luke xii, 37; Cf. S. Bonav. Soliloq. iv, 12.) Ah, then, indeed great will be the glory of the poor and lowly, to have the Son of God, the Eternal King ministering to their wants and the whole court of Heaven diligently obeying their behests.

2. The Lord’s Banquet

Second, there is a food of priceless worth and alluring in its sweetness to refresh you. A precious, delight-giving food, a food to refresh you, awaits you there. The very Son of God with His own hands will prepare the table. He pledged His word to this, as we read in St. Luke: “I dispose to you, as my Father has disposed to me a Kingdom; that you may eat and drink at my table, in my Kingdom” (Luke xxii, 29 & 30.) Oh, how sweet and luscious is that food which God in all His sweetness has prepared for the poor! (Cf. Ps. lxvii, ii.) Oh, how blessed will he be who eats that food in the Kingdom of Heaven! In the precincts of the virginal womb of Mary that food was prepared by the burning love of the Holy Ghost. “If any man eats of this Bread he shall live forever” (John vi, 52.)

With such food, with such bread the King of Heaven feeds and refreshes His chosen ones. This we are told also in the book of Wisdom. “Thou didst feed Thy people with the food of Angels and gavest them bread from Heaven, prepared without labour, having in it all that is delicious and the sweetness of every taste, and serving every man’s will” (Wisd. xvi, 20, 21.) Such, in a word, is the repast provided at the heavenly table.

3. The Communion of Saints

Third, there is a society, sweet and delightful and lovable beyond conception. Such fellowship will intensify your joy.

Arise then and speed with haste to the nuptials, because of the transcendent beauty of the servant who waits to perform your commands.There is also a loving and exceedingly lovable fellowship prepared, that your happiness in Heaven may be complete. There the company will be the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, together with Mary and her throng of chaste virgins. There you will dwell with the Apostles, the Martyrs, the Confessors, the whole army of the elect. How altogether miserable it will be for those who fail to be associated with this most noble band! If there is one who does not long to have part in this fellowship, all desire in him must be dead.

You, O most noble handmaid of Christ, I know, desire Christ. You are striving to gain possession of Christ and you are striving with all your might. Your great desire is to languish in the companionship and embraces of the Eternal King.

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This article is taken from a chapter in Holiness of Life by St. Bonaventure which is available from TAN Books.