‘On Loving God’ By St. Bernard of Clairvaux - Chapter -V-VI. ‘Of the Christian's debt of love, how …
[St. Bernard of Clairvaux – XI-XII Century AD; Burgundy, Kingdom of France/Clairvaux, Kingdom of France; (aged 62-63); Abbot; Mystic; Leader; co-founder of the Knights Templar; Last of the Fathers; Doctor Mellifluus]
“Chapter V ~ Of the Christian's debt of love, how great it is
From the contemplation of what has been said, we see plainly that God is to be loved, and that He has a just claim upon our love. But the infidel does not acknowledge the Son of God, and so he can know neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit; for he that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which sent Him, nor the Spirit whom He hath sent (John 5.23). He knows less of God than we; no wonder that he loves God less. This much he understands at least--that he owes all he is to his Creator. But how will it be with me? For I know that my God is not merely the bounteous Bestower of my life, the generous Provider for all my needs, the pitiful Consoler of all my sorrows, the wise Guide of my course: but that …More
'What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me?' (Ps. 116.12). Reason and natural justice alike move me to give up myself wholly to loving Him to whom I owe all that I have and am. But faith shows me that I should love Him far more than I love myself, as I come to realize that He hath given me not my own life only, but even Himself."
"Chapter VI ~ A brief summary
Admit that God deserves to be loved very much, yea, boundlessly, because He loved us first, He infinite and we nothing, loved us, miserable sinners, with a love so great and so free. This is why I said at the beginning that the measure of our love to God is to love immeasurably. For since our love is toward God, who is infinite and immeasurable, how can we bound or limit the love we owe Him?"