Divine love is a treasure containing every good

“Infinitus thesaurus hominibus.”

Divine Love is that Treasure, to purchase which, the Gospel says, we should leave all things; for this love makes us partakers of the friendship of God. An infinite treasure which they that use become the friends of God.

I. Divine love is that Treasure, to purchase which, as the Gospel says, a man should give up all things, for this love makes us partakers of the friendship of God: An infinite treasure to men, which they that use become the friends of God (Wis. vii. 14). “O men,” says St. Augustine, “whither go ye in search of good things? Seek the one only Good in Whom are all good things.” But we cannot find the only Good-namely, God-unless we renounce the things of the earth. St. Teresa writes: “Detach thy heart from creatures, and thou shalt find God.” He who finds God, finds all that he can desire. Delight in the Lord, and he will grant thee the desire of thy heart (Ps. xxxvi. 4). The human heart is continually seeking after such good things as may make it happy, but if it seek them from creatures, how much soever it may acquire, it will never be satisfied with them; but if it seek only God, God will satisfy all its desires. Who but the Saints are most happy in this world? And why? Because they desire and seek only God. A certain prince, going to the chase, saw a solitary running swiftly through the forest, and asked him what he was seeking for in that desert place. The solitary replied: “And thou, O prince, what art thou in quest of?” The prince: “I am going in quest of wild beasts.” “And I,” said the hermit, “am going in quest of God.” My God, hitherto I have sought not Thee, but myself and my own gratifications, and for these I have turned my back upon Thee, my sovereign Good. But I am consoled with the words of Jeremias: The Lord is good to the soul that seeketh him-(Lam.,iii. 25). These words assure me that Thou, my God, art all goodness towards him who seeks Thee.

II. The tyrant offered St. Clement gold and gems if he would renounce Jesus Christ; on which the Saint exclaimed with a deep sigh: “Alas, God is put in competition with a little mire!” Happy is he who knows the value of the treasure of Divine love and seeks to obtain it! He who obtains it will divest himself of all things else, that he may possess God alone. “When the house is on fire,” says St. Francis of Sales, “all the goods are thrown out of the windows.” And Father Paul Segneri the Younger, a great servant of God, was accustomed to say that love was a thief which robbed us of all worldly affections, so that we can in all truth say: “What do I desire, but Thee alone, my God?”

My beloved Saviour, I know the evil I have committed in forsaking Thee, and I repent of it with my whole heart. I know Thou art all, infinite Treasure. I will not abuse the light. I forsake all things, and choose Thee for my only Love. My God, my Love, my All, I love Thee, I desire Thee, I sigh after Thee. Come, O Holy Spirit, and destroy in me by Thy sacred fire every affection which has not Thee for its object. Grant that I may be all Thine, and that I may conquer every thing to please Thee. O Mary, my advocate and my Mother, do thou help me by thy prayers.