Love: Friendship With God
My Jesus, I confess that I have never loved you … Destroy earthly love in me … communicate to me … all your love. I intend, now and forever, in union with all past, present, and future creatures, to love you. (OOCC, X, p. 675 - 676; STA, 515)
For St. Vincent, love, besides being a surrender of his will to God, also is a friendship with God. He knew that God loved him deeply, and he in turn loved God with the totality of being. Thus, despite his unworthiness, through the mercy of God there existed a deep interactive and communicative relationship between God and St. Vincent. Hence, he believed that he had a true friend in God. This faith helped him to do what God wanted of him, even though it implied hardships and pain, with great joy in his heart. He acknowledged the many communications and blessings from God, and received them with genuine gratitude. He attempted to reciprocate to God by desiring to do great things for him, even though he knew so well that due to his sinfulness, he could never give back to God the honor he deserved. St. Vincent actualized his decision of doing great things for God, especially through his dedication to the apostolate he had undertaken. Thus, the various apostolates with which St. Vincent got involved became for him the great acts of love he wanted to do for God who loved him eternally.
Do I consider my love for God as a friendship with God? Does my friendship with God help me to accept challenging tasks that involve hardships and sacrifices? How do I reciprocate my love for God? Do I consider the apostolate I undertake as a means to express my true love for God?
You are my friends if you do what I command you. (Jn. 15: 14)