Summa Theologiae Moralis, vol. I: De Principiis

S. Th. II-II, q. 23, a. 4; q. 25, a. 1; q. 27, a. 2, 5, 6; q. 28, a. 1; q. 44, a. 4, 5, 6.

884. How charity is to be exercised toward God. — Charity or divine friendship is an efficacious love of benevolence, whence it comprises both complacence in the divine goods, — and desire or benevolence properly so called i.e. the will of increasing the divine goods, — and zeal for promoting the glory of God.

1) Complacence is in the goods which God possesses: for when we truly love someone, we regard his goods as our own, and therefore are pleased in his goods, as if they were our own; which Christ indicated by these words: "If you loved me, you would indeed rejoice that I go to the Father" Jn. XIV, 28. Hence:

a) The just rejoice in the infinite perfections of God in themselves considered, such as his wisdom, power, goodness, beauty, etc., indeed they are more pleased in the perfection and glory of God than in their own beatitude. So Augustine is reported to have said: "Lord God, I love you so, that if I were God and you Augustine, I would wish to be Augustine, that you might be God". And S. Francis de Sales who reports this, himself prayed: "O dearest of my heart, I do not indeed desire that I may be able to wish something good for your majesty, but with my whole heart I am pleased in that supreme degree of goodness which you have, to which neither by desire nor even by thought anything can be added; but if such a desire were possible, O infinite Deity and divine Infinity, my soul would wish to be this very desire and nothing else¹."

b) They rejoice likewise in the external manifestation of God's attributes, in divine providence, in the extension of the kingdom of God, in the external glory which they receive from the Angels, the elect in heaven, and the just on earth.

c) Which complacence spontaneously bursts forth into praise of God (which is an act of religion) by which they congratulate him for all that pertains to his perfection and glory: "Glory to God in the highest... We praise you, we bless you, we glorify you... We laud you, we confess you the Lord".

2) Desire is for the divine goods to be increased inasmuch as it is possible; which is benevolence strictly so called by which we wish and desire good for God: for when we truly love someone, we wish him good as for ourselves.

a) That desire is not absolute which concerns the intrinsic perfections of God whose increase we do not desire, since nothing good can accrue to the Infinite; yet we can in some way desire them conditionally. For S. Thomas says (III Sent., d. 29, q. 1, a. 3, ad 4): "If it were possible that from our works something could accrue to him, he who has charity would do many more things to preserve beatitude for him than to obtain it for himself". Whence S. Francis de Sales (l. c.): "I said to the Lord: My God, you are mine, immense and full of goodness, who need neither my goods nor those of any other; if however it were possible that you needed some good, I would never cease to wish it to you, and, to procure it for you, I would gladly spend my life and all that is dearest to me".

b) But absolute is the desire for the extrinsic glory of God, to procure which we are induced by love, both in ourselves inasmuch as we are ready to do and suffer all things to progress in divine love, and in others inasmuch as we sincerely desire that sinners and infidels be enlightened and know, love and glorify God, or even that the just may glorify him more: "Let the peoples confess to you, God; let all the peoples confess to you... Praise the Lord from the heavens... praise the Lord from the earth... praise him all nations... Bless all the works of the Lord... Hallowed be your name, your kingdom come".

c) From which desire arises sadness for sins and offenses committed against God, the supreme Good, and filial fear lest by offending God we be separated from him who is loved above all.

3) Zeal for promoting the glory of God arises, when love does not stop in the affection alone, but also works outwardly. For the affection is not enough, but charity must be effective: "Let us not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth" (I Jn. III, 18; cfr. Mt. XXV, 41 sq.). "He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me" (Jn. XIV, 21). Whence S. Gregory: "The proof of love is the showing of the work" (hom. in Ev., l. 8, hom. 30).

Which is done in two ways: a) vehemently repelling as much as possible those things which are against the honor and will of God, and b) positively performing those things which procure the honor of God: in oneself perfectly observing the commandments, indeed even the counsels, and doing all works to please God so that he truly reigns over us; in others promoting the exercise of religion and of the virtues.

885. Suitable means are to be employed to progress in the love of God. One must:

1) Diminish the obstacle and gradually eradicate the inordinate love of self, which is directly contrary to divine love and is the cause of all sin (I-II, q. 77, a. 4). Whence Christ (Mt. XVI, 24): "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself". Wherefore the nourishment of charity is the lessening of cupidity, and we progress in charity only as much as we depress the love of ourselves.

2) Consider the reasons for loving God, namely a) God is the lover of us, who first loved us and from eternity chose us gratuitously for existence and innumerable natural and supernatural benefits, not for his own advantage or happiness, but for our good.

b) God wills and ardently desires to be loved by us, as is clear from the precept which he imposed on us as the first and greatest of the whole law (Mt. XXII, 37-38), — from the promises, communications, benefits and punishments by which he allures to his love, and presents himself as a most generous benefactor, best father, most loving spouse, for he longs to be loved, — especially from this that he sent his Son who came to communicate divine life to us, to send the fire of divine love to be kindled, and to promise the Holy Spirit and God dwelling in us.

c) God in himself is infinitely lovable, as is clear from this that all the perfections, goodnesses and beauties of all creatures and all supernatural benefits he eminently and infinitely contains in himself; whence he is worthy of all love, and if love must be proportioned to the dignity of the object, the supreme and infinite goodness must be loved without measure.

3) Employ means by which charity is frequently exercised and increased, whether:

a) Directly, by eliciting the act of love toward God the excellent benefactor lovable in himself, complacence in the divine attributes worthy of all praise, benevolence by which we desire that the name of God be hallowed, his kingdom come and his will be done on earth as in heaven, zeal by which with all our strength we promote the glory of God, perfect contrition by which we detest sins because they offend God who is infinitely good; — or:

b) Indirectly, by eliciting acts of the moral virtues which are informed by charity, especially the observance of the commandments which is the sign of love (Jn. XIV, 15, 21; I Jn. II, 4; V, 3), by perfect subjection to the will of God especially in fulfilling the duties of state; indeed by any act of piety, of labor, of mortification, etc. done out of love of God (I Cor. X, 31). And thus even the more difficult works become easy, for, as Augustine says, nothing is difficult for those who love.