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Chapter 2ViaRegia.1.2

De dilectione Dei et proximi

The Foundation of Divine Love

The king is called to love God with his whole being, recognizing that all love originates from God's prevenient grace and creative act.

Love the Lord, most gentle king, just as he commanded—with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength.✦ Love him because he loved first.✦ As John, who reclined at the supper on the fountain of love, says in his letter: Brothers, let us love one another, because he first loved us.✦✦1 For human frailty could not love the Lord unless he first loved our nature. For everything we can do is his: by him giving life we live, and by him quickening us we are moved.✦2 A human being has nothing that he hasn't received; and even willing what is good doesn't rest on human free choice—let alone bringing it to completion.✦ He loved you even before you existed, creating you so that you might be. Holy Scripture praises him, crying out: You love all things that are, and you hate nothing of what you have made; for you would not have made anything if you hated it.

The Royal Vocation to Charity

Reflecting on his own life and royal status, the king is urged to prioritize his Creator above all earthly attachments.

For the loving Lord, O most gentle king, created you, gave you life, nourished and kept you, and led you to the washing of regeneration; he renewed you, guided you, and brought you to the age of understanding; and while you were still a little child, he raised you high to the royal throne.✦ All this God has done for you mercifully and through love. So open the eyes of your heart, O king, and know yourself so deeply loved by Jesus Christ our Lord before you ever existed that you do not doubt his blood was poured out for you.✦ Set your heart on the love of your Creator; and love the Lord your God not just a little, or only in part, but as was said above, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength, so that you put no one's love above the love of your Lord.✦34 Understand this with him as your teacher, for he says: Whoever loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me.✦ For truly, if we love God with all our heart, we must not put the love of parents or of children above his love.✦

The Inseparable Commandment

The love of God and the love of neighbor are presented as a single, inseparable commandment that defines the life of a true disciple.

But if you love God, O most devout king, with all your heart, soul, and strength, you must love your neighbor as yourself; for on these two commandments hang the whole Law and the Prophets. So the one who does not love God and neighbor does not fulfill the Law and the Prophets. And true and perfect love consists in this: that God is loved, and the neighbor is loved too; for it is written: Whoever does not love his brother whom he sees—how can he love God, whom he does not see? And this is the commandment we have from God: that whoever loves God must also love his brother. For the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the author of love, impressing the commandment of love upon our minds, says: A new commandment I give you: that you love one another as I have loved you. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. For that disciple who drank the streams of love from the Lord's breast, breathing out the love of God and neighbor, used to say: Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves his brother has been born of God and knows God; but whoever does not love his brother does not have love, and does not know God.56 If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is made perfect in us.

The Virtue that Covers Sins

Drawing on the authority of Peter, the king is encouraged to practice a constant, persevering love that serves as a remedy for human frailty.

For Peter too, the prince of the apostles, gently urging us to love one another, says: So be wise, sober, and watchful in your prayers; but above all, keep a continual mutual love among yourselves, because love covers a multitude of sins.✦ Notice that he did not say, "Have a temporary love, which is with you sometimes and sometimes leaves you"; but continuous, he says—love that stays with you and perseveres, and never leaves your hearts. Blessed is the virtue of love and charity, which so covers a multitude of sins and wipes them from the hearts of the faithful that they never perish forever.✦7

The Scope of the Neighbor

The definition of 'neighbor' is expanded to include all people, from family and servants to enemies, as commanded by the Gospel.

Some people tend to ask who the neighbor is that God so closely commands us to love. But we call every faithful Christian a neighbor—someone who is not only reasonably called a neighbor, but also faithfully a brother. For with one God and the same Father, reborn by his grace, that is what we call him. So, in general, every Christian is a neighbor to another Christian. Setting out the particular kinds one by one, the Apostle commands that they be loved: Husbands, love your wives, and don't be harsh toward them.✦ So that children may be loved, the same Apostle warns parents, saying: Fathers, don't drive your children to anger.✦ So that servants may be loved, the same Apostle warns, saying: Masters, give your servants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a God in heaven.✦ For elsewhere, too, Scripture says of them: If you have a servant, let him be as your own soul; treat him like a brother. So that friend and enemy alike may be loved, the Apostle commands it where he urges that a friend be loved in God, and an enemy for God's sake. For the Lord also says in the Gospel: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute and slander you.✦

The Royal Virtue of the Palace

Charity is exalted as the supreme royal virtue that should characterize the king's conduct, his palace, and his daily life.

