O Jesus, Eternal Son, help me to live more worthily of Thy Father and my Father who is in heaven. CHAPTER III. OF THE ATTAINMENT AND THE INCREASE OF CHARITY. FROM what has been said, you see the advantages of charity; and therefore, since charity is so full of blessing, we should strive most earnestly to gain it and keep it. Remember, no one can have charity from himself. It is the gift of God alone. For this reason St. John says (1 Ep. iv. 10), 'Not as though we had loved God, but because He hath first loved us.' In truth, God does not love us because He is first loved by us; but it is His love for us that kindles in our hearts the fire of love for Him. Remember also this: though all gifts come from the Father of lights,' nevertheless the gift of charity far surpasses the rest. For all gifts* can exist without charity and the Holy Ghost; but with charity the Holy Ghost is of necessity possessed. Hence St. Paul says (Rom. v. 5), 'The charity of God is poured forth in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us.' There may be the gift of tongues or of knowledge or of prophecy without grace and the Holy Ghost. I. Though charity is a gift of God, a certain disposition is required on our part that we may have it. (1.) Two things are specially needed for gaining charity, and (2.) two other things are needed for its increase after it has been gained. (1.) For gaining charity. 1. We must often hear the word of God. This is clear from our own experience. If we hear good of a person, we begin to love him. So, hearing the words of God, we are inflamed with *As is plain from the context, the Saint is speaking of graces, 'gratis datas.' His love; as the Psalmist says (cxviii. 140), 'Thy word is strongly kindled and heated,* and Thy servant hath loved it.' Again (civ. 19), 'The word of the Lord inflamed him.' The two disciples, on their way to Emmaus, being on fire with the love of God, said (St. Luke xxiv. 32), 'Was not our heart burning within us, while He spoke in the way and opened to us the Scriptures? We read of the preaching of St. Peter (Acts x. 44), 'While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word.' Now it often happens in sermons that they who come with hard hearts are kindled to the love of God by the word of preaching. 2. We must have ceaseless thoughts of God's goodness. David says (Ps. xxxviii. 4), 'My heart grew hot within me; and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.' If, then, you wish to be filled with the love of God, meditate on His gifts. Think of His kindnesses that have been heaped upon * Vulg. Vehementer ignitum. you, the dangers from which you have been saved, and the everlasting happiness that He has promised. Hard, indeed, must be the heart that can think of such benefits and not be kindled with love. For this reason St. Augustin says, 'Hard is the heart of a man who not only refuses to give love, but does not wish even to repay it.' It is always the case that, as bad thoughts destroy the love of God, so good thoughts bring it, feed it, and strengthen it. Isaias therefore gives us this command (i. 16), 'Take away the evil of your thoughts from my eyes.' It is said again (Wisd. i. 3), 'Perverse thoughts separate from God.' (2.) For strengthening charity. 1. We must keep the heart free from things that are earthy. The heart cannot be rightly borne different ways. No one can love both God and the world. Thus the more that our hearts are cut off from the love of earth, the more they will be rooted and grounded in the love of God. St. Augustin therefore says, 'The poison of charity is the hope of gaining or keeping the gifts of the world; but its nourishment is the lessening of cupidity. Its perfection is the dying out of cupidity, for cupidity is the root of all evil. Whoever, therefore, wishes to nourish the love of God, let him be very careful in rooting out all these wrong desires. Now cupidity is the love of getting or keeping earthly things. The beginning of the decrease of this feeling is the fear of God; for He alone cannot be feared without love. To this end religious orders have been ordained, in which and by which the soul is drawn from the love of joys that are earthly and corruptible, being raised to the love of God, as is signified where it is said (2 Mac. i. 22), 'The time came that the sun shone out which was before in a cloud.' The sun, that is, the intellect of man, is in a cloud when it is given up to the pleasures of earth; but it shines out when it is lifted up and drawn away from this earthy love. It is also said in the passage from the Machabees, 'There was a great |