Charity.
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart. This is the greatest and the first commandment,
and the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” — St. Matt. 22:38
THIRD DAY.
Alas! We have not the love we should have; I mean that we have need of an infinite love in order to love God as He merits; nevertheless, unfortunate that we are, we lavish the little love of which we are capable on things miserable and vile, as if we had it to squander. — St. Francis of Sales.
This great saint thus expressed himself: “If I knew there was in my soul only one thread of affection which was not of God or for God, I would cut it this and not belong to God without any reserve.”
St. Philip Neri sometimes said: “How is it possible that he who believes in God can love anything but God, except it be for the love of God?” Languishing with love for God, he thus addressed Him: “O my God, Thou art so lovely, yet Thou commandest me to love Thee! Why hast Thou given me but one heart, and that heart so small a one?”
St. Augustine, animated with love, spoke thus to his soul: “What is there in this world that can please thee, that has a right to thy love? Turn which way thou wilt, thou wilt see but earth and sky; if in the heavens and on the earth thou findest things worthy of thy love, of what love is He not worthy Who made all this? Ask of these things which please thee so much who is their author, and in admiring the work, love the One Who made them all. Do not place your affections on things created, and forget God Who is the Creator. O my God, Thou art worthy to be loved infinitely more than all that is on the earth or in the heavens. I renounce all that is perishable lest I lose Thy love.”
Prayer.
O my God, if I had a thousand hearts I would give them all to Thee. Why hast Thou given me a heart which cannot love Thee as Thou deserves to be loved, which can attach itself to vanity? Deign to fill with Thy love this heart which desires to be all Thine.