THE SUPREME PRAISE GOD GIVES TO HIMSELF AND OUR PRACTICE OF BENEVOLENT LOVE
All the human actions of our Saviour have infinite value and merit. It is because of the person who does them. He is one same God with the Father and the Holy Spirit. However, these human actions are not infinite in nature and essence. Thus, when we are in a room, we do not receive sunlight according to the great brightness of the sun who radiates light. But it depends on the largeness of the window through which it passes. In the same way, the human actions of the Saviour are not infinite. They are of infinite value in so far as they are done by a divine Person. Even then, he does not do them in keeping with the extent of his infinity but according to the finite greatness of his humanity by which he does them. So, the human actions of our gentle Saviour are infinite in comparison with ours. But they are also finite in comparison with the essential infinity of the Divinity.
These actions have an infinite value, esteem and dignity because they proceed from a person who is God. But they are finite in essence and nature because God does them according to his human nature and substance, which is finite. The praise, which the Saviour gives in so far as he is man, is not infinite in every aspect. It cannot equal in every aspect the infinite greatness of the Divinity to which it is directed. Hence at first we are rapt in admiration when we meet with a praise so glorious as that of the one which the Saviour gives to his Father. After this, we do not cease to recognize that the Divinity is infinitely more worthy of praise. So it cannot be adequately praised either by all the creatures or by the humanity itself of the eternal Son.
Imagine that we are praising the sun because of its light. The more we go up towards it to praise it, the more we will find it praiseworthy. For we will always see its increasing brilliance. It is quite probable that it is the beauty of the light that induces the skylarks to sing. It is not astonishing if they sing more clearly the higher they fly. They soar up equally in song and in flight till it is almost impossible for them to sing any longer. Then they begin to descend in tone and body. Little by little they lower their flight as well as their voice. Similarly, my dear Theotimus, we ascend to the Divinity by benevolent love to intone and hear its praises. In proportion as we ascend, we see that he is above all praise. Finally, we realize that he cannot be praised as he deserves except by himself. He alone can worthily equal his supreme goodness by a supreme praise.
So we cry out: “Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit." Let it be known that it is not the glory of created praises that we wish God by this exultation. But it is the essential and eternal glory which he has in himself, by himself, of himself and as he is in himself. We add: “As it was in the beginning, is now and always and for ever and ever, Amen." It is as if we wish: May God be glorified for ever with the glory which he had before any creation (Jn 17:5; Col 1:15) in his infinite eternity and eternal infinity. For this reason, we add this verse of glory at the end of each Psalm and Canticle according to the ancient practice of the oriental church. The great St. Jerome requested the Pope, St. Damasus to establish this custom in the west. By this, we declare that all human and angelic praises are too low to praise divine goodness worthily. To be praised as it deserves, divine goodness is to be its own glory, its own praise and its own blessing.
O God, what delight, what joy, the human spirit that loves experiences on seeing its desire satisfied! For its Beloved praises himself, blesses and glorifies himself infinitely! In this delight, a new desire to praise is born anew. The heart desires to praise this most worthy praise which God gives to himself. It deeply thanks God for it, invites again all things to its help to come together with it to glorify the glory of God, to bless, exalt his infinite praise, to extol his eternal praise. Thus by this return to and repetition of praise upon praise, it commits itself to a happy labyrinth of love in between delight and benevolence. It is lost in this immense sweetness, praising supremely the Divinity which cannot be sufficiently praised except by itself. Quite well! In the beginning, the loving soul had some kind of desire to be able to praise God adequately. Reminding itself, it declares that it does not wish to praise God sufficiently. Thus it remains in a very humble delight to see that divine goodness is infinitely worthy of praise. It cannot be praised adequately except by its own infinity.
At this stage, the heart enraptured in admiration sings the canticle of sacred silence:
To your divine sublimity O God,
We offer in Sion,
a hymn of admiration
which is sung only in silence[1] (Ps 65:1).[2]
The seraphims Isaiah saw [in his vision] adore God and praise him. They cover their faces and their feet to acknowledge that they have no ability to contemplate him or serve him well. For the feet on which they go symbolize service. However, they fly with two wings by the continual movement of gratifying love and benevolent love. Their love finds rest in this gentle restlessness.
The heart of a person is never so restless as when the movement by which it constantly opens itself and draws closer is hindered. It is never so peaceful as when its movements are free. Its peace lies in its movement. It is the same with the love of the seraphs and all seraphic humans. For this love has its rest in this constant movement of gratifying love which draws God to itself as if drawing itself closer. By benevolent love it unfolds itself and surrenders everything to God. This love then rejoices in seeing the marvels of the infinite goodness of God. But it covers its face with the wings of this desire, acknowledging that it cannot succeed in it. It would like to do some worthy service but it veils its feet with that desire, admitting that it is unable to do it. There remain only the two wings of gratifying love and benevolent love with which it flies and soars up to God.
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[1] Experience of the transcendence and the immensity of God leads to to silence. We cannot but be struck by the similarity with certain upanishadic expressions.
[2] NRSV has: praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed, O you who answer prayer.
END OF BOOK FIVE