Sunday, June 27, 2010

For he that loveth God by charity most shall have most reward in the bliss of heaven for he shall there love God and know Him most and that is the Sovereign, or Essential reward, and according to this reward it may and shall fall out, that some manner of man or woman, as a lord or a lady, knight or esquire, merchant or ploughman, or what degree he be, in man or Yeoman may and shall have more reward than some priest or friar, monk or canon, or Anchoret enclosed. And why so? Soothly, because he loved God more in charity. (John Climacus)

I have never wondered about variation of heavenly reward. Even when considering Dante, I only think of the various rings of hell, not levels of heaven.

A heavenly existence is, for me, experienced as being one with God. End of story and, at least until today, end of speculation.

Over the years I have speculated about a process of reunification with God. For each and (nearly) all of us I have conceived that as we are received into God we experience the pain we have caused others.

If such a process is anywhere close to true, might not we also fully experience the love and joy we have caused others?

I still perceive the end-state being a shared fullness and oneness with God. But along the way there might well be a difference for those who love God and neighbor more.

No comments:

Post a Comment