receives the last touch and finish in the Beatific Vision.

From the very first moment of her existence the soul is like to God, because she is a spirit, and therefore immortal. She is endowed with intelligence, freewill, memory, and whatever else belongs to a spiritual substance. Evidently, this is already the image of God, though, compared with what it will be by grace and the Beatific Vision, it is as yet nothing more than the mere outlines.

Next comes baptism, by which the soul is raised to the supernatural state. She is washed with the Blood of Jesus, and clothed with the robe of innocence, which, if we may use the expression, begins the colouring or beautifying process. Faith, hope, and charity are infused into her, by which she is enabled to lead a supernatural life. Then come other sacraments, which have for their object to wash away stains, remove imperfections, and to nourish, strengthen, beautify, and gradually develop a greater resemblance to God.

But there is an immense difference between the senseless image we saw on the canvas and the soul. The portrait is a lifeless image, which is totally passive, and has, therefore, nothing whatever to do with its gradual growth and its resemblance to the original. Not so with the soul. She is a living and rational image of the eternal God, and has the power to aid very mate

rially in her gradual development, and in her greater resemblance to the original-which is God. Not only has she the power, but also the strict obligation of co-operating with God, in perfecting what He began without her co-operation. Hence, while of herself she is incapable of having even a good thought, aided by the grace of God she not only has good thoughts and desires, but also the strength to carry them into effect. With God's assistance, she can and does reproduce in herself the virtues which Jesus taught and practised-His humility, purity, meekness, obedience, patience, and resignation to God's will. Especially does she reproduce His life of love-love for God and love for man.

As soon as this Divine charity becomes the mainspring of her actions, everything she does develops in her a greater resemblance to God. Then, not only prayer, the sacraments, pious reading, and other spiritual exercises, but voluntary mortifications, temptations from the devil, the world, and the flesh-even eating, drinking, and innocent recreations,-all help powerfully to develop and perfect in her the image of God. For, as St. Paul tells us, "To them that love God, all things work together unto good."*

Could you now see a soul at the first moment of her existence, you would see the image of God begun. Could you see her

*Rom. viii. 28.

again immediately after baptism, she would appear far more beautiful; because she is then clothed with the robe of innocence and beautified by the grace of God. But could you see that soul after ten, twenty, or more years of a holy life, you could scarcely believe that it is the same soul-so much more Godlike and beautiful has she become. But again, could you see her united to God in the Beatific Vision, you would be so overpowered with her dazzling splendour and unearthly beauty, that you would be ready to fall down and adore her-thinking that it is God Himself you see, and not His image. She would have to prevent this adoration, by assuring you that whatever excellence you behold in her is, after all, that of a mere creature. This is what happened even to St. John, who had already seen so many and such wonderful visions. When the bright angel stood before him, to reveal the secrets of God, he says: "And I fell down before his feet to adore him. But he saith to me, See thou do it not; I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren, who have the testimony of Jesus. Adore God."* Augustine says that "the angel was so beautiful and glorious that St. John actually mistook him for God, and would really have given him Divine worship, had not the angel prevented it by declaring what he was."

St.

From all this, we begin to see what St. John means when he tells us that we shall * Apoc. xix. 19.

be like God," because we shall see Him as He is." Our likeness to God was begun on the very first day of our existence. It was gradually developed by God's grace and the sacraments; and by our own co-operation with all the helps of God. But during life, the process of development was slow-so very slow, that we were at times tempted to think it had ceased altogether. But in the Beatific Vision the process is rapid as a flash. The soul is suddenly transformed into that degree of likeness to God which she has deserved by a holy life. She is made like to God, because she sees Him as He is. It is this glorious vision that contains in itself this transforming power, and assimilates the soul to God.

In this world a deformed man may gaze upon a beautiful object without becoming beautiful thereby; the poor man gazes upon the rich man, but remains as poor as ever; and the ignorant man gazes upon the philosopher, and nevertheless remains as ignorant as before. Not so in heaven. The vision of God has a transforming power; that is, it has the power of communicating to the beholder attributes which he had not before, or possessed only in the germ. Thus the soul, because she sees God as He is, is filled to overflowing with all knowledge; she becomes beautiful with the beauty of God, rich with His wealth, holy with His holiness, and happy with His unutterable happiness. In a word, by, the vision of God she

is made a partaker of the Divine nature, and, like a very god, she shines unto all eternity in the Divine brightness.

A diamond carefully cut and perfectly polished, sparkles and shines in the sun with exceeding brilliancy. It not only reflects the light, but also absorbs it into itself, so as to shine even in the dark with the light it has absorbed. It actually becomes, as it were, a little sun, shining with its own light. It is thus become a partaker of the sun's nature, while it retains its own peculiar diamond nature and individuality. This is an image of what takes place in the Beatific Vision. While she was in this world, God had polished that soul by the sacraments and by sufferings; and now that she is in His presence, and sees Him as He is, she shines and sparkles in His light with unspeakable splendour. She reflects and absorbs the Divine light and beauty of God. She is like God, because she sees Him as He is; she is made a partaker of the Divine nature while she retains her own human nature and personal identity.

But, let us again hear Lessius. Speaking of this communication of the Divine nature to man, he says: "This communication begins in this life, by the gifts of grace, especially faith, hope, and charity. By these virtues we are not only made like to God, but God is also united to us. It is perfected, however, in the next life by the gifts of glory-namely, the light of glory,