Page:Ninety-nine homilies of S. Thomas Aquinas upon the epistles and gospels for forty-nine Sundays of the Christian year (IA ninetyninehomili00thom).pdf/175

 the walls of charity, to the heavenly high places of the celestial country. (2) Because it is illumined by perpetual light: “ There shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light,” Rev. xxii. 5. (3) Because there will be a wonderful climate without heat and without cold, which will ever be sustained: “Neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes,” Rev. vii. 16, 17. “We went through fire and through water; but Thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place,” Ps. lxvi. 12.

III. On the third head it is to be noted, that there will be an abundance of all good things in this city, that is of all joys : “ Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem, a quiet [rich, Vulg.] habitation,” Isa. xxxiii. 20. The joys shall flow together from three sources. (1) From the fairness of the Divine vision : “ Thine eyes shall see the King in his beauty,” Isa. xxxiii. 17. (2) From the fairness and goodness of the angelic society, for angels are its citizens: “Ye are come unto Mount Zion, unto the City of the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,” &c., Heb. xii. 22, 23. (3) From the continuation of eternal solemnity : “ Look upon Zion, the city of our solemnities,” Isa. xxxiii. 20. They who are in that city celebrate a perpetual feast; they do nought but rest, see, love, praise, sing, which harmonize with the festival. S. Augustine, in his book on the City of God, says, “ If it is asked, What is the occupation of this city ? we say, that there we shall take rest, and shall see, and shall love, and shall praise, and shall sing. For what else shall be our end unless we come to that kingdom, of which there will be no end.” To which kingdom may Almighty God bring us, &c.