See how clearly it stands out whom the Lord commands us to love as our neighbor: namely wife and children, servants, friends, and enemies—under which names every Christian is recognized as being called a neighbor, and every one is commanded by the Lord to be loved. Blessed, then, is the virtue of love and charity, which embraces all, loves all, and in the secret places of the mind holds the love of everyone as if they were a single neighbor.8 Truly blessed is that virtue which nourishes the virtues and wipes out sins; it crushes anger, shuts hatreds away, drives out greed, checks quarreling, and puts every vice to flight alike; it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things; amid insults it stays secure, amid hatreds it stays kind, in the truth it stands firm; wicked attackers do not tear it away, thieves do not steal it, robbers do not snatch it, a flood does not destroy it, fire does not burn it up, heresy does not split it; it stands undivided, remains impregnable, lasts beyond unraveling, perseveres unshaken, and rejoices uncorrupted; it is the bond of all the virtues, the glue of souls, the concord of minds; the fellowship of the elect and the exultation of the angels: so that it may not be broken by adversities, it strongly fortifies the mind; so that it may not be overcome by anger, it restrains it with reason.9 For truly this, as I see it, is a royal virtue: in the palace, it breaks the bread of joy for all, offers the wine of delight to all, gives sweet kisses to all, and, loving everyone, embraces them with open arms. So hold on to this, O most illustrious king—this virtue so bright, so blessed, and so royal. Let it be with you, stay with you, rise with you, go with you, rejoice with you, and share your table; for it is fitting that such a royal virtue should always be present at a king's feast.

Read the original Latin

Dilige ergo, mitissime rex, Dominum, sicut ille praecepit, scilicet ex toto corde, tota anima et tota virtute tua. Dilige quia prior dilexit. Sic enim Joannes ille qui super dilectionis fontem in coena recubuit, in Epistola sua ait: Fratres, diligamus invicem, quoniam ille prior dilexit nos. Neque enim poterat Dominum fragilitas diligere humana, nisi ille primum nostram diligeret naturam. Illius est enim omne quod possumus; illo vivificante vivimus, illoque vegetante movemur. Nihil enim habet homo quod non acceperit; nec bene velle in arbitrio constat humano, quanto magis perficere? Dilexit etiam te priusquam esses, et ideo ut esses creavit. Illi autem laudem referens sancta clamitat Scriptura: Diligis enim omnia quae sunt, et nil odisti horum quae fecisti, nec enim odiens aliquid constituisti.

Diligens etenim Dominus, o mitissime rex, creavit te, et vivificavit, nutrivit et custodivit, et ad lavacrum regenerationis perduxit, renovavit, gubernavit, et ad intelligibilem perduxit aetatem; et dum adhuc parvulus esses, regali te sede sublimiter evexit. Haec omnia tibi misericorditer et per dilectionem operatus est Deus. Aperi ergo, o rex, oculos cordis, et in tantum te a Jesu Christo Domino nostro antequam esses cognosce dilectum, ut pro te ejus sanguinem non dubites fusum. Suspende cor tuum ad dilectionem Creatoris tui; et non modicum, aut ex aliquo, sed sicut superius dictum est, ex toto corde, et ex tota anima, et ex tota virtute tua dilige Dominum Deum tuum, ita ut nullius dilectionem praeponas dilectioni Domini tui. Et ipso te docente intellige; ait enim: Qui diligit patrem et matrem plusquam me, non est me dignus. Vere enim si Deum toto corde diligimus, dilectioni ejus non parentum, nec filiorum dilectionem praeferre debemus.

