Love for God

How beautiful to have a heart with which, little as it is, we may love God !

How beautiful to be able to please God, lowly creatures though we are !

Man has been created for love ; this explains why he is so borne towards it. From one point of view, he is so great that nothing on earth can satisfy him, and it is only when he turns towards God that he is satisfied. Keep a fish out of the water and it dies. Man without God is like that fish.

To love God ! Oh, how beautiful ! In Heaven alone does one comprehend love. Prayer aids us a little herein, because prayer is the elevation of the souFto Heaven. . .

The more we know men, the less we love them. It is just the contrary in regard to God, the more we know Him, the more we love Him. This knowledge inflames the soul with so great love that it can no longer love nor desire anything but God.

Without faith, one is blind. He who does not see, does not know ; he who does not know, does not love ; he who does not love God, loves himself, and, at the same time, his pleasures. He attaches his heart to things that vanish like smoke. He can know neither the truth nor aught of good. He can know only falsehood because he has not the light. Had he the light, he would see clearly that all that he loves can bring him only death everlasting.

Except the good God there is nothing solid. As to life, it passes away ; fortune may take wings, health be lost, reputation attacked. Everything slips from our grasp.

How greatly are they to be pitied who place their affections upon such things ! They do this because they love them too much ; but it is not with a reasonable love, it is with love of self and of the world, by seeking self and creatures more than God. Wherefore, they are never tranquil, never happy, but ever restless, harassed, tormented in mind.

Were a king to summon one of his subjects into his presence and say to him “ I wish to make you happy ; remain with me and share all my goods ; I ask only that you will not displease me by any violation of what is right and just,” how eagerly and earnestly would not this subject endeavor to satisfy his prince. Now, God makes the same advances to us and we do not appreciate His friendship, we seem to care naught for His promises !