Nonstop and eternal

Today’s first reading (Revelation 4:1-11) presents us with a classic vision of the afterlife as nonstop and eternal worship:

Day and night they do not stop exclaiming:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures
give glory and honor and thanks
to the one who sits on the throne,
who lives forever and ever,
the twenty-four elders fall down
before the one who sits on the throne
and worship him, who lives forever and ever.

They throw down their crowns before the throne,
exclaiming:
“Worthy are you, Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power…

This may strike some people as a rather boring way to spend eternity, but the opposite is true.

It may strike some people as boring because nothing in this world is worth nonstop and eternal anything.

The nonstop and eternal worship in heaven will not be a simple repetition imposed by discipline or obligation.

The nonstop and eternal worship in heaven will be an effortless, joyous, natural, and automatic response to our unfiltered vision of God himself, who is infinite and eternally new.

Every moment, every second of eternity enjoying the beatific vision will give us a newer and more wonderful “wow” experience and make us burst with exultant exclamation along with the elders and all the hosts of heaven:

Worthy are you, Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power...