OUR NATURAL INCLINATION TO LOVE GOD IS NOT USELESS
If we are not able to love God naturally above all things, then why do we have this natural tendency? Is not this nature useless which incites us to a love which it cannot give? Why does it give a thirst for so precious a water if it cannot quench it with [that water]? O Theotimus, how good God is to us! The treachery we committed by offending surely deserved that he deprive us of the signs of benevolence and favour which he bestowed on our nature, such as imprinting the light of his divine countenance on our nature and giving to our hearts the thrill (Ps 4:7) of feeling ourselves drawn to the love of divine goodness. [Such is this deprivation] that the angels on seeing this miserable man had occasion to say with compassion: Is he the creature of perfect beauty, the honour ofthe whole earth? (Lam 2:15).
In his infinite goodness, God could never be so harsh towards the work of his hands. He saw that we were but flesh, a wind that passes and does not come again (Ps 78:39).12 Therefore on account of his tender mercy (Lk 1:78) he did not wish to destroy us entirely. Nor did he remove the sign of his lost grace. It is to this end that by seeing and feeling in us the disposition and inclination to love we may strive to attain it. So no one could ask: Who would showus the good? (Ps 4:6). With the natural inclination alone, we cannot arrive at loving God as he should be loved. Even so, if we make use of it faithfully, the gentle divine kindness would give us some help. By means of it, we could make progress. If we cooperate with this first assistance, the paternal goodness of God will give still greater help. He will lead us with all loving kindness from good to better, to the supreme love to which our natural inclination urges us on. It is certain that for him who is faithful in little things (Mt 25:21, 23) and who has done what is in his power, the divine kindness never denies his assistance to make progress more and more.
It is not for nothing that the natural tendency that we have to love God above all things remains in our hearts. As to God, this natural tendency serves as a means to be able to gently take and draw us to himself. It seems that by this stamp the divine Goodness keeps our hearts attached to himself in some way. It is holding us like little birds by a string with which he could draw us to himself when it pleases his divine mercy to have pity on us. As to us, this natural inclination is a sign and remembrance of our first principle and Creator. It incites us to his love, giving us a secret awareness that we belong to his divine Goodness. Likewise, sometimes, great princes attach collars to stags with their coat of arms. Then they leave them and set them free in the forests. Still they are recognized by anyone who sees them, not only as once caught by the prince whose coat of arms they bear, but also as still reserved to him. Thus, the extreme old age of a stag which was seen was recognised, say some historians. It was 300 years after the death of Caesar. They found a collar on it with an emblem of Caesar and these words: Caesar released me.
Most certainly, God has set this worthy inclination in our souls. It makes known to our friends and our enemies that once we belonged to our Creator. Moreover, even though he has left and abandoned us to the mercy of our free will, yet we belong to him. He has reserved for himself the right to take us back to himself, to save us when his holy and loving providence thinks fit. That is why the great royal prophet calls this inclination light because it makes us see where we should tend. He calls it also joy and gladness because it comforts us when we lose our way. It gives us hope that he who has marked us and left this beautiful seal of our origin [in us] still claims us. He desires to lead us there and transform us if we are really happy to allow ourselves to be led by his divine Goodness.
END OF BOOK ONE