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Chapter XXXIII. The Way to Find the Love of God Is by Constant, Untiring, Devout and Ardent Prayer, and the Reading of the Book of Life
The way unto this love is by constant, assiduous, devout and ardent prayer, and the reading of the Book of Life, of which much hath already been said, and whence we obtain that knowledge of God which it is needful for us to have if we would also have His love, as hath already been set forth.
Oh my beloved, take comfort, and see that we love God and wholly transform ourselves in Him; for this Christ, God uncreate, God incarnate, is all love, and therefore loveth all and desireth to be wholly loved. Wherefore doth He desire that His children should be wholly transformed in Him through love.
I pray you, oh ye spiritual children, chosen through love, ye who live in the grace and charity of the good and perfect God, I pray you transform yourselves with the perfection of love. True is it that we are all sons of God by creation, but His elect spiritual children are they in whom the God of love hath planted His love and in whom He delighteth, because He findeth His own likeness in them, which likeness in the soul of each one of the sons of God is formed there solely through the grace of God and the perfect love divine. And perfect is he who hath already transformed his manners and life in the likeness of the life of Christ, who lived in this world poor and despised and full of suffering.
God, therefore, whose nature is noble, desireth to possess the whole heart of His son and not only a part thereof, and He desireth it immediately, and without companionship or hindrance or anything contrary whatsoever. But He is so merciful unto the soul that if it giveth Him its whole heart He accepteth it willingly, and if it giveth Him only a part He accepteth also the part, albeit His perfect love longeth naturally for the whole and not only a part.
We know that the bridegroom who loveth his bride cannot endure that she should have any other companion either openly or in secret. In like manner cannot God endure it. But well do I know that if any person were to understand and taste of that divine love of God who was made man and crucified for us and who is the Supreme Good, he would give himself wholly unto Him, he would take himself away not only from other creatures, but also from his own self, and would love this loving God with his whole heart, and transform himself entirely in God, the Supreme Love.
Wherefore, if the soul desireth to attain unto this perfection of perfect love, which giveth itself wholly and doth not serve God for sake of the reward which it hopeth to receive from Him, or because of the future life, but giveth itself unto God and serveth Him for His own sake, who is essentially good in Himself and worthy of being loved for Himself, then the soul must enter by the straight way and must walk thereon with the feet of pure love, upright, fervent, and orderly.
But the first step to be taken by the soul who entereth upon this straight way and desireth to draw nigh unto God is to learn to know God in very truth, and not only outwardly, as though by the colour of the writing (as hath been already said). For as we know so do we love; therefore if we know but little and darkly, if we do reflect and meditate upon Him only superficially and fleetingly, we shall in consequence love Him but little, as hath been said afore.
The way unto this love is by constant, assiduous, devout and ardent prayer, and the reading of the Book of Life, of which much hath already been said, and whence we obtain that knowledge of God which it is needful for us to have if we would also have His love, as hath already been set forth.
Oh my beloved, take comfort, and see that we love God and wholly transform ourselves in Him; for this Christ, God uncreate, God incarnate, is all love, and therefore loveth all and desireth to be wholly loved. Wherefore doth He desire that His children should be wholly transformed in Him through love.
I pray you, oh ye spiritual children, chosen through love, ye who live in the grace and charity of the good and perfect God, I pray you transform yourselves with the perfection of love. True is it that we are all sons of God by creation, but His elect spiritual children are they in whom the God of love hath planted His love and in whom He delighteth, because He findeth His own likeness in them, which likeness in the soul of each one of the sons of God is formed there solely through the grace of God and the perfect love divine. And perfect is he who hath already transformed his manners and life in the likeness of the life of Christ, who lived in this world poor and despised and full of suffering.
God, therefore, whose nature is noble, desireth to possess the whole heart of His son and not only a part thereof, and He desireth it immediately, and without companionship or hindrance or anything contrary whatsoever. But He is so merciful unto the soul that if it giveth Him its whole heart He accepteth it willingly, and if it giveth Him only a part He accepteth also the part, albeit His perfect love longeth naturally for the whole and not only a part.
We know that the bridegroom who loveth his bride cannot endure that she should have any other companion either openly or in secret. In like manner cannot God endure it. But well do I know that if any person were to understand and taste of that divine love of God who was made man and crucified for us and who is the Supreme Good, he would give himself wholly unto Him, he would take himself away not only from other creatures, but also from his own self, and would love this loving God with his whole heart, and transform himself entirely in God, the Supreme Love.
Wherefore, if the soul desireth to attain unto this perfection of perfect love, which giveth itself wholly and doth not serve God for sake of the reward which it hopeth to receive from Him, or because of the future life, but giveth itself unto God and serveth Him for His own sake, who is essentially good in Himself and worthy of being loved for Himself, then the soul must enter by the straight way and must walk thereon with the feet of pure love, upright, fervent, and orderly.
But the first step to be taken by the soul who entereth upon this straight way and desireth to draw nigh unto God is to learn to know God in very truth, and not only outwardly, as though by the colour of the writing (as hath been already said). For as we know so do we love; therefore if we know but little and darkly, if we do reflect and meditate upon Him only superficially and fleetingly, we shall in consequence love Him but little, as hath been said afore.
"So let us be confident, let us not be unprepared, let us not be outflanked, let us be wise, vigilant, fighting against those who are trying to tear the faith out of our souls and morality out of our hearts, so that we may remain Catholics, remain united to the Blessed Virgin Mary, remain united to the Roman Catholic Church, remain faithful children of the Church."- Abp. Lefebvre