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We have spoken of essential beatitude, which consists
in the immediate vision of God and in the love which
flows from this vision. But the Lord, so rich in
mercy for His elect, adds to essential beatitude a
joy in created good, a joy which corresponds to their
aspirations. This is what we call accidental
beatitude.
This accidental beatitude is found in the society of
friends: in general joy at the good deeds done on
earth: in the special recompense given to certain
classes, the halo of virgins, for example, of
doctors, and of martyrs: in the resurrection and in
the qualities of the glorious body.
Accidental Beatitude in the Soul
In regard to those whom they have known and loved on
earth, the saints receive, besides the beatific
vision in Verbo, also new knowledge extra Verbum. It
is an accidental joy to learn, for example, of the
spiritual progress, of their friends on earth, to see
them entering heaven. This knowledge extra Verbum, is
inferior to the beatific vision. Hence some call it
the evening vision, contrasted with the morning
vision which sees created things in God. [614]
Further, each soul is happy to be honored by God, by
the friends of God, especially by those who shine by
wisdom. [615] Each has a special joy in seeing his
own good recognized and appreciated, good which he
accomplished on earth in the midst of great
difficulties.
Special recompense will be given for victories gained
against the flesh, the world, and the devil: the halo
of virgins, for victory against the concupiscence of
the flesh: the halo of the martyrs for victory over
persecutors: the halo of doctors for victory over
ignorance, errors, infidelity, heresy, over the
spirit of division and negation. This halo belongs,
not only to those who have publicly taught sacred
science, by word or by pen, but also to those who
have taught in private fashion when occasion
presented itself. [616] "They that instruct many to
justice shall shine as stars for all eternity." [617]
This halo belongs, first to the spirit, then, after
the resurrection, to the body, just as the essential
glory of the soul is reflected in the body raised
from the dead.
Resurrection of the Flesh
To accidental beatitude belongs also the resurrection
of the body and the characteristics of the glorified
body. [618] The resurrection is a dogma of faith. It
was denied by the Sadducees, the Manicheans, the
Albigensians, the Socinians, and is denied today by
rationalists.
We must say first: If a good number of those who died
(e.g., Lazarus and the son of the widow of Naim) were
recalled to life by our Lord, and later by the
apostles and other saints, what can hinder our
immortal soul, made by nature to inform and vivify
its body, from being reunited forever to that body,
though in different degrees of merit and demerit?
This revealed truth, defined by the Church, [619] is
supported by numerous Scripture texts. The Fourth
Council of the Lateran gave this definition: All will
arise, each with his own body which he had upon
earth, to receive what each has merited, according as
his works were good or bad.
The universal resurrection, then, is of faith. This
resurrection requires at least that there be
essential identity between the risen body and the
body which the soul had while it was still in union
with the body. According to certain writers [620]
this suffices, because the soul, being a substantial
form, gives to the body its specific life, even the
actuality which we call corporeity. Nevertheless
theologians hold commonly, with St. Thomas, that it
must also be individually the same body, that is to
say, it must contain at least a part of the matter
which was formerly in that body. Otherwise how could
we say that each one will rise in his own body which
he had on earth? How could we say that this
individual body rises from the dead? [621] St. Paul
says: "For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality." [622] The
Catechism of the Council of Trent speaks as follows:
"Each of us will rise with the body which we had on
earth, which was corrupted in the tomb, and reduced
to dust." [623] This is the uniform testimony both of
Scripture and of tradition.
In the book of Job we read: "I shall be clothed again
with my skin, and in my flesh I shall see my God;
whom I myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold,
and not another." [624] Isaias says: "Thy dead men
shall live, my slain shall rise again! Awake and give
praise, ye that dwell in the dust." [625] Daniel
speaks as follows: "Many of those that sleep in the
dust of the earth shall awake, some unto life
everlasting, and others unto reproach." [626] In the
Second Book of Machabees, one of the martyrs says to
his judge: "Thou indeed, O most wicked man,
destroyest us out of this present life, but the King
of the world will raise us up, who die for His laws,
in the resurrection of eternal life." [627]
Jesus defends the resurrection against the Sadducees.
