The Wonderful Effect of Divine Love
I BLESS You, O heavenly Father, Father of my Lord Jesus Christ, for having condescended to
remember me, a poor creature. Thanks to You, O Father of mercies, God of all consolation, Who
with Your comfort sometimes refresh me, who am not worthy of it. I bless You always and glorify
You with Your only-begotten Son and the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, forever and ever.
Ah, Lord God, my holy Lover, when You come into my heart, all that is within me will rejoice.
You are my glory and the exultation of my heart. You are my hope and refuge in the day of my
tribulation. But because my love is as yet weak and my virtue imperfect, I must be strengthened
and comforted by You. Visit me often, therefore, and teach me Your holy discipline. Free me from
evil passions and cleanse my heart of all disorderly affection so that, healed and purified within, I
may be fit to love, strong to suffer, and firm to persevere.
Love is an excellent thing, a very great blessing, indeed. It makes every difficulty easy, and
bears all wrongs with equanimity. For it bears a burden without being weighted and renders sweet
all that is bitter. The noble love of Jesus spurs to great deeds and excites longing for that which is
more perfect. Love tends upward; it will not be held down by anything low. Love wishes to be free
and estranged from all worldly affections, lest its inward sight be obstructed, lest it be entangled
in any temporal interest and overcome by adversity.
Nothing is sweeter than love, nothing stronger or higher or wider; nothing is more pleasant,
nothing fuller, and nothing better in heaven or on earth, for love is born of God and cannot rest
except in God, Who is above all created things.
One who is in love flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free, not bound. He gives all for all and
possesses all in all, because he rests in the one sovereign Good, Who is above all things, and from
Whom every good flows and proceeds. He does not look to the gift but turns himself above all gifts
to the Giver.
Love often knows no limits but overflows all bounds. Love feels no burden, thinks nothing of
troubles, attempts more than it is able, and does not plead impossibility, because it believes that it
may and can do all things. For this reason, it is able to do all, performing and effecting much where
he who does not love fails and falls.
Love is watchful. Sleeping, it does not slumber. Wearied, it is not tired. Pressed, it is not
straitened. Alarmed, it is not confused, but like a living flame, a burning torch, it forces its way
upward and passes unharmed through every obstacle.
If a man loves, he will know the sound of this voice. For this warm affection of soul is a loud
voice crying in the ears of God, and it says: “My God, my love, You are all mine and I am all Yours.
Give me an increase of love, that I may learn to taste with the inward lips of my heart how sweet
it is to love, how sweet to be dissolved in love and bathe in it. Let me be rapt in love. Let me ris
above self in great fervor and wonder. Let me sing the hymn of love, and let me follow You, my
Love, to the heights. Let my soul exhaust itself in praising You, rejoicing out of love. Let me love
You more than myself, and let me not love myself except for Your sake. In You let me love all
those who truly love You, as the law of love, which shines forth from You, commands.”
Love is swift, sincere, kind, pleasant, and delightful. Love is strong, patient and faithful, prudent,
long-suffering, and manly. Love is never self-seeking, for in whatever a person seeks himself there
he falls from love. Love is circumspect, humble, and upright. It is neither soft nor light, nor intent
upon vain things. It is sober and chaste, firm and quiet, guarded in all the senses. Love is subject
and obedient to superiors. It is mean and contemptible in its own eyes, devoted and thankful to
God; always trusting and hoping in Him even when He is distasteful to it, for there is no living in
love without sorrow. He who is not ready to suffer all things and to stand resigned to the will of
the Beloved is not worthy to be called a lover. A lover must embrace willingly all that is difficult
and bitter for the sake of the Beloved, and he should not turn away from Him because of adversities.