3986. He said that he had believed spirits must have been created who would serve man, but that while he certainly believed people on earth would become spirits, they would not become the kind of spirits that would serve anyone, but would only live in heavenly joy - of which he had had no other conception than that it consisted in some kind of idle joy, their only activity being in praising the Lord. But I replied that praising the Lord, singing to Him and glorifying Him, is not an active life, for the Lord has no need of such activities, but that they should perform the works of charity, in the measure of which they receive happiness from the Lord. But because those spirits were unable to entertain any other idea than one of servitude, namely, about serving mankind in the way described, they cannot yet place any joy or happiness in it, but only servitude, but that the fact of the matter is entirely different, and that the service is done with innermost happiness, may be seen above [3617, 3984] And before they are guided into that kind of love and charity, they can have no other idea of it than one of servitude.
3986. He said that he had supposed that ministering spirits would be created for the service of man. That men would become spirits he indeed believed, but not such spirits as should save and minister to anyone, but such as would have nothing to do but to live in celestial joy, concerning which he had no other idea than that of a certain indolent bliss, only that they would be engaged in praising the Lord, in which alone would consist all the activity of their life. But it was said in reply that to praise the Lord, to sing, and to utter glorifications, is not an active life, for the Lord has no need of such things, but that the great thing is to perform the works of charity according to which felicity is received of the Lord. But as such spirits could entertain no other idea on the subject than that of servitude - the subject I mean of ministering to men, spoken of before - they cannot as yet place anything of joy or felicity in it, but only that of servitude; but that the case is altogether different - that they are, in truth, in the most interior happiness - may be seen from what has been before said. Previous to their being led into such a love and happiness, no other idea can be found of such a state than that of servitude.
3986. Dixit quod putavit, spiritus creatos fore qui inservirent homini, at quod homines forent spiritus, quidem credidit, sed quod non tales spiritus, qui servirent alicui, solum victuri in gaudio coelesti, de quo nullam aliam opinionem habuit, quam quod consisteret in aliquo gaudio otioso, solum quod laudarent Dominum, et in eo consisteret vita eorum activa, sed responsum [quod] laudare Dominum, cantare, et glorificare, hoc non est vita activa, nam talibus Dominus non opus habet sed ut praestent opera charitatis, secundum illa accipiunt a Domino felicitatem; sed quia non potuerunt aliter habere quam servitutis ideam, de eo, ut nempe servirent homini, ut dictum, non possunt adhuc, in eo aliquid gaudii seu felicitatis ponere, solum servitutis, sed quod aliter prorsus se res habeat, quod fiat cum intima felicictate, videatur prius [3617, 3984] . Et antequam in talem amorem et charitatem perducantur, non alia idea ejus haberi potest, quam servitutis.