"Fear ye not them that kill the body and are not able
to kill the soul; but rather fear Him that can
destroy both soul and body in hell." [628] Again:
"Concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you
not read that which was spoken by God saying to you:
I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the
God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but of
the living." [629]
In the Gospel of St. John our Lord is still more
explicit: "The hour cometh wherein all that are in
the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God.
And they that have done good things shall come forth
unto the resurrection of life; but they that have
done evil unto the resurrection of judgment." [630]
Again: "He that eateth My flesh and drinketh My blood
hath everlasting life, and I will raise him up in the
last day." [631]
St. Paul [632] proves the possibility of the
resurrection by the resurrection of our Lord Jesus
Christ. "If the dead rise not again, neither is
Christ risen again, and if Christ be not risen again,
your faith is vain, for you are yet in your sins."
"For by a man came death, and by a man the
resurrection of the dead. And as in Adam all die, so
also in Christ all shall be made alive, but everyone
in his own order, . . . and the enemy, death, shall
be destroyed last." [633] St. Paul announces the same
mystery to the Athenians, [634] to the Governor
Felix, [635] to the Thessalonians. [636]
The Fathers of the second century speak explicitly of
this dogma. [637] Martyrs proclaim it at their death.
[638]
Reason cannot give a demonstrative proof of this
truth, but it can give high reasons of
appropriateness. These reasons are thus expressed by
the Catechism of the Council of Trent: "The first is
that our souls, which are only a part of ourselves,
are immortal, and retain forever their natural
inclination to union with the body." [639] Hence it
seems contrary to nature that they should forever
remain separated from their bodies. Now that which is
contrary to nature is in a state of violence and
cannot last long. Hence it is very appropriate that
the soul be united to its body again and that the
body be raised to life. [640] The soul is naturally
the form of the body, hence it groans at the
idea of separation. Therefore it should not be
deprived forever of this body. [641]
A second reason is found in the infinite justice of
God, who has established punishments for the wicked
and rewards for the good. Hence it is appropriate
that the souls be reunited to their bodies in order
that these bodies, which have been instruments,
whether of good or of evil, partake with the soul in
the awards and punishments deserved. This thought was
developed by St. John Chrysostom [642] in a homily to
the people of Antioch.
In the case of the wicked the body has taken part in
deeds of iniquity, in criminal voluptuousness. In the
case of the good the body has been in the service of
the soul in the accomplishment of good works,
sometimes heroic works, in devotion, in the
apostolate, in martyrdom. Further, the bodies of the
just are temples of the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul
says. Hence the resurrection of the body is highly
appropriate, that the soul may lack nothing in its
state of felicity. Here we see, together with the
justice of God, also His wisdom and His goodness.
A third reason is drawn from the victory of Christ
over sin and the devil, which victory consequently
triumphs over death which is a consequence of sin. He
won this victory over death by His own resurrection
and by that of His Blessed Mother. Hence it is
appropriate, since He is to be the Savior of
humanity, body and soul, that He win also the
definitive victory over death by universal
resurrection.
The Catechism of the Council of Trent speaks thus: "O
wonderful restoration of our nature, for which we are
indebted to the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ over
death ! " [643] Holy Scripture is explicit on this
point: "He shall cast death down headlong forever."
[644] Osee says: "O death, I will be thy death."
[645] St. Paul explaining this last word fears not to
say that, after all the other enemies, death itself
will be destroyed. [646]
We read in St. John: "Death shall be no more." [647]
It is supremely appropriate that the merits of Jesus
Christ, which destroyed the empire of death, be
infinitely more efficacious than the sin of Adam.
[648]
The Qualities of the Glorious
Body
St. Paul speaks thus: "One is the glory of the
celestial bodies and another of the terrestrial: one
is the glory of the sun, another the glory of the
moon, and another the glory of the stars, for star
differs
from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of
the dead. It is sown in corruption, it shall rise in
incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it shall rise
in glory; it is sown in weakness, it shall rise in
power; it is sown a natural body, it shall rise a
spiritual body." [649]
Following this doctrine, theologians distinguish four
chief qualities in the glorified body:
- impassibility,
- subtility,
- agility, and
- clarity.
