1.03.09. Book 3: 9. Love is the Answer to All Things
9 LOVE IS THE ANSWER TO ALL THINGS
IT is possible that all that has been said is wide of the mark where some of us are concerned; we may have few or no temptations to what is known as open worldliness of life, but are we "other-worldly" in the secret centre of our soul? Is there no compromise ever there? Does the rush of work never get in between our Master and ourselves? Is there no failure in this direction, or leakage of spiritual strength? Are we looking at others and what they do, or expect us to do; and are we trying to do it at the expense of time for rest and quiet with our Lord? "Let Me see thy countenance; let Me hear thy voice." Have not these words, so full of wistful love, come to us sometimes, and stopped us in some outward whirl, and bidden us go into inward calm, and let Him see our countenance, and let Him hear our voice? For there are forms of compromise-in the depths of our hearts we know it-that pursue the missionary beyond the outward bounds of worldliness. God search us, and try us, and show us if we are living on lower levels than He intends for us, living in the shallows when He meant us to dwell deep in the heart of eternal love.
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Lord, Thou knowest: Thou knowest all things, Thou knowest that I love Thee. "But, because I am as yet weak in love and imperfect in virtue, therefore do I stand in need of being strengthened and comforted by Thee. Wherefore visit me again and again; and instruct me by all holy discipline.
Free me from evil passions and heal my heart of all inordinate affections; that, being inwardly healed and thoroughly cleansed, I may become fit to love, strong to suffer, constant to persevere.
Love is a great thing, a great good indeed, which alone makes light all that is burdensome, and bears with even mind all that is uneven. For it carries a burden without being burdened; and it makes all that which is bitter sweet and savoury. The love of Jesus is noble, and spurs us to do great things, and excites us to desire always things more perfect.
Love desires to have its abode above, and not to be kept back by things below.
Love desires to be at liberty and estranged from all worldly affection, lest its inner view be hindered, lest it suffer itself to be entangled through some temporal interest, or give way through mishap.
Nothing is sweeter than love; nothing stronger, nothing higher, nothing broader, nothing more pleasant, nothing fuller or better in Heaven and in earth; for love is born of God, and can rest only in God above all things created. The lover flies, runs, and rejoices; he is free and not held.
He gives all for all and has all in all, because he rests in one supreme above all, from whom all good flows and proceeds.
Love knows no measure, but warmly glows above measure.
Love feels no burden, regards not labours, would willingly do more than it is able, pleads not impossibility, because it feels sure that it can and may do all things.
It is able, therefore, to do all things; and it makes good many deficiencies, and frees many things for being carried out, where he who loves not faints and lies down.
Love watches, and sleeping slumbers not; weary, is not tired; straitened, is not constrained; frightened, is not disturbed; but, like a living flame and burning torch, it bursts forth upwards and safely over-passes all.
Whosoever loves knows the cry of this voice."-So the Imitation, Book 3, Chapter 5.
Love is the answer to all things: Love ends all questions. Lord, ever more give us this love.