THE WONDERFUL EFFECT OF DIVINE LOVE
THE DISCIPLE
I BLESS You, O heavenly Father, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ,
for having condescended to remember me, a poor creature. Thanks to
You, O Father of mercies, God of all consolation, Who with Your
comfort sometimes refresh me, who am not worthy of it. I bless You
always and glorify You with Your only-begotten Son and the Holy
Spirit, the Paraclete, forever and ever.
Ah, Lord God, my holy Lover, when You come into my heart, all
that is within me will rejoice. You are my glory and the exultation of
my heart. You are my hope and refuge in the day of my tribulation. But
because my love is as yet weak and my virtue imperfect, I must be
strengthened and comforted by You. Visit me often, therefore, and
teach me Your holy discipline. Free me from evil passions and cleanse
my heart of all disorderly affection so that, healed and purified
within, I may be fit to love, strong to suffer, and firm to persevere.
Love is an excellent thing, a very great blessing, indeed. It
makes every difficulty easy, and bears all wrongs with equanimity. For
it bears a burden without being weighted and renders sweet all that is
bitter. The noble love of Jesus spurs to great deeds and excites
longing for that which is more perfect. Love tends upward; it will not
be held down by anything low. Love wishes to be free and estranged
from all worldly affections, lest its inward sight be obstructed, lest
it be entangled in any temporal interest and overcome by adversity.
Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger or higher or
wider; nothing is more pleasant, nothing fuller, and nothing better in
heaven or on earth, for love is born of God and cannot rest except in
God, Who is above all created things.
One who is in love flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free, not
bound. He gives all for all and possesses all in all, because he rests
in the one sovereign Good, Who is above all things, and from Whom
every good flows and proceeds. He does not look to the gift but turns
himself above all gifts to the Giver.
Love often knows no limits but overflows all bounds. Love feels
no burden, thinks nothing of troubles, attempts more than it is able,
and does not plead impossibility, because it believes that it may and
can do all things. For this reason, it is able to do all, performing
and effecting much where he who does not love fails and falls.
Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Wearied, it is
not tired. Pressed, it is not straitened. Alarmed, it is not confused,
but like a living flame, a burning torch, it forces its way upward and
passes unharmed through every obstacle.
If a man loves, he will know the sound of this voice. For this
warm affection of soul is a loud voice crying in the ears of God, and
it says: "My God, my love, You are all mine and I am all Yours. Give
me an increase of love, that I may learn to taste with the inward lips
of my heart how sweet it is to love, how sweet to be dissolved in love
and bathe in it. Let me be rapt in love. Let me rise above self in
great fervor and wonder. Let me sing the hymn of love, and let me
follow You, my Love, to the heights. Let my soul exhaust itself in
praising You, rejoicing out of love. Let me love You more than myself,
and let me not love myself except for Your sake. In You let me love
all those who truly love You, as the law of love, which shines forth
from You, commands."
Love is swift, sincere, kind, pleasant, and delightful. Love is
strong, patient and faithful, prudent, long-suffering, and manly. Love
is never self-seeking, for in whatever a person seeks himself there he
falls from love. Love is circumspect, humble, and upright. It is
neither soft nor light, nor intent upon vain things. It is sober and
chaste, firm and quiet, guarded in all the senses. Love is subject and
obedient to superiors. It is mean and contemptible in its own eyes,
devoted and thankful to God; always trusting and hoping in Him even
when He is distasteful to it, for there is no living in love without
sorrow. He who is not ready to suffer all things and to stand resigned
to the will of the Beloved is not worthy to be called a lover. A lover
must embrace willingly all that is difficult and bitter for the sake
of the Beloved, and he should not turn away from Him because of
adversities. |
Of the wonderful power of the Divine Love
I bless Thee, O Heavenly Father, Father of my
Lord Jesus Christ, for that Thou hast vouchsafed to think of me, poor
that I am. O, Father of Mercies and God of all comfort,(1) I give
thanks unto Thee, who refreshest me sometimes with thine own comfort,
when I am unworthy of any comfort. I bless and glorify Thee
continually, with thine only begotten Son and the Holy Ghost, the
Paraclete, for ever and ever. O Lord God, Holy lover of my soul, when
Thou shalt come into my heart, all my inward parts shall rejoice.
