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93. The Happiness of Heaven: Mansions

1. After the resurrection of the body, the blessed inheaven will find an increase of happiness. For then their happinesswill be that of the complete man, body and soul, and not of thesoul alone.

2. The degrees of heavenly happiness are called mansions.A mansion is literally a remaining. It is a goal attainedin which the attainer rests or remains. It is the reaching of thehome for which one strives and is a remaining in it, a dwellingthere. Now the heavenly city or kingdom has "manymansions," as our Lord says (John 14:2). Each of the blessedfinds his mansion in the degree of reward and happiness which heattains in heaven.

3. The various mansions of heaven are distinguishedaccording to the degrees of charity (which is love and friendshipwith God by grace) in the blessed themselves. For in each of thesaints or blessed, their degree of charity determines the measureof the light of glory which is imparted to them; this, in turn,determines their degree of reward and happiness, that is, theirmansion.

"This is the greatest wisdom -- to seek the kingdom of heaven through contempt of the world. "
Thomas á Kempis

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"The Lord has always revealed to mortals the treasures of his wisdom and his spirit, but now that the face of evil bares itself more and more, so does the Lord bare his treasures more."
St John of the Cross, OCD - Doctor of the Church

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"It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come."
Thomas á Kempis

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