THE WONDERFUL EFFECT OF DIVINE LOVE

THE WONDERFUL EFFECT OF DIVINE LOVE

St. Thomas a’ Kempis

1. I bless Thee, O Heavenly Father, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, for that Thou hast vouchsafed to remember me a poor creature.

O Father of mercies and God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1.3), thanks be to Thee, who sometimes with Thy comfort refreshest me, unworthy as I am of all comfort.

I will always bless and glorify Thee, with Thy only-begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, forever and ever.

O Lord God, Thou Lover of my soul, when Thou comest into my heart, all that is within me shall rejoice.

Thou art my Glory and the exultation of my heart: Thou art my Hope and Refuge in the day of my trouble (Ps. 32.7; 59.16).

2. But because I am as yet weak in love, and imperfect in holiness, I have need to be strengthened and comforted by Thee; visit me therefore oftern, and instruct me with all holy discipline (Heb. 12.6).

Set me free from evil passions, and heal my heart of all inordinate affections; that being inwardly cured and thoroughly cleansed, I may be made fit to love, courageous to suffer, steady to perservere.

3. Love is a great thing, yea, a great and perfect good; but itself makes everything that is heavy, light; and it bears evenly all that is uneven.

For it carries a burden which is no burden, (Matt. 11.30) and makes everything that is bitter, sweet and tasteful.

The noble love of Jesus impels a men to do great things, and stirs him up to be always longing for what is more perfect (1 Jn. 4.16-18).

Love desires to lift itself on high, and will not be kept back by anything low and mean.

Love desires to be free, and set free from all worldly affections, that so its inward sight may bot be hindered; that it may not be entangled by any temporal prosperity, or by any adversity subdued.

Nothing is sweeter than Love, nothing more courageous, nothing higher, nothing wider, nothing more pleasant, nothing fuller nor better in heaven and earth; because Love is born of God, and cannot rest but in God, above all created things.

4. He that loveth, flyeth, runnet, and rejoiceth; he is free, and cannot be kept back.

He gives all for all, and has in all; because he resteth in One Highest above all things, from Whom all taht is good flows and proceeds.

He respecteth not the gifts, but turneth himself above all gifts unto the Giver.

Love oftentimes knoweth no measure, but is fervent beyond all measure.

Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of trouble, attempts what is above its strength, pleads no excuse of impossibility; for it thinks all things lawful for itself and all things possible.

It is therefore able to undertake all things, and it completes many things, and warrants them to take effect, where he who does not love, would faint and lie down.

5. Love is watchful, and sleeping slumbereth not (Rom. 8.10)

Though weary, it is not tired; though pressed, it is not strained; though alarmed, it is not confounded: but as a lively flame and burning torch, it forces its way upwards, and securely passes through all.

If any man love, he knoweth what is the cry of this voice. For it is a loud cry in the ears of God, the mere ardent affection of the soul, when it saith, “My God, my Love, Thou art all mine, and I am all Thine.”

6. Enlarge Thou me in love, that with the inward palate of my heart I may taste how sweet it is to love, and to be dissolved, and as it were to bathe myself in Thy Love.

Let me be possesed by Love, soaring above myself, through excessive fervour and admiration.

Let me sing the song of love, let me follow Thee, my Beloved, on high; let my soul spend itself in Thy praise, rejoicing through love.

Let me love Thee more than myself, nor love myself but for Thee: and in Thee all that truly love Thee , as the law of Love commandeth, shining out from Thyself.

Love is active, sincere, affectionate, pleasant and amiable; courageous, patient, faithful, prudent, long-suffering, manly, and never seeking itself (1 Cor. 13.5).

For in whatever instance a person seeketh himself, there he falleth from Love.

Love is circumspect, humble, and upright: not yielding to softness, or to levity, nor attending to vain things; it is sober, chaste, staedy, quiet, and thankful, trusting and hoping always in Him, even when God imparteth no relish of sweetness unto it: for without sorrow none liveth in love.

8. He that is not prepared to suffer all things, and to wait on the will of his Beloved, is not worthy to be called a lover of God (Rom. 8.35).

A lover ought to embrace willingly all that is hard and distasteful, for the sake of his Beloved; and not to turn away from Him for any difficulties which confront him.