362. What is eternal happiness? (part 2 continuation)
(Comp 362 repetition) It is the vision of God in eternal life in which we are fully “partakers
of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4), of the glory of Christ and of the joy of
the trinitarian life. This happiness surpasses human capabilities. It is a
supernatural and gratuitous gift of God just as is the grace which leads to it.
This promised happiness confronts us with decisive moral choices concerning
earthly goods and urges us to love God above all things.
“In brief”
(CCC 1728) The Beatitudes confront
us with decisive choices concerning earthly goods; they purify our hearts in
order to teach us to love God above all things. (CCC 1727) The beatitude of eternal life is a gratuitous gift of
God. It is supernatural, as is the grace that leads us there.
To deepen and
explain
(CCC 1722) Such beatitude surpasses the understanding and
powers of man. It comes from an entirely free gift of God: whence it is called
supernatural, as is the grace that disposes man to enter into the divine joy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." It is true,
because of the greatness and inexpressible glory of God, that "man shall
not see me and live," for the Father cannot be grasped. But because of
God's love and goodness toward us, and because he can do all things, he goes so
far as to grant those who love him the privilege of seeing him.... For
"what is impossible for men is possible for God" (St. Irenaeus, Adv. haeres. 4, 20, 5: PG 7/1,
1034-1035).
Reflection
(CCC 1724) The Decalogue, the Sermon on the Mount, and the
apostolic catechesis describe for us the paths that lead to the Kingdom of
heaven. Sustained by the grace of the Holy Spirit, we tread them, step by step,
by everyday acts. By the working of the Word of Christ, we slowly bear fruit in
the Church to the glory of God (Cf. the parable of the sower: Mt 13:3-23). (CCC
1721) God put us in the world to know, to love, and to serve him, and so to
come to paradise. Beatitude makes us "partakers of the divine nature"
and of eternal life (2 Pet 1:4; cf. Jn 17:3). With beatitude, man enters into
the glory of Christ (Cf. Rom 8:18) and into the joy of the Trinitarian life. [END]
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