Images in Treatise on the Love of God (Alphabetical Order)
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Images in Treatise on the Love of God (Alphabetical order) Treat. – Treatise on the Love of God by St. Francis de Sales. 2 vols. (Vol. 1: Books 1-6; Vol. 2: Books 7-12) (trans.: John K. Ryan). Stella Niagara, NY: De Sales Resource Center, 2007. Aaron’s rod - ark of covenant – utility of hope – supreme point of soul Finally (5), the Ark of the Covenant was kept in the sanctuary, and in it, or at least adjoining it, were the tables of the Law, manna in a golden vessel, and Aaron's rod which flowered and bore fruit in a single night. In the supreme point of the soul are found the following: (1) the light of faith, symbolized by the manna hidden in its vessel, by which we assent to the truth of mysteries we do not understand; (2) the utility of hope , symbolized by Aaron's flowering and fruitful rod, by which we accept the promises of good things that we do not see; (3) the sweetness of most holy charity, symbolized by God's commandments which charity contains, by which we acquiesce in the union of our spirit with God's, which union we scarcely perceive. Faith, hope, and charity diffuse their divine movements into almost all of the soul's faculties, both rational and sensitive, and in a holy way reduce and subject them to their just authority. However, their special dwelling, their true and natural abode, is in this supreme point of the soul. (Treat . 1.12, 86) Aaron’s rod – dry - name Aaron's rod was dry and of itself incapable of bringing forth fruit, but as soon as the High Priest's name was written on it, it put forth its leaves, flowers and fruits in a single night. (Treat . 11. 6, 209-210) Abel - offerings God looked first at Abel , that good man, and then at his offerings , since the offerings took their grace and worth in God's sight from the goodness and piety of him who presented them. Oh, the supreme goodness of this great God! He so favors his lovers that he cherishes their least little actions because of whatever good they contain, and ennobles them in a surpassing way by giving them the title and quality of holy deeds! (Treat . 11. 2, 200) Abiathar – Jerusalem – Sadoc - ark of covenant - soul – faith – hope - baptism In that Jerusalem which is our soul there remains no important virtue except Sadoc the seer, that is, the gift of faith , which can make us see eternal things, together with its exercise, and also Abiathar , that is, the gift of hope together with its action. Both of these remain, although in great affliction and sorrow, but they maintain in us the Ark of the Covenant , that is, the character and title of Christian acquired for us by baptism . (Treat ., 4. 3, 209) Abraham – hospitality – counsel Apart from cases of extreme necessity, hospitality is a counsel . To entertain strangers is its first degree. To go out on the highways and invite them in, as Abraham did, is a higher degree. It is still higher to live in dangerous places in order to rescue, help, and serve passers-by. (Treat. 8. 9, 79) Abraham – indifferent heart We must follow the example of the great Abraham . Like him, if we are so commanded, we must undertake fulfillment of the eternal decree even by the death of our own children. Admirable was the union of that patriarch with God's will ! Believing that it was the divine good pleasure for him to sacrifice his own child, he most courageously willed and undertook to do so! Admirable was the will of the child who submitted so meekly to his father's sword so as to make Cod's good pleasure live even at the cost of his own death! But take note, Theotimus, of what is characteristic of the perfect union of an indifferent heart with God's good pleasure. Behold Abraham 6 with drawn sword, arm upraised, ready to give the death blow to his beloved, his only child. He does this to please the divine will. Behold at the same time an angel who at the behest of that same will stops him short. Immediately he checks his stroke, equally ready to sacrifice or not to sacrifice his son. In the presence of God's will, the child's life and death were indifferent to him. When God commanded him to sacrifice the child, he did not become sad; when God dispensed him from it, he did not rejoice. It was all equal to that great heart, provided God's will was served. (Treat . 9. 6, 110-111) Abraham – Sarah – Hagar – love Sarah gave her servant Hagar to Abraham , her husband, in order that he might have children by her in keeping with the lawful usage of those times. However, when Hagar had conceived, she held her mistress in great contempt. Until that time it could hardly be perceived which was Abraham's greater love, that which he had for Sarah or that which he had for Hagar. Hagar shared his bed, just as Sarah did, and moreover she had the advantage of fertility. But when the two pleasing loves were compared, Abraham, a good man, made it very clear which was the stronger. Sarah had no sooner complained that Hagar despised her than he replied, "Hagar, your handmaid, is under your authority, do with her as you please," so that Sarah so afflicted poor Hagar that she was forced to leave. Divine dilection readily allows us to have other loves, and often we cannot discern which is the chief love within our heart. (Treat . 10. 7, 159) Abraham – son – gold If the great Abraham had seen need to slay his son , entirely apart from the will of God, Theotimus, think of what pangs and convulsions of heart he would have suffered. When he sees God's good pleasure, it is pure gold to him and he embraces it tenderly. (Treat . 9. 2, 100) Abraham’s sacrifices To the sacrifice made by St. Charles I add that of the great patriarch Abraham as a vivid picture of the most powerful and most loyal love that we can imagine in any creature whatsoever. Truly, he sacrificed all the strongest natural affections he could have. When he heard God's voice saying to him, "Leave your country, and your kinsfolk, and your father's house, and come into the land that I shall show you," he set out immediately and quickly started his journey, "not knowing where he was going." The dear love of country, the happy company of his kindred, and the joys of his father's house did not shake him. Bravely and fervently he sets out, and he goes wherever it shall please God to lead him. What self-denial, Theotimus, what renunciation! No one can perfectly love God unless he gives up his affections for perishable things. This is nothing in comparison with what he did afterwards. God called him twice, and seeing how prompt he was to answer, said to him: "Take your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of vision, and there you shall offer him as a holocaust upon one of the moun- tains which I will show you." See how this great man sets out immediately with that so loved and so loving a son. He goes three days' journey, comes to the foot of the mountain, leaves there his servants and ass, lays upon his son Isaac the wood needed for the holocaust, while he himself carries the sword and the fire. As he goes up the mountain that beloved child says to him, "My father," and he answers, "What do you wish, my son?" The child says, "You have fire and wood, but where is the victim for the holocaust?" To this his father answers, "God himself will provide a victim for the holocaust, my son." Meanwhile they arrive at the top of the appointed mountain, where Abraham quickly builds an altar, puts the wood upon it, binds his own Isaac, and places him upon the pile. He puts forth his right hand, grasps and draws the sword, lifts his arm, and as he is ready to strike the blow to immolate that child, the angel cries out from above, "Abraham, Abraham," and he responds, "Here I am." Then the angel says to him, "Do not kill the child. It is enough. Now I know that you fear God, and have not spared your son out of love for me." At this Isaac is unbound, and Abraham takes a ram that he finds hanging by the horns in a briar bush, and sacrifices it. (Treat . 12. 10, 275-276) 2 Absalom – Joab – David – anger Once anger or audacity is aroused and cannot be kept within the limits of reason, it carries the heart into disorder so that zeal is thus practiced indiscreetly and inordinately, thus making it bad and worthy of blame. David sent Joab with his army against his disloyal and rebellious son, Absalom . He particularly forbade them to lay hands on Absalom and ordered that no matter what happened to be sure to save him. But when Joab was engaged in his task and hot in pursuit of victory, he slew the unfortunate Absalom with his own hand, without regard for all the king had told him. (Treat . 10. 15, 182) Absalom/David – sedition – self-love Such was the course of the sedition the treacherous Absalom stirred up against David , his fond father.