Impassibility is the gift which
preserves not only from death, but also from pain.
[650] It arises from the perfect submission of the
body to the soul. [651]
Agility delivers bodies from the
heaviness which weighs down the present life. The
risen body can go where the soul pleases, with a
swiftness and ease which St. Jerome [652] compares to
that of the eagle.
Subtility renders the body capable of
penetrating other bodies without difficulty. Thus the
glorious body of the risen Christ entered the Cenacle
though the doors were closed. [653]
Clarity gives to the body of the saints
that brightness, that splendor, which is the very
essence of the beautiful. Our Lord [654] says: "Then
shall the just shine as the sun in the kingdom of
their father." To give an idea of this quality, He
was transfigured before His apostles on Thabor. [655]
St. Paul says: "Jesus Christ will reform the body of
our lowness, made like to the body of His glory."
[656] The Israelites in the desert [657] saw an image
of this glory on the forehead of Moses, after He had
seen God and received God's words. He was so luminous
that their eyes could not endure the splendor.
This clarity is but a reflection, an overflowing, of
the glory of the soul on that of the body. [658]
Hence the bodies of the saints will not all have the
same degree of clarity, but each will have the degree
proportioned to its light of glory. Thus St. Paul
says: "Star differeth from star in glory, so also is
the resurrection of the dead." [659]
Lastly, our senses will find a pure and ineffable joy
in the humanity of Jesus, the Blessed Virgin, the
choir of the saints, the beauties of the renovated
world, the chants of adoration and thanksgiving in
the city of God. Such will be the accidental
beatitude of heaven after the renovation of the
world. [660]
What fruits follow on the knowledge of this mystery
to which nature gives us no right to aspire? The Lord
has deigned to reveal these things to the little
ones, whereas He has hidden them from the wise and
prudent. [661] The first fruit is thankgiving.
Second, the control of passion in the service of a
holy life, such a life as the Lord expects from us in
our own particular conditions. Third, consolation in
seeing our dear ones die. Lastly, courage in
suffering. Job consoled himself by the hope of seeing
the Lord, his God, on the day of resurrection. [662]
The splendor which appears at times on the face of
saints, e.g., of St. Dominic and St. Francis, is the
prelude to the brightness of eternity. [663]
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| 614. |
Between these two kinds of knowledge, as we have
said, we find a great difference, just as we find a
similar difference between the knowledge of a
psychologist based on words and writings and the
other
kind of knowledge possessed by a holy director, like
St. Francis de Sales. |
| 615. |
Ps. 138:17. |
| 616. |
Dan. 12:3. |
| 617. |
Supplementum q. 96, a. 5. |
| 618. |
Ibid., 75-86. |
| 619. |
Catechism of the Council of Trent, First Part,
chap. 12; IV Council of the Lateran., Denz. no. 429. |
| 620. |
Thus Durandus, who is followed by some modern
authors. |
| 621. |
Supplementum, q. 79, a. 1, 2, 3. From the Four
Books of Sentences, dist. 44, q. 1, a. 1: "If the
soul
does not resume the same body, we could not speak of
resurrection; we would speak rather of the assumption
of a new body." A. 2. "Numerically the same man must
rise; and this comes to pass, since it is one and the
same individual soul which is united to one and the
same numerical body. Otherwise we would not have
resurrection." Cf. ibid., a. 3. Also Contra Gentes,
Bk.
IV, chap. 80; also Tabula aurea, "Resurrectio," nos.
