Lumen Gentium: The Eschatological Nature of the Pilgrim Church and Its Union with the Church in Heaven (51, continued)

Chapter VII of Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, is entitled “The Eschatological Nature of the Pilgrim Church and Its Union with the Church in Heaven.” It continues as follows:

“51. . . . For all of us, who are sons of God and constitute one family in Christ,(279) as long as we remain in communion with one another in mutual charity and in one praise of the most holy Trinity, are corresponding with the intimate vocation of the Church and partaking in foretaste the liturgy of consummate glory.(25*) For when Christ shall appear and the glorious resurrection of the dead will take place, the glory of God will light up the heavenly City and the Lamb will be the lamp thereof.(280) Then the whole Church of the saints in the supreme happiness of charity will adore God and ‘the Lamb who was slain’,(281) proclaiming with one voice: ‘To Him who sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb blessing, and honor, and glory, and dominion forever and ever’.(282)”

(279) Cf. Hebrews 3:6.

(280) Cf. Revelation 21:24.

(281) Revelation 5:12.

(282) Revelation 5:13-14.

(25*) Cf. Conc. Vaticanum II Const. De Sacra Liturgia, cap. 1 n. 8.

 

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Dogmatic Constitution on the Church - Lumen Gentium