THIS DIVINE COMMANDMENT OF LOVE TENDS TO HEAVEN, YET IS GIVEN TO THE FAITHFUL IN THIS WORLD
The law is not made for the just person (1 Tim 1:9), because the just person anticipates the law. Without having need of being urged by the law, God’s will is done by the instinct of charity reigning in the soul. How free and exempt from all sorts of commandments must we consider the Saints in Paradise. From their enjoyment of the supreme beauty and goodness of the Beloved there flows and proceeds a most sweet yet inevitable necessity in their minds of loving eternally the most holy Divinity. We shall love God in Heaven, Theotimus, not as being bound and obliged by the law but as being attracted and carried away by the joy that this object so perfectly lovable shall give to our hearts. Then the power of commandment shall end to make place for the power of contentment. This will be the fruit and crown of keeping the commandment.
We are destined, therefore, to the contentment which is promised us in immortal life. It is realized by this commandment given to us in this mortal life. Truly, in this life we are strictly bound to observe it. This is because it is the fundamental law that Jesus the King has given to the citizens of the militant Jerusalem. It is to make them merit the citizenship and joy of the triumphant Jerusalem.
Certainly, above in Heaven, we shall have a heart completely free from passions, a soul entirely purified from distractions, a spirit liberated from contradictions and powers exempt from conflict. Consequently, we shall love God with a perpetual and never interrupted affection. This is as is said of those four sacred living creatures (Rev 4:8). These, representing the Evangelists, continually praise the Divinity, never ceasing day or night. O God! what joy, when established in those eternal tabernacles, our spirits shall be in this perpetual movement. In it they shall have the much desired repose of their eternal loving. Happy are those who live in your house, ever singing your praise (Ps 84: 4).
But we are not to claim this love so exceedingly perfect in this mortal life. As yet we have neither the heart, nor the soul, nor the spirit, nor the strength of the Saints. It is sufficient that we love with all the heart and all the strength we have. While we are little children, we are wise like little children, we speak like little children, we love like little children. But when we shall become perfect, there above in Heaven, we shall be freed of our infancy (1Cor 13:11) and love God perfectly. Yet for all this, Theotimus, during this infancy of our mortal life, we are not to omit doing what we are able, as we are commanded. This because not only can we do it but it is very easy. This whole commandment is about love, and the love of God, who being supremely good is supremely lovable.