Page:MyPrayerBookHappinessInGoodness.djvu/57

 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  Me"  (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 Jove  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  into  our  hearts  (Rom.  v.  5), 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.  2)."

It is  by  charity  that  we  follow  Our  Lord  in  the  way of perfection.

ur happiness  depends  to  a  great  extent  on  our observance of  the  law  of  fraternal  charity:  "Thou Shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself,"  and  of  the  golden