Response to the God of Love
I desire greatly to love God … in such a manner that I would be in heaven and on earth at the same time – in heaven to love God supremely; on the earth to love and suffer supremely for the love of God. (OOCC, X, p. 69; STA, 62)
Having experienced the touch of the infinite love of God in the depth of his being, St. Vincent Pallotti wanted to respond to God of love in every way possible. He wished that infinite glory would be given to God by infinite creatures by doing infinite good in the world. This thought formed the basis of St. Vincent’s spiritual and apostolic aims. He desired to love God so much that he wanted to be in heaven and on earth at the same time to love him supremely and to suffer for him greatly. His yearning to reciprocate God’s love for him took many directions. He wanted to possess ‘infinite wills and lives’ so that he could sacrifice all of them to God. He wished to possess infinite wealth so that he could renounce all for God. He desired to remain poor and to have nothing at all so that he could live in imitation of Jesus, the poor. He longed to be in hospitals, jails and in all such places to help those who were suffering in different ways. He hoped to teach the ignorant and to help people from all walks of life to know, love and serve God. He was even ready to throw himself into the flames of hell to bring solace and happiness to his neighbor. In this manner, St. Vincent attempted to respond to God, the Infinite love, both by making efforts to grow in his spiritual life and by engaging in diverse apostolic endeavors.
How do I respond to the love of God in my personal life? Do I make an effort to grow in my spiritual life in imitation of the all holy God? Do I manifest God’s love for me by getting involved in various apostolic endeavors?
Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. (Ps. 116:7 – 8)