Do you think that a mortal heart grasps the extend of the Lord's charity towards us? Do you think that a mind burdened by the weight of an earthly body can understand or realize God's affection towards us? For whatever sparkles, shines, and gleams with the splendor of heaven, whatever on earth bursts forth with flowers, whatever pleasant taste there is in fruit, and whatever joy there is in living beings, have all been made out of love for us, and have been designed to serve us. But althought they are great, nevertheless, they are small insofar as indicating heavenly love towards us. To us the principalities of heaven, the heavenly powers, the celestial dominions, to us the choirs of angels give service with tireless vigilance. But even these are small and inferior as signs of the intimate bond God has with us,and as paltry in value as the creature is inferior to his Creator.
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But he considered this to be still too little, if he were to show his affection toward us by bestowing blessings on us,but not by enduring adversities. After all this he entered his own world in poverty, he lay in a cradle: thus as a human being by his crying he implores, he seeks, he pleads for the loving kindness that he himself has shown to you. ... The Ruler of all ages is seized, the Founder of the earth is arrested, the Bestower of all pardon to humanity is judged, the Giver and Restorer of life is punished, the Resurrection of all is buried, so that the slow mind of human beings and their very dull intellect would learn of God's fondness towards them by his death at least. For that intellect has not perceived or recognized God's charity toward humanity from his prophecies and innumerable gifts. God, therefore, who made us to exist, who granted us life, also taught us how to pray, because he wanted to furnish everything, sine he willed that he be invoked by means of his own prayer.
--St. Peter Chrysologus, Homily #69, par. 2 *On the Lord's Prayer*
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