A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CHARITY
Finally, we see, dear Theotimus, how God leads a person out of the Egypt of sin. He leads it through progressive stages of ineffable sweetness, from love to love as from dwelling to dwelling, till he has made it enter the Promised Land, I mean, most holy charity. Charity, in one word, is a friendship, disinterested love. By charity, we love God for his own sake, aware of his supremely lovable goodness. This friendship is a true friendship. For it is mutual, because God eternally loves whoever has loved him, loves or will love him (1 Jn 4:10). It is declared and mutually recognised. God cannot be unaware of the love we have for him since it is he himself who gives it to us. We cannot also be ignorant of the love he has for us, since he has made it known publicly. We recognise the goods that we have as real expressions of his loving kindness. Finally, we are in constant communication with him. He does not cease to speak to us through his inspirations, attractions and sacred movements. He does not cease to do good to us and give all sorts of expressions of his most holy affection. He has openly revealed to us all his secrets as to his close friends (Jn 15:15). To fill to overflowing his loving relationship with us, he became our food in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist. As regards us, we speak to him always when it pleases us by most holy prayers, we have our whole life, our-movement, and our being not only with him but in him and by him (Acts 17:28).
This friendship is not a simple friendship but a friendship of affection. We make a choice of God to love him with a special love. He is chosen, says the sacred Spouse, among thousands. She says among thousands but she wants to say among all (Song 5:10). That is why it is not an affection of simple excellence but an unparalleled affection. For charity loves God with an esteem and preference of his goodness that is so high and elevated above all other esteem, all other loves. Therefore, other loves are not even true loves in comparison with charity, or if they are true loves, charity is infinitely more than love. Hence, Theotimus, this is not a love that the powers of human or angelic nature can produce. So, the Holy Spirit gives it and pour's it out in our hearts (Rom 5:5). Our souls give life to our bodies. They do not have their origin from our body, but they are placed in our body by the natural providence of God. So too, charity which gives life to our hearts is not derived from our hearts. It is poured into our hearts like heavenly liquor by the supernatural providence of his divine Majesty.
For this is one reason [mentioned above]. Moreover, charity looks to God and tends to him. It is not according to the natural knowledge we have of his goodness but according to the supernatural knowledge of faith. Hence we call charity supernatural friendship. So, with faith and hope, charity dwells in the finest point and summit of the spirit.47 Like a queen in majesty, it is seated in the will as on a throne. From there, it spreads throughout the whole person its delights and sweetness. Thus it renders the person all beautiful, pleasing and lovable to divine goodness. So if the person is a kingdom of which the Holy Spirit is the king, charity is the queen sitting at his right in robe of gold embellished with beautiful varieties (Ps 45:9). If the person is a queen, spouse of the great heavenly King, charity is her crown which royally adorns her head. But if the person is a little world, charity is the sun which beautifies everything, warms up all things and vivifies all things.
Charity, then, is a love of friendship, a friendship of affection, an affection of preference, but a preference beyond all comparison, supreme and supernatural. Charity is like a sun [shining] in the whole person, beautifying it with its rays, in all the spiritual faculties to perfect them, in all the powers to regulate them. But charity is in the will as on its throne. It dwells there to make the will cherish and love God above all things. O, how happy is the spirit in whom this holy affection is poured out since all good things came to me along with her (Wis 7:11).[1]
---------------------------------------
[1] See Bk 1. Ch. 12.
END OF BOOK TWO