CHAPTER VI

THE PERFECTION OF DIVINE LOVE WHICH IS A MATTER OF COUNSEL

WHEN St. Paul had said to the Philippians, "Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect," he continued, "but I follow after, if I may by any means apprehend." Shortly afterwards he added, "Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, be thus minded." From these words it is plain that, although the perfection of the blessed is not possible to us in this life, we ought, nevertheless, to endeavour, as far as we can, to emulate it. Now, it is in this effort that consists the perfection in this life, to which we are invited by the counsels.

             It is abundantly clear, that the human heart is more intensely attracted to one object, in proportion as it is withdrawn from a multiplicity of desires. Therefore, the more a man is delivered from solicitude concerning temporal matters, the more perfectly he will be enabled to love God. Hence St. Augustine says (Lib. lxxxiii. Quaest. that, the hope of gaining, or keeping, material wealth, is the poison of charity; that, as charity increases, cupidity diminishes; and that, when charity becomes perfect, cupidity ceases to exist. Hence, all the counsels which call man to perfection tend to withdraw his affections from temporal objects; so that, his soul is enabled the more freely to turn to God by contemplating Him, loving Him, and fulfilling His will.