THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS WITH GOD IN HEAVEN IS ACHIEVED THROUGH THE LIGHT OF GLORY
The created understanding will see the divine essence without any medium of likeness or symbol. But it is not without some excellent light. This light disposes, elevates and strengthens the understanding to raise its view so high and to an object so sublime and resplendent. It is like the owl that has a sight strong enough to bear the dim light of the night. But it is not strong enough to withstand the light of the day that is too bright to be borne by eyes that are so dim and weak. So too, our intellect is strong enough to consider natural truths by reason and even the supernatural things of grace by the light of faith. The human mind, however, is unable to attain a vision of the divine substance in itself, either by the light of natural reason or by faith. Therefore eternal wisdom (Wis 8: 1) has mercifully determined not to place his essence before our intellect till he has prepared, reinvigorated, and fitted it to receive a sight so lofty and so disproportionate to our natural condition as the light of the Divinity.
Thus the sun, supreme object of our bodily eyes among natural things, does not present itself to our view. It first sends its rays by means of which we are able to see it. So we can see it only by its own light. However there is a difference between the rays which the sun sends to our bodily eyes and the light that God would create for our mind in heaven. This is because the rays of the sun do not strengthen our eyes when they are weak and incapable of seeing. It rather blinds them and dazzles them, it takes away their weak vision. On the contrary this sacred light of glory finds our understanding, unskillful and incapable of seeing God. It raises, strengthens and perfects our understanding so well through an incomprehensible wonder. It can gaze and contemplate the abyss of the divine brightness in itself firmly and directly without being dazzled or hindered by the infinite greatness of its splendour.
Therefore in like manner, God has given us the light of reason. Through reason we can know him as the Author of nature. By the light of faith we consider him as the source of grace. In the same way, he will bestow upon us the light of glory by which we shall contemplate him as the source of beatitude and eternal life. But this source, Theotimus, we shall not contemplate this source from afar as we do now by faith. We shall see it by the light of glory, be plunged and overwhelmed in it.
“Divers", says Pliny, “who dive into the sea to fish for precious stones, take some oil in their mouths. As they scatter it, they have light to see in the [deep]water where they swim. Theotimus, the happy soul is plunged and immersed in the ocean of Divine essence. God spreads in its mind the sacred light of glory. In this abyss of inaccessibile light (I Tim 6:16) it will be daylight [for us] so that by the brightness of glory we see the brightness of God.
His brightness will appear to us in the rays of his living light, and the fullness of our delight from his day alone will be born (Ps 36:9).[1]
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[1] For with you is the fountain of life. And in your light we see light (Ps 36: 9). NRSV