Theological Foundations new file

26 Theological Foundations Him.” 2 In Father Papczynski’s teaching, love occupies the most important place. It is first evident in the basic document which he wrote, i.e. in the religious rule Norma Vitae . 3 It was to this virtue that the Founder of the Marians dedicated the entire chapter of the rule entitled De Charitate and it is with Divine Love that he begins his lecture on the vows and the virtues of the Marians. It is on love that one’s eternal salvation and the value of one’s merits depend. Therefore, it should be regarded as a pearl more precious than any other goods, as a treasure hidden in the soil, which must be found (cf. Mt 13, 44, 46). For although Divine Love is a gift, one may always try to obtain and preserve it by constant prayer and mortification. At this point the Founder of the Marians issues an appeal to his confreres, an appeal that he repeated after St. Paul: “Let all that you do be done in love!” (1 Cor 16, 14). 4 The matters which Father Papczynski discusses in his teaching con- cern the preservation of the Ten Commandments, the evangelical coun- sels, the laws, the admonishments, the resolutions, the rites and the cus- toms of the Church and the acceptance of the principles which it pro- mulgates. It is also a matter of love to preserve the religious rule and all other regulations accepted in the spirit of Christ’s admonishment: “If a man loves me, he will keep my word” (J 14, 23). 5 The Founder of the Marians places a special emphasis on the fact that the preservation of God’s teaching is to be an expression of perfect love. He uses a good family as an example. “Just like the children who really love their parents try to fulfill their will faithfully, in a similar manner, those who call themselves God’s sons and want to show their love to the Best Father, should take great care to fulfill His commandments. And to the contrary, how very unworthy of being called a son is one who stub- bornly disbelieves all orders given by the Father and considers them frivolous. Thus whoever does not show concern for the matters of God, cannot be considered even the servant of God. For it is in this way that the Infinite Goodness complains about such people: “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?” (Lk 6, 46). Therefore, you