Sed si diligis Deum, o piissime rex, ex toto corde et ex tota anima tua, et ex tota virtute tua, necesse est ut diligas proximum tuum sicut teipsum: Quia in his duobus mandatis universa lex pendet et prophetae. Ergo legem et prophetas non implet, qui Deum proximumque non diligit. Et vera perfectaque in hoc consistit dilectio, ut diligatur Deus, diligatur et proximus; scriptum est enim: Qui non diligit fratrem suum quem videt, Deum, quem non videt, quomodo potest diligere? Et hoc mandatum habemus a Deo, ut qui diligit Deum, diligat et fratrem suum. Ipse namque auctor dilectionis Dominus Jesus Christus mentibus nostris mandatum dilectionis inculcans, ait: Mandatum novum do vobis; ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos. In hoc cognoscent omnes quia discipuli mei estis, si dilectionem habueritis ad invicem. Nam et ille discipulus, qui de pectore Domini charitatis fluenta potabat, dilectionem Dei et proximi vaporans aiebat: Charissimi, diligamus nos ad invicem, quoniam charitas ex Deo est, et omnis qui diligit fratrem suum, ex Deo natus est, et cognoscit Deum: qui autem non diligit fratrem suum, non habet charitatem, et non novit Deum. Si diligamus invicem, Deus in nobis manet, et charitas ejus in nobis perfecta est.

Nam et Petrus princeps apostolorum, ut nos diligamus invicem, dulciter exhortans ait: Estote itaque prudentes, sobrii, vigilantes in orationibus: ante omnia autem mutuam in vobismetipsis charitatem continuam habentes; quia charitas operit multitudinem peccatorum. Attendendum est quia non dixit: Temporalem habete charitatem, quae aliquando sit vobiscum, et aliquando discedat a vobis; sed continuam, inquit, quae vobiscum perseverans maneat, et a cordibus vestris nunquam discedat. Beata virtus dilectionis et charitatis, quae sic operit multitudinem peccatorum, et delet a cordibus fidelium, ut nunquam pereant in aeternum.

Quaerere nonnulli solent quis sit proximus, quem tam germane praecipit diligere Deus. Nos vero proximum, fidelem omnem dicimus Christianum, qui non solum rationabiliter proximus, sed et fideliter frater vocatur: unum enim Deum habentes, eumdemque Patrem, ejus gratia renati, vocamus. Ergo generaliter omnis Christianus, Christiano proximus appellatur: cujus sigillatim ponens species, Apostolus praecipit diligendas: Viri, diligite uxores vestras, et nolite amari esse ad illas. Ut filii diligantur, idem Apostolus admonet parentes, dicens: Patres, nolite ad iracundiam procurare filios vestros. Ut servi diligantur, idem Apostolus admonet, dicens: Domini, quod justum est et aequum praestate servis, scientes quoniam et vos Deum habetis in coelis. Nam et alibi de illis Scriptura ait: Si est tibi servus, sit quasi anima tua, quasi fratrem sic eum tracta. Ut amicus pariter diligatur et inimicus, praecipit Apostolus, ubi amicum in Deum, et inimicum propter Deum admonet diligendum. Nam et Dominus in Evangelio ait: Diligite inimicos vestros, benefacite his qui oderunt vos: et orate pro persequentibus et calumniantibus vos.

