334. The “Beatific Vision”
334. THE “BEATIFIC VISION”
Isn’t “the beatific vision”, seeing God face to face, beyond our capacity?
Whether the human intellect can attain to the vision of God in His essence?
Objection 1. It would seem that the human intellect cannot attain to the vision of God in His essence. For it is written (Jn 1:18): No man hath seen God at any time. . .
Reply to Objection 1: The words quoted can be explained in three ways, according to Augustine. In one way as excluding corporeal vision, whereby no one ever saw or will see God in His essence; secondly, as excluding intellectual vision of God in His essence from those who dwell in this mortal flesh; thirdly, as excluding the vision of comprehension (as distinct from apprehension) from a created intellect. . . .
Objection 3. Further, Damascene shows that the most perfect way in which our intellect can be united to God is when it is united to Him as to something unknown. Now that which is seen in its essence is not unknown. . . .
Reply to Objection 3: Damascene is speaking there of the knowledge whereby wayfarers (in this life) know God. . . . He cannot be fathomed by our intellect, but our most perfect knowledge of Him as wayfarers is to know that He is above all that our intellect can conceive, and thus we are united to Him as to something unknown. In heaven, however, we will see Him by His essence, and we shall be united to Him as to something known. . . .
Objection 6. . . . There is no possible proportion between our intellect and the divine essence, since an infinite distance separates them. (The difference between the infinite and the finite is itself infinite.) Therefore our intellect will be unable to attain to the vision of the divine essence.
Reply to Objection 6: Sometimes . . . there is no need for proportion between knower and known. . . . We may also reply that . . . nothing hinders our intellect, although finite, being described as proportionate to the vision of the divine essence, but not to the comprehension thereof. . . (S92,1). (In fact, this is how we see each other now! Who fully comprehends even his own heart, much less the hearts of others?)
On the contrary, It is written (1 Cor 13:12): We see now through a glass in a dark manner, but then face to face. . . . Further, it is written (1 Jn 3:2): When He shall appear we shall be like to Him, because we shall see Him as He is. . . .
(So even if we cannot explain how it is possible, God Himself assures us that it will be.)
Further, the desire of the saints cannot be altogether frustrated. Now the common desire of the saints is to see God in His essence, according to Exodus 33:13, Show me Thy glory; Psalms 79:20, Show Thy face and we shall be saved; and John 14:8: Show us the Father and it is enough for us. Therefore the saints will see God in His essence. . . .
This is “the argument from desire”: no natural desire can be in vain, or meaningless. Every desire in our nature corresponds to some reality we are designed for. And we have a natural desire to see God, i.e., perfect beauty, perfect truth, and perfect love (goodness). Even atheists must admit religion is desirable, is a beautiful fairy tale, “too good to be true”. If they do not, there is something wrong with either their understanding of what religion is or with their desiring hearts, or with their honesty, i.e., with their tongue in telling us (or themselves) what is in their hearts.
Since understanding is an operation most proper to man, it follows that his happiness must be held to consist in that operation when perfected in him. . . . [I]f in the most perfect operation of his intellect man does not attain to the vision of the divine essence, but to something else, we shall be forced to conclude that something other than God is the object of man’s happiness . . . which is absurd. . . . Consequently . . . it must be asserted that our intellect will at length attain to the vision of the divine essence . . . and this will be the beatific vision. . . .