How to Converse Continually and Familiarly with God

[scribe_of_St_Al]

(from the booklet of the same name by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) - Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church)

~ chapter 1 ~
Love and Confidence

Job was astonished at seeing Almighty God so intent on doing good to us that He seems to have nothing more at heart than to love us and to induce us to love Him in return. In his amazement he cried out to the Lord: “What is man that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that Thou visitest him?” (Ps. 8:5). Is it not a mistake, then, to think it a lack of respect for God’s infinite Majesty to act toward Him with great confidence and familiarity?

Assuredly, Loving Souls, you should go to God with all humility and respect, humbling yourselves in His presence, especially when you remember your past ingratitude and sins. Yet you should practice the greatest possible love and confidence in treating with Him. True, He is infinite Majesty, but He is also infinite Goodness and infinite Love. There can be no greater Lord than God; neither can there be a more ardent lover than He. Far from despising our confidence in Him, He rejoices that we have it – confidence and familiarity and affection like that which little children show toward their mothers.

Behold how He invites us to come to Him, and the loving embraces which He promises to lavish on us: “You shall be carried at the breasts, and upon the knees they shall caress you. As one whom the mother caresseth, so will I comfort you.” (Is. 66:12-13). Just as a mother finds pleasure in taking her little child on her lap, there to feed and caress him, in like manner our loving God shows His fondness for His beloved souls who have given themselves entirely to Him and have placed all their hope in His goodness.

 

[Pani_Rose]

AMEN!

Thank you!!!

 

[scribe_of_St_Al]

(from the TAN booklet How to Converse Continually and Familiarly with God by Saint Alphonsus de Liguori (1696-1787) - Bishop, Confessor, Doctor of the Church)

~ chapter 2 ~
Why Have You Loved Me?
CONSIDER that no one–whether friend or brother, father or mother, lover or spouse–loves you more than your God. And divine grace is the inestimable treasure through which vile creatures and servants like ourselves become dear friends of our Creator. “For she is an infinite treasure to men! which they that use, become the friends of God.” (Wis. 7:14). It was for the purpose of increasing our confidence that He “emptied Himself” (Phil. 2:7), so to speak, humbling Himself to the point of becoming a man in order to live in familiar converse with us. “He conversed with men.” (Bar. 3:38) He went so far as to become a little Babe and to live in poverty and die on a cross for our sake. He even placed Himself under the species of bread so as to be with us always and in the most intimate union. “He that eateth My Flesh, and drinketh My Blood, abideth in Me, and I in him.” (John 6:57).

In short, so great is God’s love for you that He seems to love no one but you. And therefore, you should love no one but Him. (That is, we should love only God with an absolute love which supersedes every other consideration. - Publisher, 2005.) **You should be able to say to Him: “My Beloved to me, and I to Him.” (Cant. 2:16). My God has given Himself entirely to me, and I give my whole self to Him; He has chosen me for His beloved, and I choose Him from among all for my only love. “My Beloved is white and ruddy, chosen out of thousands.” (Cant. 5:10).

Often, therefore, speak to God in these words: "O my Lord, why have You loved me so much? What good do You find in my poor self? Have You forgotten the injuries I have done You? But since You have treated me with so much love–for instead of condemning me to Hell, You have given me graces without number–I will henceforth love no one but You, my God and my all. …**