13. On the praises of charity, and its fruits

" Omniavestraincharitatejianty* " Let all your actions be done in charity.^^ 1 . Charity is a noble virtue, and surpasses all virtues, knowledge and gifts. Charity embraces God Himself; it unites angels to men ; it elevates the children of men to the dignity of children of God, and friends of the saints. Hence also did Christ condescend to be born of a virgin, and to be crucified for the salvation of the human race.

Charity purifies the soul from sin ; it warms and inflames, and fills us with a wondrous sweeto o ness, making us love God, with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our strength.

It justifies the sinner, and sets the bond-slave free ; of an enemyit makes a friend ; of a foreigner, a fellow-citizen ; of a stranger, a familiar. It teaches the inconstant, constancy ; the proud, humility ; the perverse, meekness : it gives to the lukewarm, fervour; to the broken heart it brings joy ; it opens the hand of the avaricious ; it awakes the worldly man to spiritual life ; it gives wisdom and knowledge to the ignorant. ' Such are the effects of charity when it comes into the soul of the faithful, through the Holy Spirit, which is given to them from heaven.

Its flight is bold and daring, for it rises above the Cherubim and Seraphim, and all the angelic choirs.

It comprehends both the means and the extremes ; forming but one and the same whole of things most opposite.

It infuses joy into the heart of all men — of one and all — not that joy which has its foundation in personal complacency, but that which maketh glad the heart, whose every affection is for God.

Charity pervades both heaven and earth, sea and land ; — all that the eye can see or ear can hear of the wonders of creation, it refers to the praise and glory of the Creator.

Throughout all nature there is not anything, howsoever small or contemptible, which, by the perfection of its being, reveals not the hand of its Sovereign Maker, the power of the Creator, the wisdom of the Disposer, and the providence of Him who rules and govems all supremely well : and this consideration leads the devout soul to praise God, to bless Him and celebrate His praises, at all times, and in every place.

As wax melts before the fire, so by charity the soul is kindled inwardly : it ceases to be chained to earth ; then mounting upwards, it soars above the stars of heaven, to seek the only object of its love, — God, the Creator and Ruler of all things : in whom it can repose in absolute security, and rejoice in perfect beatitude.

2. Oh, what sweetness and happiness does he taste, who is joined with God, and inwardly rejoices in Him !

Oh ! how happy should we be, if we could taste but a little of that eternal blessedness, which appears unclouded to the angels forever.

But alas ! we are recalled from o o o these soaring aspirations, to an active life, and are obliged to fight courageously with the arms of charity, against the temptations which daily assault us.

For oftentimes after joy comes affliction ; after consolation, sadness ; after laughing, weeping ; after peace and repose, inward war and trouble of soul : — great consolations are often succeeded by profound desolation, or by a troublesome temptation, or a corporal infirmity, or some human contrariety, or the loss of friends, or the assaults of our enemies, or trouble of soul, or the railleries of the younger, the censure of the old, or the severe reproof of our superiors.

All these things are sent to humble the pride of our hearts ; or to make us show compassion to the weaknesses of others, or to o o such as are in temptation or affliction.

Let us not then trust in ourselves, nor he over wise, nor look to our own advantage ; but let us humble ourselves to all, being subject to God, and to every creature for God's sake.* Such is true charity.

By charity God came down into the world : by charity were the gates of heaven re-opened to man.

By charity, Christ came down to save sinners. By charity and the ignominy of the cross, He ascended to the right-hand of His Father, and thus assured to man the highest of honours.

3. Charity is never idle ; for it is busied with things the highest and the most exalted : it also descends graciously and willingly to the humble and lowly.

It labours with diligence in honourable callings, and it delights in the meanest employment that obedience imposes.

It shows no repugnance to clean the wounds of the sick, to wash their feet, to make their beds, to clean their clothes, or sweep up their filth.

It suffers in patience, and rejoices in the midst of reproach and evil speaking.

4. As fire burns faggots, so the fire of charity consumes the fuel of vice. It purifies the heart by contrition,— washes it by confession, — cleanses it by prayer,~enlightens it by holy reading, — inflames it by devout meditation, — fosters it by holy retirement, and unites it to God, by the fervour of its love. • Charity excites the mouth of man to sing the praises of God, — his hands to labour for Him, — his o o feet to walk in his service, — his eyes to contemplate His glories, — his memory to recal His benefits, — all his body to minister to Him, and all his faculties to love God above all that is in heaven or on earth.

Charity, when joined with humility, repairs the past ravages of sin, — fortifies it against future dangers,— gives it discernment of things present, — delivers it from many doubts, — sets a guard against curiosity, — retrenches all superfluities,— casts aside all vain things ; discovers such as are false, — inspires horror of such as are shameful,— softens what is hard, — gives understandinorof things obscure, — reveals in prayer the secrets of heaven ; and, in a word, governs all, within and without. .

Charity, in a holy soul, is that prompt good \vill which ceases o o not to work for God ; although the weakness of human nature, and imperious circumstances, perm-it it not always to realize the good intended.

5. Happy is the pure soul, to whom God is all ; who feels no pleasantness nor worth out of God, and who sees nothing that deserves its affection — yea, rather, all bitter and burthensome. Such is the soul God seeks, such is the soul God loves ; because for His love it has despised and renounced all, even its own affections, and because it fights courageously to preserve its purity.

Free from all earthly affection, the pure soul springs forth swiftly, and impatient of all control, and above created worlds, to lose itself in the bosom of its God.

Charity breaks all bonds that chain it to the world : makes lioht c o its heavy burthens, and hastens to fulfil with faithfulness whatever is pleasing to God. Whence it prays with Christ, its divine model, saying : " Father, not my will but Thine, always and every where, be done. Amen."*