Spiritual Corner - On the Tree of Virtues

God said : The soul is like a tree made for love, so without love, it can no longer live.

Indeed, without this divine love, which is true and perfect charity, death would be her fruit instead of life. The circle in which this tree’s root, the soul’s love, must grow in its true knowledge of herself, knowledge that is joined in me (God), who, like the circle, have neither beginning nor end. You can go round and round within this circle, finding neither end nor beginning, yet never leaving the circle.

Thus, this knowledge of yourself, and of me within yourself, is grounded in the soil of true humility, which is as great as the expanse of the circle (which is the knowledge of yourself united with me, as I have said). But if your knowledge of yourself were isolated from me, there would be no full circle at all. Instead there would be a beginning in self-knowledge, but apart from me it would end in confusion.

So the tree of charity is nurtured in humility and branches out in true discernment. The marrow of the tree (that is loving charity within the soul) is patience, a sure sign that I am in her and that she is united with me.

This tree, so delightfully planted, bears manyfragranced blossoms of virtue. Its fruit is grace for the soul herself and blessing for her neigbours in proportion to the conscientiousness of those who would share my servant’s fruits. To me this tree yields the fragrance of glory and praise to my name, and so it does what I created it for and comes at last to its goal-me, everlasting Life, life that cannot be taken from you against your will.

Yours,
Fr. Matthew Wang
<Excerpt from the Dialogue of St. Catherine of Siena, Episode 10>