Charity as the Basis and Source of the Spirituality of the Religious Life 63 and principles based on the “laws of nature” alone and submit oneself to the “law of grace.” The reality of God’s love exceeds the merely human, natural abilities of men in both understanding and action. Papczyński finds substantiation for this conviction in the First Letter of St. John (cf. 1 Jn 4:20), who taught about the love and greatness of God “whom we do not see, (and we do not know).” For this reason, the Person of Jesus Christ and His life described in the Gospel become the only principle and norm of our conduct. In a meditation after Communion, Papczyński says: “Indeed, if you want to be a hero, you should imitate the heroic deeds of the Redeemer whom you have just received; namely, his conformation, resignation and abnegation.”108 Referring to the teachings of St. Paul, the Apostle, Papczyński states that all of the stages of growing in supernatural love ultimately lead to gradually laying “aside the old man – that is his bad morals, poor habits – and regain[ing] the new garment of innocence, according to St. Paul’s expression: ‘Put on the Lord Jesus Christ’ (Col 3:9; Rom 13:14).”109 The author of Inspectio cordis believes that God delights in a “pure soul” out of which flows a “pure love” for Him, “for Christ bought it for himself at the immense price of his blood.”110 This is also the reason for God’s special cleansing action during this period. All those, who truly strive for perfect love, submit themselves to this action in the attitude of trust in God and through “your steadfast patience.” Therefore – Papczyński concludes – the words of Christ’s teaching about the vine and the branches (Jn 15:2) come to fulfillment in the life of such persons and although he does not elaborate on this issue, he points out the need to go through the time of “temptations,” “scruples,” “various oppressions,” “troubles,” various kinds of “unpleasantness”, and “internal harassment.” Experiences similar to those described above may also be found in another passage from Inspectio cordis, where Papczyński defines them 108 IC, Fifth Sunday After Pentecost, AHC, pt. 3; also cf. W. Makoś, O. Stanisław od Jezusa Maryi Papczyński. Badania i refleksje, Warszawa, 19998, pp. 300-302; T. Rogalewski, Teologiczne podstawy życia..., pp. 60-66. 109 IC, Fourth Sunday of Advent, AHC, pt. 2. 110 IC, For the Feast of the Transfer of the Body of St. Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr, AHC, pt. 3.
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