昨天是將臨期第四主日，我們看見將臨期長青環上的蠟燭全被燃亮著。三支紫色的蠟燭，代表三種超性之德，「但其中最大的是愛（格前13:13）。」

聖多瑪斯.亞奎諾在他的箸作中寫道：「源於自身的比從他處接受的更為高尚。信德和望德是藉認真理識和得到美善而到達天主，但愛德直接到達天主好能安息於主，而並非為從天主得到其他東西。」故此，愛德比信、望德，或其它德行更大。

超性德行

愛德納為超性之德，因為此德源自天主的聖寵，以天主為對象，並以永生為目標。

人世間的愛，使我們去回愛愛我們的人，喜愛我們的親友；但如果要愛所有人––––包括與我們為敵的人，非有超性的愛德不可！超性的愛德與寵愛是不可分割的。假如因大罪失去愛德，靈魂也同時失去寵愛。

聖多瑪斯又說：「愛德令人把自己的情感結合於主，以致不再為自己而活，卻為天主而活。」事實上，天主藉愛德提升我們這些卑微的受造物到達超性的境況。愛德讓我們進入聖三永恒之愛的神聖圈子。

神修箸作家、赤足聖衣會的佳播.達連神父Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D.指出：「愛德置我們於天主親密生活的中央。」「愛德提昇我們的愛，使我們能像天主愛自己一樣地去愛祂。」

天主聖三內的每一位都因另外兩位的無限美善而無限地快樂。又對這無限美善懷有無限的渴望。這就是善意的純愛。

在愛德內，我們因天主的萬福美善而感到欣喜，我們也渴望承行天主的旨意。我們為了天主而愛天主。

弟兄之愛

「愛天主」和「愛近人」是分不開的。天主指令我們有愛近人的義務——–瑪竇福音22:39記載了耶穌的教訓：「第二條誡命與此相似：你應當愛近人，如你自己。」祂又命令說：「這是我的命令：你們該彼此相愛，如同我愛了你們一樣。（若望福音15:12）」

愛近人的義務引伸至負面和正面的本份。負面的本份就是: 「己所不欲勿施於人」，而正面的本份就是: 「己所願者乃欲於人」。

「近人」是指所有有能力享受永生或已正在享受永生的受造物。因此， 天上一切的天神及諸聖、世上一切的人、和煉獄中所有的靈魂都是我們的「近人」。至於魔鬼及失落了的靈魂，不在此列，皆因他們離棄了天主 –––– 愛的核心。

我們直接愛天主，因為祂是無限可愛的；我們也藉愛人而間接愛天主，因為天主的可愛性反映在近人身上。

Yesterday was the fourth Sunday of Advent. All three purple candles of the Advent wreath were lit. These three candles represent the three theological virtues, and “the greatest of these is charity” (1 Cor. 13:13).

St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, “Now that which is of itself always ranks before that which is by another. But faith and hope attain God indeed insofar as we derive from Him the knowledge of truth or the acquisition of good, whereas charity attains God Himself that it may rest in Him, but not that something may accrue to us from Him.

“Hence charity is more excellent than faith or hope, and, consequently, than all the other virtues; just as prudence, which by itself attains reason, is more excellent than the other moral virtues, which attain reason insofar as it appoints the mean in human operations or passions.”

Supernatural virtue

Charity is a supernatural virtue because it has grace as its source, God as its object, and eternal salvation as its end.

All human beings are capable of natural love. We love those who love us, and we wish good for our relatives and friends. But to love all people, including our enemies, we need supernatural love.

This supernatural love <0x2013> charity <0x2013> is infused into our soul along with sanctifying grace. These two (sanctifying grace and charity) form an inseparable union. If a soul loses charity through mortal sin, it is also dead in the life of grace.

St. Thomas says: “Charity makes man tend to God by uniting his affection to God in such a way that man no longer lives for himself, but for God.” In His goodness, God elevates us (mere creatures) to the supernatural by means of charity. Through charity we enter into the divine circle of eternal love of the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity.

A spiritual writer, Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD, teaches: “Charity plunges us into the very centre of God’s intimate life.” He also wrote: “Charity elevates our love and makes us capable of really loving God as He loves Himself, although not with the same intensity.”

Each Person in the Blessed Trinity takes infinite pleasure in the infinite good of the other two Persons, and desires that good infinitely. This is the pure love of complacency and benevolence.

With charity, we take delight in the goodness and happiness of God, and we desire the fulfillment of the will of God. We love God for God Himself.

Fraternal charity

Love of God and love of neighbour are inseparable. God binds us to love our neighbour by a special obligation. Jesus said, “And the second commandment is like to it: you shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Mt. 22:39).

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (Jn. 15:12).

From this obligation of love follow both negative and positive duties towards others. Negative duties are summed up: “Do not unto others what you would not have them do to you.” Positive duties are summed up: “Do unto others as you would that they should do to you.”

“Neighbour” means all those who are capable of enjoying eternal life, or are already enjoying it. Hence, all the angels and saints in heaven, all people on earth, and all souls in purgatory are our neighbours.

The devils and the damned are excluded from fraternal charity, because they have forever voluntarily separated themselves from God, Who is the centre of charity.

We love God directly in Himself because He is infinitely lovable. We love God indirectly in others because we recognize in our neighbour a reflection of the lovableness of God.