Theological Foundations new file

178 Theological Foundations Following the same line of argument, the author emphasizes that the happiness of the soul will be even greater than the joy of the glorified body. The soul will be able to delight in God’s love and wisdom and fully participate in His glory. It is difficult to describe this reality, so the author simply prefers to ask God to help him to attain the glory of heaven and reach the purpose for which He has created us: “For I do not even want to mention the happiness of the soul. Let us be silent, let us be silent about what we cannot explain in an adequate manner. For who can fathom God and understand how in Him we see the true glory of all things: knowledge, love, wisdom, memory, will? May God help us to understand these things rather than to describe them. May the Holy Trinity help us to understand this for the sake of the purpose for which we were created, redeemed and called to faith.” 21 The crowning point of the eschatological prospects presented by Father Papczynski in his vision are thoughts borrowed from St. Bernard which describe his mystical experiences and express his great longing for heaven: “O Heavenly Country, a safe dwelling, a fruitful and vast homeland containing everything that brings joy, a nation that does not murmur, quiet inhabitants, people who experience no want! How many glorious things have been said about you, O City of God! For example, in you there is a dwelling for all those who rejoice. They are all joyful and elated, they delight in God whose gaze is beautiful, whose face is magnificent, whose speech is gentle. To see Him is pure delight, to pos- sess Him — sweetness; He is pleasant to taste. He alone is pleasing and He alone suffices to earn merits, to earn a reward. No one looks for any- thing else besides Him, for in Him he will find everything that he might desire.” 22 The course of Father Papczynski’s reasoning sketched above vividly demonstrates his approach to the ultimate affairs of man — on the one hand, he shows the horror of leaving this world, on the other — the hope and joy after resurrection, and he does so always with an intention to inspire us to live truly Christian lives.