11, 12. Also Hugon, Tractatus dogmatici, De
novissimis,
p. 470. Nevertheless, just as our organism without
losing its identity is renewed by assimilation and
disassimilation, it seems sufficient that any part of
the matter which once belonged to our body would be
reanimated in the risen body. Hence St. Thomas
(Contra
Gentes, Bk. IV, chap. 81) replies to the ordinary
objections on this point. Cannibals do eat human
flesh,
but human flesh is not their only food. Plants in a
cemetery do assimilate matter taken from corpses, but
the matter of these plants does not come exclusively
from corpses. Cf. Herve, Manuale theologiae
dogmaticae,
IV, no. 636. Nor is it impossible for infinite wisdom
and omnipotence to recover the matter of a body which
has disappeared. Cf. Monsabre, Conferences de Notre
Dame, La resurrection (1889), pp. 218 ff. |
| 622. |
I Cor. 15:53. |
| 623. |
Part I, chap. 12. |
| 624. |
Job. 19:25, 27. |
| 625. |
Isa. 26:19. |
| 626. |
Dan 12:2. |
| 627. |
II Mach. 7:9. |
| 628. |
Matt. 5:29-30; 10:28. |
| 629. |
Ibid., 22:23-32. |
| 630. |
John 5:29. |
| 631. |
Ibid., 6:54. |
| 632. |
I Cor. 15:17. |
| 633. |
Ibid., 15:21-27. |
| 634. |
Acts 17:31-32. |
| 635. |
Ibid., 24:15, 21. |
| 636. |
I Thess. 4:17. |
| 637. |
Athenagoras, Theophilus of Antioch, and Tertullian
speak at length on this point. Also St. John
Chrysostom, St. Augustine, and St. Gregory. See
Enchir.
patr. Index theologicus, nos. 598-600. "The dead will
rise, all the dead, each with the body they had on
earth." |
| 638. |
Ruinart, Acta martyrum, p. 70. |
| 639. |
Our intelligence, the lowest of all
intelligences,
has as proper object intelligible truth known as in a
mirror in sense things. Hence normally it has need of
the imagination, and the imagination cannot exist
actually without a corporeal organ. |
| 640. |
Contra Gentes, Bk. IV, chap. 79. |
| 641. |
What we are here saying refutes metempsychosis,
according to which the human soul would pass from one
body to another, either into the body of a beast or
into another human body. This is impossible because
the
human soul has an essential relation to this
individual
human body and not to the body of a beast. Thus the
separated souls remain individual, each by its
relation
to its own body. |
| 642. |
Homilies, 49, 50. |
| 643. |
Catechism of the Council of Trent, Part 1, chap.
12. |
| 644. |
Isa. 25 :8. |
| 645. |
Osee 13:14. |
| 646. |
I Cor. 15:26. |
| 647. |
Apoc. 21:4. |
| 648. |
Heb. 2:14. |
| 649. |
I Cor. 15:42. |
| 650. |
Supplementum, q. 83, a. 1, q. 84, 85. |
| 651. |
De civ, Dei, Bk. XI, chap. 10. |
| 652. |
Commentary on Isaias, chap. 40. |
| 653. |
Supplementum, q. 83. |
| 654. |
Matt. 13:43. |
| 655. |
Ibid., 17:12. |
| 656. |
Phil. 3:21. |
| 657. |
Exod. 34:20. |
| 658. |
Supplementum, q. 85, a. 1. |
| 659. |
I Cor. 15:41. |
| 660. |
Isa. 65:17 announces a new heaven and a new
earth.
The Apocalypse 21:1 repeats the same truth. The
second
epistle of St. Peter 3:10 explains the phrase: "The
day
of the Lord will come like a thief. In these days the
heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the
elements
will be dissolved, and the earth will be consumed
with
all the works which it encloses. We expect, according
to the promise, a new heaven and a new earth where
justice dwells." Cf. Monsabre, Conferences de Notre
Dame, no. 101. |
| 661. |
Matt. 11:26. |
| 662. |
Job 19 :26. |
| 663. |
Heretics, wishing to kill St. Dominic, waited for
him on a road where he was to pass. But when he came
near, such a brilliant light illuminated his features
that they did not dare to touch him. This light was
the
sensible radiation of the contemplation which united
him to God. With him was saved also the order which
he
intended to found. |
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