Ecce liquido patet quem proximum praecipit Dominus diligendum, uxorem videlicet et filios, servos, amicos et inimicos, in quibus nominibus omnis Christianus cognoscitur dici proximus, omnisque a Domino praecipitur diligendus. Beata ergo virtus dilectionis et charitatis, quae omnes amplectitur, omnes diligit, et quasi unius proximi in mentis arcana omnium amorem recondit. Vere beata, quae nutrit virtutes, et delet peccata, opprimit iram, recludit odia, expellit avaritiam, comprimit rixam, effugat pariter omnia vitia, omnia tolerat, omnia credit, omnia sperat, inter opprobria secura est, inter odia benefica, in veritate firma, a pravis impugnatoribus non diripitur, a latronibus non furatur, a praedonibus non rapitur, a flumine non destruitur, ab incendio non crematur, ab haeresi non dividitur; individua stat, inexpugnabilis manet, inexplicabilis durat, inconcussa perseverat, incorrupta laetatur; ligamentum est omnium virtutum, gluten est animarum, concordia mentium; societas electorum et exsultatio angelorum: ne adversitatibus frangatur, fortiter mentem roborat; ne ira superetur, rationabiliter reprimit. Vere enim haec, ut video, regalis est virtus, quae cunctis in palatio panem laetitiae frangit, cunctis vinum jucunditatis porrigit, dulcia cunctis oscula tribuit, et diligens omnes ulnis extensis amplectitur. Tene ergo istam, o clarissime rex, tam claram et beatam regiamque virtutem; tecum sit, tecum maneat, tecum surgat, tecum pergat, tecum laetetur et convivetur; decet enim in convivio regis tam regiam jugiter inesse virtutem.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Deut.6.5;Mark.12.30;Matt.22.37;Luke.10.27 — And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Mark.12.30 — And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. Matt.22.37 — And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' Luke.10.27 — And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
  2. ↩1John.4.19 — We love because he first loved us.
  3. ↩John.13.23-John.13.25 — One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining at Jesus' side. John.13.24 — So Simon Peter motioned to him and said to him, 'Tell us who it is he is speaking about.' John.13.25 — So after reclining back against Jesus' chest, that one says to him, 'Lord, who is it?'
  4. ↩1John.4.7;1John.4.19 — Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1John.4.19 — We love because he first loved us.
  5. ↩Acts.17.28 — For in him we live and move and have our being, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.'
  6. ↩1Cor.4.7 — For who makes you different? And what do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you had not received it?
  7. ↩Titus.3.5 — not by works of righteousness that we ourselves had done, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of renewal and rebirth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit,
  8. ↩Eph.1.18 — having the eyes of your heart enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
  9. ↩Deut.6.5;Matt.22.37;Mark.12.30;Luke.10.27 — And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Matt.22.37 — And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' Mark.12.30 — And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. Luke.10.27 — And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
  10. ↩Matt.10.37 — Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
  11. ↩Matt.10.37;Luke.14.26 — Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Luke.14.26 — If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters — yes, even his own life — he cannot be my disciple.
  12. ↩1Pet.4.7-1Pet.4.8 — But the end of all things has drawn near; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 1Pet.4.8 — Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, for love covers a multitude of sins.
  13. ↩1Pet.4.8 — Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, for love covers a multitude of sins.
  14. ↩Col.3.19 — Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
  15. ↩Col.3.21;Eph.6.4 — Fathers, do not provoke your children, so that they do not become discouraged. Eph.6.4 — And fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
  16. ↩Col.4.1 — Masters, grant to your slaves what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
  17. ↩Matt.5.44;Luke.6.27-Luke.6.28 — But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Luke.6.27 — But I say to you who are listening: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you. Luke.6.28 — Bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩super dilectionis fontem: Christ as the fountain/source of love (the beloved disciple reclining at Jesus' breast at the Last Supper).
  2. 2 ↩vegetante: animating/quickening vitality, not modern 'vegetable'; paired with vivificante for living and moving under divine agency.
  3. 3 ↩Suspende cor tuum ad: rendered as 'Set your heart on' (fix the heart toward/upon); alternative: 'Lift your heart to'.
  4. 4 ↩non modicum, aut ex aliquo: 'not a little, or only in part' (not sparingly or from some partial measure).
  5. 5 ↩Latin alternates dilectio and charitas; both rendered love per lexeme policy (love by default; charity reserved for sharper theological-virtue emphasis).
  6. 6 ↩vaporans rendered as breathing out (exhaling/pouring forth) the love of God and neighbor; the image is of John radiating what he drank from Christ's breast.
  7. 7 ↩Pereant has no explicit nominative; rendered as the faithful never perishing forever (sins covered and wiped away for their salvation). An alternate reading would take the covered sins as what is finally destroyed.
  8. 8 ↩Latin pairs dilectio and charitas; rendered as love and charity to keep both surfaces while treating them as one theological virtue of love.
  9. 9 ↩inexplicabilis: parallel with inexpugnabilis/inconcussa suggests 'beyond unraveling/unbinding' rather than 'inexplicable'.

Via Regia (The Royal Road) companion

Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat

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