9781644135945

The Light of the World
far surpasses their natural value. And such works profit not only us, but the whole Church,
and are of greater value than any other works, no matter how great they may appear to men.
“Now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity”
(1 Cor 13:13). “Follow after charity” (1 Cor 14:1).
“You may be able to comprehend . . . the breadth and length and height and depth” of
the mystery of Christ’s humility and self-denial, as well as the mystery of His Incarnation
and His sufferings and death. God’s love explains the mystery of our vocation and that
of the heathens, our membership in His Church, and our possession of the divine life.
Charity explains the mystery of our incorporation in Christ, who is the head, “who loved
me and delivered Himself for me” (Gal 2:20). Who can comprehend the height and
depth, the breadth and length of the charity of God? “For God so loved the world as to
give His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, may not perish but may
have life everlasting” ( Jn 3:16). Charity gives a clarified vision. He who lacks charity does
not walk in the full light.
“To know also the charity of Christ, which surpasseth all knowledge” (Epistle). Human
reason, human speculation, and human knowledge cannot comprehend the love of Christ’s
heart, but only charity, or rather the knowledge that is born of charity, can do so. With such
a knowledge the little child knows its mother. It is not a knowledge of the intellect, for the
child has it before he comes to the use of reason. It is not knowledge obtained through faith
or through the word or authority of others. It is knowledge of another kind: the knowledge
of love. The child loves and knows himself to be loved. Instinctively it returns love for love.
If it is taken away from its mother, it cries and it is not to be satisfied till it reposes again
on its mother’s breast. The mother is everything to it, the whole world. Such also is the
knowledge of the loving soul of God’s chosen ones. Such a soul may be unlearned, unable
to say or to think great things about Him; but who will say this soul does not know God? He
knows himself to be loved by God; he knows Him to be always near embracing his soul with
the arms of His love. The soul feels instinctively that God is solicitous about it. God leads,
protects, and supports; the soul finds in Him its whole pleasure, its all; it longs for God and
sacrifices all for Him. God reveals Himself to such a loving soul and lets it see and taste how
sweet and good He is. Such is the knowledge which the Apostle and the liturgy ask for us.
“Follow after charity” (1 Cor 14:1). Are we firmly rooted and grounded in charity? We can
easily test our degree of charity. The love of God expresses itself in our charity toward our fellow
men. “Charity is patient, is kind; charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely, is not puffed up, is
not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in
iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things, . . . endureth all things” (1 Cor 13:4–7).
“He that hath My commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me. And he that loveth
Me shall be loved of My Father; and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him. . . . If any
one love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and
will make Our abode with him” ( Jn 14:21, 23).
Prayer
Let Thy grace, we beseech Thee, O Lord, ever go before us and follow us, and may it make us to
be continually zealous in doing good works. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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