Theological Foundations new file

28 Theological Foundations ly and persevere in their vocation. 9 In his testament he again recom- mended the love of God and neighbor, zeal in faith and perseverance in vows. 10 In Father Papczynski’s thought, the motive impelling man to the love of God, which manifests itself in acts of love, is the awareness of the fact that God loves us according to the promise made by His Son: “…and my Father will love him” (Jn 14, 23). Good servants rejoice in the fact that by their service they gained the recognition and gratitude of their employers. The servants of the Heavenly Father may also win His heart through obedience and submission. The conviction that God loves them will become the reason for their greatest joy and happiness. ” The Founder of the Marians continues to emphasize that God really loves man. After all, He led man out of nothingness and made him so beautiful that he surpasses all other creatures on earth in his appearance. He breathed a soul into him, a soul shaped in God’s likeness and image. He gave man a mind, so that he could understand who his Maker is. He gave man a heart, so that he could love God. He gave man a will, so that man could prove that he is free. He gave man memory, so that he could ponder all the blessings bestowed upon him. 12 And there are still so many more works of God’s love, like the creation of the entire world for man; the world with the heavenly lights hung on the firmament, with birds, all kinds of animals, fish, trees, flowers, and grasses which beau- tify the earth. Everything that is joy to man’s eyes and heart was given out of the Heavenly Father’s love. And everything was made complete by the death of His Only Beloved Son. 13 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son...” (Jn 3, 16). This is a love so great that nei- ther the tongues of humans nor those of the angels can express it. Neither can it be comprehended by the human mind because this gift, in the person of the Son, sent to the aid and for the salvation of humankind, is the work of boundless love which surpasses all measure and compre- hension. 14 In his lecture on Divine Love, the Founder of the Marians empha- sizes, in the baroque style so typical of and appropriate in his times, this