The state of Bishop and Prelate is above all these deeds, as to the Accidental reward. That this is so, appeareth out of holy Writ, where it saith thus in the Prophet Daniel: But go thou until the time prefixed, and thou shalt rest and stand in thy lot until the end of the days; which is to say thus much: The Angel when he had showed Daniel the secrets of God, he said to him thus: Go thou to the rest of this bodily death, and thou shalt stand in thy lot as a prophet at the last day. And verily as Daniel shall stand as a prophet at the last day of doom, and have the worship and excellency of a prophet above the Sovereign blessed reward of the love and sight of God, right so shalt thou stand as an Anchoret in that lot, and a Religious in the lot of the Religious, and so shall it be with other excellent deeds, and have a singular worship, passing other men at the day of doom. (John Climacus)

In Dante we meet a fair number of bishops and prelates as we walk through Inferno and Purgatorio. But there are also several in each sphere of heaven.

Yesterday I summarized the first four spheres. The fifth sphere welcomes warriors of the faith, those with particular fortitude for defending and advancing the kingdom of heaven on earth.

In the sixth sphere are just rulers who reinforce the relationship between God's creatures and with God.

Contemplatives reside in the seventh sphere. During their lives on earth they gave over their entire lives to building a relationship with God and, in this example, serving their neighbors.

In the eighth sphere are those who during their earthly lives best exemplified faith, hope, and love and in this way came closest to God and neighbor.

The ninth sphere is reserved for angels and all those who have never left the presence of God.

I have long believed in the grace by which I might be restored to wholeness in God. Do I believe in an "accidental reward", do I - should I - desire such a reward?