Heaven Is Amazing!

Make the best of the little you have here on earth and you will be given a big opportunity in the eternal homeland. Luke 16:9

Have you sometimes wondered what heaven is like? Some people project on to it inadequate, boring, fading images from human life. The opposite is the truth. The unknown author of this fourteenth century account of the death of St. David knew that heaven was amazing!

After David had given his parting blessing to everyone who had gathered, he spoke to them: Take care that you guard your faith and do the little things which I have taught and shown you. Good bye . Be good. For we shall never meet again’. The people broke out in a great crying.

From the Sunday to the Wednesday after David’s death they ate and drank nothing; they just prayed. On Tuesday night the whole town and the sky were filled with singing and joy of angels. In the morning Jesus Christ came, accompanied by nine orders of angels, and the sun shone with brilliance. That day, the first day of March, Jesus Christ bore David’s soul away in great triumph and gladness and honour.

The angels bore his soul to a place where there is rest without labour, joy without sadness, an abundance of good things, victory, brilliance, and beauty: a place where Christ’s champions are commended and the undeserving wealthy are ignored, where there is health without sickness, youth without old age, peace without dissension, glory without vain ostentation, songs that do not pall, and rewards without end.
From The Book of the Anchorite of Llanddewibrefi, 1356, adapted.

Faithful vigil ended
watching, waiting cease.
Master, grant your servants
their discharge in peace.
Based on words from Luke 2 by Timothy Dudley-Smith