How do the Saints Hear us?

THESIS 1: We See the Objects of Creation in the Beatific Vision.

Major: In the Beatific Vision, we see the Divine Essence.

This is evident from the direct witness of Sacred Scripture, “Blessed are the clean of heart: they shall see God,” (Mt 5:8); “Follow peace with all men and holiness: without which no man shall see God,” (Heb 12:14); “they shall see his face: and his name shall be on their foreheads,” (Re 22:4); “We see now through a glass in a dark manner: but then face to face. Now I know in part: but then I shall know even as I am known,” (1 Co 13:12); “See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven,” (Mt 18:10); “Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God: and it hath not yet appeared what we shall be. We know that when he shall appear we shall be like to him: because we shall see him as he is.” (1 Jn 3:2)

By the theologians, this is called the “primary object” of the beatific vision. None, but a pernicious heretic would deny this, for, even Protestant Divines recognize this (e.g., Turretin, IEC, 20.8)

Minor: In the Divine Essence we see the objects of his creation.

First, this is proved from Sacred Scripture.

First, the Psalmist sings, “in thy light we see light.” (Ps 36:9) Now, “light” is spoken of under the aspect of truth, the first causatively, i.e., wherein God is the revealer of truth to us (naturally in the agent intellect and supernaturally in the light of grace/glory), the second is taken objectively, i.e., truth. Thus, the text may be rephrased, “in thee, we know truth,” which confirms the premise.