He has forgiven me not just a little, but EVERYTHING.
I acknowledge that without God I would have fallen as low as Saint Mary Magdalene, and the profound words of the Lord Jesus to Simon resonate sweetly in my soul... I know. “He who has been forgiven little loves little” (1). But I also know that Jesus forgave me more than Saint Magdalene, because He forgave me ahead of time, preventing me from falling. Oh, how I wish I could explain how I feel!...
Here is one example that somewhat conveys my thought. – I assume that the son of a skillful doctor encounters a stone on the road and falls, breaking one of his limbs in the process. His father immediately rushes to him, lovingly lifts him up, treats his injury, and uses all his skill for that. His son, soon completely healed, expresses his gratitude to him. There is no doubt that this child rightly loves his father.
But I will show another example: the father noticed that there was a stone on the path where his son was walking. He hastens ahead and removes the stone without anyone seeing it. However, this son, the object of his father’s foresighted affection, does not know from what misfortune his father has saved him, and thus he does not express gratitude to him and will love him less than if he had been healed... But if he realizes the danger he just escaped, will he not love him all the more?
Well, I am that child, the object of my Father's foresighted love, who did not send His Word to redeem the righteous, but sinners (2). He wants me to love Him because He forgave me not a little, but EVERYTHING. He did not expect me to love Him much like Saint Magdalene, but wanted me to KNOW that He loved me to madness!... I have heard that He has not encountered a pure soul that loves more than a repentant soul. How I wish to prove this claim wrong!...
Yes, I feel this, even if I had all the sins that could be committed on my conscience, I would go, with a contrite heart, and throw myself into Jesus' arms. After all, I know how He loves the prodigal child who returns to Him. Not because the Lord God has preempted with His mercy and spared my soul from mortal sin, but for this reason, I lift myself up to Him with trust and love!
(1) Lk 7:47; (2) cf. Mt 9:13.
(Autobiographical writings, 83.249)
