Photo: Assisi, Italy | May 5, 2018 | Aloysius Wong
I want to share something that Lisa had shared with me because I was struck so much by it and how much it connected what Shane was doing here at school with the hope that we have for Shane now. So, as a prayer I share with you—not as a prayer, before a prayer—I share with you this idea that tries to connect to Shane’s life now.
It’s from a professor who’s speaking about St. Augustine, and St. Augustine’s understanding of what beatitude will be—the vision of God for all eternity. It’s very simple.
"That glimpse of understanding when you catch sight of something and say, ‘A-ha! Now I get it! Now I see it! Now I understand it!’ Well, that's a little, tiny glimpse of the being of God. Imagine what would happen if that little, tiny glimpse became your whole mode of being, right, your whole mind was flooded with the light of seeing these eternal things—forever—all right. That would be heaven. That would be that moment of intellectual joy that has now become your whole mode of being. So you see, that longing to understand—that hunger, that hunger to understand and see what there is to be seen in the intelligible world—is not just mere curiosity. It's a form of love. Indeed it's the highest love. It's the longing of the restless heart for God. And when it's fulfilled, it's everlasting joy and happiness. Eternal life. For the fulfillment of that longing for understanding is nothing less than to see God.”
Well, God, we ask you to bless Shane with this vision. And please fill us who remain—and most especially his family—with your presence and hope, that there is a joy beyond all understanding for which his entire life and our entire lives are preparing us. Into your hands we entrust him, through the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. We bless you and praise you for his life, Father, and in the name of your Son, we pray, Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.