My Prayer Book_LASANCE - the Catholic Kingdom!

44 Pr*nal Charity
things, and makes all that is bitter sweet and savory."
- ST. TERESA, Foundat. c. v.
The perfection of charity is attained by self-renunciation,
by entire mortification, by purity of heart, and
total abandonment to God.
Our Lord says: "Learn of Me "; "He that followeth
Me walketh not in darkness"; "If any man will come
after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
and follow Ale" (Matt. viii. 34).
Father Buckler, speaking of charity, the essence of
perfection, asks: "How are we to follow Christ?"
And he replies: ''The answer is, that Our Lord's
way is the way of perfect love. He is the divine Lover
of God and of men. For the love of God and of men
He became incarnate, lived on earth, taught the law of
love and the life of love, suffered for love and died for
love, sent down the Spirit of His love upon the Church,
to be the ruling power of our lives and actions, by the
charity of God poured forth inlo our hearts (Rom. v. s),
and left us the marvelous gift of Himself, to the end of
the world, in the mystery of love on the altar, wherein
He dwells as the divine Lover in the midst of those He
loves - working with us, nourishing and perfecting
His life of love in the souls of men. 'Be ye followers
of God,' says St. Paul, 'and walk in love, as most dear
children' (Eph. v. z)."
It is by charity that we follow.Our Lord in the way
of perfection.
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UR happiness &pends to a great extent on ow
observance of the law of fraternal chrity: "Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," and of the golden
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