Based on Dante’s Paradiso
As we look up into the warm face
Of the glorious, majestic Sun,
We are free from the weight of sin,
And so we gently soar upwards
At the sizzling speed of Light,
Into the marvelous Marian blue sky.
As we approach the Heavenly Realm,
We peacefully pass through the leaping
Flames of the bright Ring of Fire
Which orbits our little blue planet;
Then our ears are serenaded by
The lovely Music of the Spheres,
Each sphere slicing into space like
The melodious bow of a violin.
We begin by visiting the First Sphere,
An ever-changing inconstant orb,
And there we find those happy souls
Who, though unintentionally, broke
Their vows, and so, are in the lowest
Tier of Heaven, glad but not nearly
As happy as many other souls,
And yet they are content and they
Feel no envy whatsoever towards
Those more greatly blessed.
On the Second Sphere we see the
Virtuous seekers of holy honor;
Their happiness is clearly greater
Than the souls of the previous sphere
As they sing the praises of God
And dance with quiet contentment
In a place where fear does not exist.
On the Third Sphere are the amorous,
Who sinned with hearts full of lust,
But, by God’s holy grace, they learned
To love the most holy Son of Love;
Thus, these fortunate souls dance with
Overflowing joy, for they are saved!
On the Fourth Sphere are twelve
Saintly doctors of the Holy Church,
They form a bright human garland
In the air that is even more dazzling
Than the stars that shine behind;
Their hymn of praise resounds
Through all of the Heavenly Realm,
And their generous love is all in all.
On the Fifth Sphere are the valiant
Warriors of God who are arrayed in
The formation of a large cross and
Their radiance is of a still greater
Intensity as they taste peace and joy
Unlike anything ever known on Earth,
They are like shooting stars darting
Across the sky in their holy ecstasy.
On the Sixth Sphere, the souls are even
More beautiful, even more dazzling;
Here are the courageous, where the
Just and temperate rulers dwell in
God’s peace, and above we can see the
Heavenly luminaries arranged to form
An eagle, surrounded by glowing lilies,
High up in the sparkling clear sky.
On the Seventh Sphere the holy
Contemplatives live in a perpetual
State of sweet harmony, happiness
Following upon happiness, as they
Reflect with deep satisfaction on the
Inexhaustible Mysteries of Love;
They are surrounded by a globe
Of heavenly crystalline,
And atop of it is a Golden Ladder
Upon which saints soar
To the lofty summit of God’s glory.
As we ascend still higher, we arrive at
Our next destination, the Eighth Sphere,
Where the intense and ineffable ecstasy of
Love deliciously fills all of these good souls
So completely and so eternally;
They smile with incomprehensible contentment
As they look back through the universe
And see the Earth, minuscule and
Insignificant, and yet greatly loved
By the Lord, the King of the Universe;
Then through the theological virtues of
Faith, Hope, and Love, we are ready to
Pierce deeper into the Heart of Love.
We arrive at the Primum Mobile and
Through the magnificent Mystical Rose
We can finally see the Empyrean itself,
Where God, who is Light from Light,
Is surrounded by choirs of angels:
Seraphim and cherubim, thrones and
Dominations, virtues and powers,
Principalities and archangels -- all in
Ceaseless praise and holy jubilation.
This is where all words fall short,
For nothing can ever describe just
How good is the source of goodness,
How beautiful is the source of beauty,
How true is the source of all truth --
How can we even begin to describe
Spiritual union with The Divine Mercy?
The sublime serenity of eternal peace!
The dreamy delight of everlasting joy!
The sweet sensations of endless love!