THE FEELING OF DIVINE LOVE RECEIVED THROUGH FAITH
When God gives us faith, he enters into our soul and speaks to our heart. He does so, not by way of reasonings, but by means of inspiration. He proposes so pleasantly to our intellect what is to be believed that the will receives great delight. This delight is such that it inclines the intellect to consent to and accept the truth without any doubt or mistrust. Here is the marvel! God proposes these mysteries of faith to our soul in obscurity and darkness in such a way that we do not see the truth, but we get a glimpse of it. Sometimes, it happens that the land is covered with mist. We cannot see the sun. We see a little more light on the side where it shines somewhat. By way of speaking, we see it without seeing it because on the one hand we see it but not so well that we can plainly say that we see it. On the other hand, we do not see so little of it that we can say that we do not see it at all. This is what we call getting a glimpse of it. However, this obscure clarity of faith enters into our spirit not by the strength of reasoning, not by the probability of the arguments, but solely by the sweetness of its presence. Faith makes the intellect believe and obey with such authority that the certitude it gives surpasses all other certitudes of the world. It subjects our mind and all its reasonings so much to itself that they do not have any credit in comparison with it.
O God, Theotimus, am I right in saying this? Faith is the great friend of our spirit. It can rightly speak to human sciences which boast that they are more evident and clear than faith, as the sacred Spouse spoke to the shepherdesses: I am dark but beautiful (Song 1:4, 5). O human arguments, O acquired sciences, I am dark For I am amidst the obscurities of simple revelations that are without any apparent evidence. They make me appear dark, making me almost unrecognizable. However, I am beautiful in myself because of my infinite certitude. If the eyes of mortals could see me as I am, they would see me all beautiful (Song 4:7). Should I not be infinitely lovable because I dwell amid thick darkness, dense mist, not seen but only glimpsed. These cannot prevent me from being very pleasant. So the mind cherishes me above all else. Breaking through the crowd of all other sciences, the mind gives me place. The mind receives me as its queen on the most elevated throne in its palace. There I give the law to every science and subject all human reasonings and feelings.
Yes, Theotimus, the officers of Israel’s army stripped themselves of their garments. They heaped them together and arranged them like a royal throne. On it they seated Jehu shouting, Jehu is king(2 Kings 9:13). In like manner, at the coming of faith, the mind strips itself of all reasonings and arguments and surrenders them to faith. It seats faith on them, recognizing it as their queen and cries with great joy, “long live faith".
The discourses and pious arguments, miracles and other benefits of Christian religion make it certain, extremely believable and knowable. Only faith makes it believed and recognized. Faith makes us love the beauty of its truth and believe the truth of its beauty by the sweetness which it gives to the intellect. The Jews saw the miracles and heard the marvellous teachings of our Lord. But they were not prepared to accept faith. This means that their will was not open to the gentleness and sweetness of faith. They were filled with bitterness and malice. So they remained in their unbelief (Jn 9:41). They saw the force of the arguments but they did not taste the sweetness of the conclusion. Hence, they could not accept the truth. All the same, the act of faith consists in this assent of our mind. On receiving the pleasing light of truth, the mind clings to it like a gentle but powerful and solid assurance and certitude. The mind bases its authority on the revelation which is made to it.
You have heard, Theotimus, that in the General Councils [of the church] great discussions are held and research undertaken by means of theological discourses, reasonings and arguments. After the debate, the Fathers, that is, the bishops and especially the Pope who is the head of the bishops, conclude, decide and determine the matter. Once the decision is pronounced, each one stops and fully assents to it. He accepts it not because of the reasons brought forward earlier in the discussions and research but in virtue of the authority of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God invisibly presides over the Council, judges, determines and concludes through the mouth of his servants whom he has instituted as Pastors of Christianity. The search and the discussion take place in the court of the priests among doctors. But the solution is reached and the assent is given in the sanctuary. There the Holy Spirit, who enlivens the body of the Church, speaks through the mouth of those in authority as our Lord promised (Lk 10: 16). The ostrich lays its eggs on the sands of Libya. Only the sun hatches its chicks. The doctors by their research and reasoning propose the truth. But only the rays of the Sun of justice give it certitude and assent. Finally, Theotimus, this assurance which the human spirit takes from revealed truths and the mysteries of faith begins with a loving feeling of delight. The will receives it from the beauty and sweetness of the truth proposed. Thus faith includes a beginning of love that our heart feels towards divine realities.