glorycloud's Diaryland Diary ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- prevenient grace "This light is the first thing that is required if one is to see in a supernatural way, and from it there arises the second thing, this time on the part of the soul, namely, a free conversion of the will in a moment of time. From this, charity issues forth in the union between God and the soul. These two things-the supernatural light and the free turning of the will toward God-are so closely related to one another that one cannot be brought to completion without the other. Wherever God and the soul come together in the unity of love, there God gives the light of his grace above the temporal order and the soul responds through the power of grace with its free conversion in a brief moment of time. From this, charity is born in the soul out of both God and the soul, for charity is a bond of love between God and the loving soul. From this grace of God and this free conversion of a will that has been enlightened by grace, charity is born, that is, divine love, and from divine love there arises the third thing that is required if a person is to see a supernatural way, namely, a purification of his conscience. These three things are so intimately related to one another that one of them cannot last long at all without the others, for whoever has divine love necessarily has perfect sorrow for his sins. Still, it is permissible to understand the sequential ordering of the things of God and of creatures as it has here been described: God bestows his light, and through that light a person responds with a free and perfect conversion; from these two there arises a perfect love toward God, and from this love there issues a perfect sorrow for sin and a purification of one's conscience; this last occurs when one reflects upon his offenses and upon the way these have disfigured the soul. Because he loves God, a person becomes displeased with himself and all his works. This is the sequence of events in the process of conversion. There follows genuine sorrow and perfect contrition for all the offenses that a person has ever committed, together with a firm resolve never to sin again and always to serve God in humble obedience. Such a person will make a good confession, without concealing, obscuring, or dissimulating any of his sins. Afterward he will make complete satisfaction in accordance with the counsel of a wise confessor and will begin the practice of virtue and of all good works." pg. 46 John Ruusbroec THE SPIRITUAL ESPOUSALS 11:14 a.m. - 2014-02-14 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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