Thou art my glory and the joy of my heart. Thou art my hope and my
refuge in the day of my trouble.
2. But because I am still weak in love and
imperfect in virtue, I need to be strengthened and comforted by Thee;
therefore visit Thou me often and instruct me with Thy holy ways of
discipline. Deliver me from evil passions, and cleanse my heart from
all inordinate affections, that, being healed and altogether cleansed
within, I may be made ready to love, strong to suffer, steadfast to
endure.
3. Love is a great thing, a good above all
others, which alone maketh every heavy burden light, and equaliseth
every inequality. For it beareth the burden and maketh it no burden,
it maketh every bitter thing to be sweet and of good taste. The
surpassing love of Jesus impelleth to great works, and exciteth to the
continual desiring of greater perfection. Love willeth to be raised
up, and not to be held down by any mean thing. Love willeth to be
free and aloof from all worldly affection, lest its inward power of
vision be hindered, lest it be entangled by any worldly prosperity or
overcome by adversity. Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing
stronger, nothing loftier, nothing broader, nothing pleasanter,
nothing fuller or better in heaven nor on earth, for love was born of
God and cannot rest save in God above all created things.
4. He who loveth flyeth, runneth, and is glad; he
is free and not hindered. He giveth all things for all things, and
hath all things in all things, because he resteth in One who is high
above all, from whom every good floweth and proceedeth. He looketh
not for gifts, but turneth himself to the Giver above all good
things. Love oftentimes knoweth no measure, but breaketh out above
all measure; love feeleth no burden, reckoneth not labours, striveth
after more than it is able to do, pleadeth not impossibility, because
it judgeth all things which are lawful for it to be possible. It is
strong therefore for all things, and it fulfilleth many things, and is
successful where he who loveth not faileth and lieth down.
5. Love is watchful, and whilst sleeping still
keepeth watch; though fatigued it is not weary, though pressed it is
not forced, though alarmed it is not terrified, but like the living
flame and the burning torch, it breaketh forth on high and securely
triumpheth. If a man loveth, he knoweth what this voice crieth. For
the ardent affection of the soul is a great clamour in the ears of
God, and it saith: My God, my Beloved! Thou art all mine, and I am
all Thine.
6. Enlarge Thou me in love, that I may learn to
taste with the innermost mouth of my heart how sweet it is to love, to
be dissolved, and to swim in love. Let me be holden by love, mounting
above myself through exceeding fervour and admiration. Let me sing the
song of love, let me follow Thee my Beloved on high, let my soul
exhaust itself in Thy praise, exulting with love. Let me love Thee
more than myself, not loving myself except for Thy sake, and all men
in Thee who truly love Thee, as the law of love commandeth which
shineth forth from Thee.
7. Love is swift, sincere, pious, pleasant,
gentle, strong, patient, faithful, prudent, long-suffering, manly, and
never seeking her own; for wheresoever a man seeketh his own, there he
falleth from love. Love is circumspect, humble, and upright; not
weak, not fickle, nor intent on vain things; sober, chaste, steadfast,
quiet, and guarded in all the senses. Love is subject and obedient to
all that are in authority, vile and lowly in its own sight, devout and
grateful towards God, faithful and always trusting in Him even when
God hideth His face, for without sorrow we cannot live in love.
8. He who is not ready to suffer all things, and
to conform to the will of the Beloved, is not worthy to be called a
lover of God. It behoveth him who loveth to embrace willingly all
hard and bitter things for the Beloved's sake, and not to be drawn
away from Him because of any contrary accidents. |