Thomas asks whether the “many dwelling places” implies that there are different levels
of happiness in heaven. In a certain way, all receive the same good, just as in the
parable, where all the workers receive a denarius, no matter how long they have worked
(Mt 20:10). Thomas explains: “the supreme good itself, which is the object and cause of
happiness, cannot be greater or less. This is because there is only one supreme good,
which is God” (Commentary on John, 1854).
In another way, we delight in God according as we are “the better disposed and
prepared he is to enjoy it”:
Happiness consists in two things. The first is the vision of God; and one is
disposed for this by purity. And so the more one has a heart which is raised
above earthly matters, the more he will see God, and the more perfectly.
Secondly, happiness consists in the delight of enjoying [God], and one is
disposed for this by love. Thus, one who has a more burning love for God will
find more delight in the enjoyment of God. We read about the first in Matthew
(5:8): “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see” (1854).
Thomas picks up on St. Gregory the Great’s explanation of the different dwellings: “It is
like a spring of water, available to all to take as much as they wish. Then, one who has
a larger cup will receive more, and one who has a smaller cup will receive less.
Therefore, there is one fountain, considering it in itself, but everyone does not receive
the same portion” (1855).
Thomas asks whether the “many dwelling places” implies that there are different levels
of happiness in heaven. In a certain way, all receive the same good, just as in the
parable, where all the workers receive a denarius, no matter how long they have worked
(Mt 20:10). Thomas explains: “the supreme good itself, which is the object and cause of
happiness, cannot be greater or less. This is because there is only one supreme good,
which is God” (1854).
In another way, we delight in God according as we are “the better disposed and
prepared he is to enjoy it”:
Happiness consists in two things. The first is the vision of God; and one is
disposed for this by purity. And so the more one has a heart which is raised
above earthly matters, the more he will see God, and the more perfectly.
Secondly, happiness consists in the delight of enjoying [God], and one is
disposed for this by love. Thus, one who has a more burning love for God will
find more delight in the enjoyment of God. We read about the first in Matthew
(5:8): “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see” (1854).
Thomas picks up on St. Gregory the Great’s explanation of the different dwellings: “It is
like a spring of water, available to all to take as much as they wish. Then, one who has

a larger cup will receive more, and one who has a smaller cup will receive less.
Therefore, there is one fountain, considering it in itself, but everyone does not receive
the same portion” (1855).
According to Thomas, Jesus is saying: “I will come again, to the Church, spiritually and
continuously, and will take you to myself, that is, I will strengthen you in faith and love
for me: … that is, to the community of the saints… to delight in their virtues… and to
draw pure souls to himself when he gives life to the saints at death” (1861).
Jesus tells the disciples that they know where He is going and they know the way but
Thomas protests that they do not know where He is going and they do not know the
way (Jn 14:4-5). Thomas affirms that both statements are true: “they clearly knew that
Christ was a human being, they only imperfectly recognized his divinity” (1866). Thomas
states: “Knowledge of the way depends on knowledge of the destination” (1866).
The way is also the destination: “this way is not separated from its destination but united
to it… Christ is at once both the way and the destination. He is the way by reason of his
human nature, and the destination because of his divinity” (1868).
Humans desire two things, truth and to continue to exist. Christ is the answer:
Christ is the way to arrive at the knowledge of the truth, while still being the truth
itself: ‘Teach me thy way O Lord, that I may walk in thy truth’ (Ps 86:11). Christ is
also the way to arrive at life, while still being life itself: ‘You show me the path of
life’ (Ps 16:11). And so he indicated the destination or end of this way as truth
and life. These two were already applied to Christ: first, he is life: ‘In him was life’
(Jn 1:4); then, he is truth, because “the life is the light of men” (Jn 1:4), and light
is truth (1868).
Christ is the way. Thomas recalls Isaiah’s words: “This is the way; walk in it” (Is 30:21).
Augustine had stated: “”Walk like this human being and you will come to God. It is better
to limp along on the way than to walk briskly off the way” (Sermones de Verbis Domini
142, ch. 1). Thomas reflects: “For one who limps on the way, even though he makes
just a little progress, is approaching his destination; but if one walks off the way, the
faster he goes the further he gets from his destination” (1870).
Jesus chides His disciples because He had been with them but still they don’t know
Him. Thomas thinks that they still knew Him in a human way but not in a divine way
(1886). Jesus asserts: “Whoever has seen Me had seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). Thomas
recalls an idea of Augustine that we say about people who look like each other, that to
see one is to see the other. Thomas shows that the likeness between the Son and the
Father is greater:
Thomas emphasizes our cooperation with God:

Christ works in two ways. In one way, he works without us, as in creating the
heavens and the earth, raising the dead to life, and things like that. In the other
way, he works in us but not without us: the result of this is faith, by which the
impious are brought to life. Our Lord is speaking here of what is found in all
believers: this is the result which Christ produces in us, but not without us. The
reason for this is that whoever believes is producing the same result since what
is produced in me by God is also produced in me by myself, that is, by my free
choice (1900).
Thomas notices that Jesus speaks in the future: “I will do it, using the future tense, not
the present tense, because he sometimes postpones doing what we ask so that our
desire for it will increase and so that he can grant it at the right time: ‘Rain will fall on
you when it should fall’ [Lev 26:4]; ‘In a day of salvation I have helped you’ (Is 49:8)”
(1905).