The Third Round: Use or Love Binds All Things into A One

From the work, Arcana Coelestia 4837

The church is an image of heaven; for it is the kingdom of the Lord on earth. Heaven is distinguished into many general societies, and into lesser ones subordinate to these; but still they are one through good; for the truths of faith there are in agreement according to good; for they have regard to good, and are from it. If heaven were distinguished according to the truths of faith, and not according to good, there would be no heaven, for there would be no unanimity; for the angels could not have from the Lord a oneness of life, or one soul. This is possible only in good, that is in love to the Lord, and in love toward the neighbor. For love conjoins all; and when everyone has love for good and truth, they have a common life, which is from the Lord, and thus have the Lord, who conjoins all.

From the work, Arcana Coelestia 454

Angelic life consists in use, and in good deeds of charity. For angels never feel happier than when they are informing and teaching spirits that stream in from the world, or when they are ministering to men and are preventing the evil spirits with them overstepping the mark, and inspiring men with what is good; also when they are arousing the dead into the life of eternity, and after that introducing such souls into heaven if they are capable of it. The happiness they find in all this is more than can possibly be described. Angels in this way are images of the Lord; they love their neighbour more than themselves; and this is what makes heaven heaven. Consequently angelic happiness consists in use, stems from use, and is proportionate to use, that is, to the good deeds of love and charity.

From the work, Arcana Coelestia 1964

With people who learn cognitions so as to become more perfect in faith grounded in love – for true and real faith consists in love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbour- the supreme use of all is present and they are acquiring spiritual and celestial life from the Lord. And when that life exists with them they possess the ability to perceive everything that belongs to the Lord’s kingdom. This life exists with all angels, and because that life exists with them, so do intelligence and wisdom themselves.

From the work, Divine Wisdom 11

…love to the Lord exists in charity, since it exists in use; also that the conjunction of love to the Lord with charity towards the neighbor, and thus the conjunction of the Lord with man, is in use; and that the conjunction is such and as great as is the love of use, for the Lord is in use as He is in the good that is from Him, and the man who is in the love of use is in use as if from himself, and yet he acknowledges that it is not from him, but is from the Lord. For man cannot love the Lord from himself, nor can he love uses from himself; but the Lord loves man and reciprocates His own love in him and makes it to appear to him as if he loved the Lord from himself. This, then, is love of the Lord from the Lord. And from this it is clear how love to the Lord exists in charity, that is, in the love of uses.

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Hal Rosner
Hal Rosner
4 years ago

Noted some beautiful illumination with the above words…. “angels never feel happier than when they are informing and teaching…” Clearly, a lesson and a challenge to continue to witness and share truths conjoined to good with the people I meet in all corners of my life.