The love of a perfect union with the Trinity is the first and highest good of eternal happiness; second after it is the Beatific Vision; then third is the enjoyment that flows from both.

Therefore, in Heaven, our eternal happiness consists not only in the Beatific Vision of God, as a fulfillment of faith, and not only in the enjoyment of God as a fulfillment of hope, but also in our eternal love of God, and His love for us. Love is the greatest virtue, and therefore our happiness in Heaven is primarily of love, secondarily of knowledge, and thirdly of enjoyment. And this enjoyment is the result, not only of the knowledge of God in the Beatific Vision, but also and even more so, of the love of God.

In order to love God, we must know Him. Now, we know him by faith and reason, to a limited extent. So, too, is our love limited. But by the Beatific Vision, our intellect shall know God as fully as we are capable. And by our union with God in eternal grace, our will shall love God as fully as we are capable. And we shall receive from God as much love as we are capable of receiving. But of these three — union with God, vision of God, enjoyment of God — the greatest is our union with God in love.

Love is of the will. Knowledge is of the intellect. The virtues of the will are greater than the virtues of the intellect. Love is greater than faith. Thus the moral virtues, which are of the will, are greater than the intellectual virtues. And therefore our union with God in love is a greater part of our happiness in Heaven than the Beatific Vision of God.

The enjoyment of God in Heaven is primarily of the Love of God and secondarily of the Knowledge of God. This enjoyment is not primarily of knowledge because love is greater than knowledge, just as love is greater than faith.

Our threefold happiness in Heaven is a continuation of the virtue of love, and a fulfillment of the virtues of faith and hope.