LOVE, A HIDDEN TREASURE
Among the parables of Jesus are the very brief ones of the treasure hidden in the field and the precious pearls found by a businessman. The experts in Bible say that the most important expression of these parables is an almost marginal note, “full of joy for finding”. Claret perceived the incomparable value of love; it was a great treasure for him. In fact, it does not go beyond the expression of the Song of Songs which says, “If a man were to buy love with all the wealth of his house, contempt is all he would purchase” (Song 8:7). Placing love and dirty money on the same level of a balance would be a deplorable profanation of love.
The question rising in us is, whether love can be “provoked”, whether it can be “attained”, whether we are the masters of this attitude of mind or rather, it is this attitude that possesses us. If we ask engaged couples for the reason of their mutual attraction, they would probably respond that they don´t know who is the actor or the “victim” in love. But this is the “sentimental” love, sometimes it is also erotic, which is very different from “the oblative” (= “of offering”), namely, the disposition to give life, to go beyond a natural sympathy or pleasure (it can even be a nest of a hidden egoism).
The oblative love is referred to by Claret and is strengthened by it even to enumerate various means to attain it. But this love makes him also sensitive, loving and tender, “I love them so much with a love that drives me crazy….”, he tells his missionaries (EC II, p. 352). This transformation of the heart grows in him- as he points out in his spiritual diary on 12th October, 1869 – to this sublime point, “At 10:30 a.m , the Lord granted me the love for my enemies.
