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 fire upon  the  earth; "  and  what  must  have  been  the latent  intensity  of  that  fire  that  could  enkindle  and sustain  such  a  mighty  conflagration!

Brethren, you  will  ask  me  what  this  love  is,  and how you  are  to  know  whether  you  possess  it  or  not. Love of  Jesus  is  never  a  product  of  our  own  industry. It is  a  garment,  so  precious  that  it  can  be woven  only  by  the  hand  of  God  Himself. It is  a  delicate tropical  plant,  which  will  not  flourish  in  the frigid climate  of  our  hearts  unless  planted  therein  and nourished by  the  celestial  gardener. But it  is  ours  to cooperate,  not  in  word  alone,  not  in  sentiment  nor in tearful  emotion,  but  in  an  honest  and  persevering effort to  do  the  will  of  God  in  deed  and  in  truth. " If  any  man  loves  Me,"  says  Our  Lord,  "  he  will keep  My  commandments." " Love  God  above  all things  and  thy  neighbor  as  thyself "  is  an  epitome  of the  Decalogue,  and  since,  in  the  Sacred  Heart,  God and humanity  are  inseparably  blended,  therefore  the love and  the  imitation  of  the  Sacred  Heart  is  the whole law  and  the  prophets. This devotion  is  the surest mark  of  predestination;  it  is  peculiarly  the  devotion of  the  saints,  for  by  it  they  are  made  participants of  the  divine  nature  here  and  hereafter. " If  any  man  love  Me,"  says  Christ,  "  My  Father  will love  him,  and  we  will  come  to  him,  and  make  our abode  with  him  here,  and  we  will  manifest  ourselves to  him  hereafter  in  the  happy  kingdom  of  the blessed."