The One Thing Necessary (Part 1 of 2)

“One thing is necessary (Lk 10:42). This [God] is . . . that one thing necessary in which is every good. . . . For if particular goods are enjoyable, consider carefully how enjoyable is that good which contains the joyfulness of all goods. . . . Why, then, do you wander about so much, O insignificant man, seeking the goods of your soul and body? Love the one good in which all good things are, and that is sufficient. . . . For what do you love, O my flesh, what do you desire, O my soul? There it is, there it is, whatever you love, whatever you desire.

If beauty delights you, ‘the just will shine as the sun’ (Matt. 13:43).

If the swiftness or strength or freedom of the body that nothing can withstand [delights you], ‘they will be like the angels of God’ (Matt. 22:30), for it is ‘sown as a natural body and shall rise as a spiritual body’ (1 Cor. 15:44) by a supernatural power.

If it is a long and healthy life, a healthy eternity and an eternal health is there since ‘the just will live forever’ (Wis. 5:16). . . .

If it is satisfaction, they will be satisfied ‘when the glory of God will appear’ (Ps. 16:15).

If it is quenching of thirst, ‘they will be inebriated with the abundance of the house of God’ (Ps. 35:9).

If it is melody, there the choirs of angels play unceasingly to God.

If it is pleasure of any kind, not impure but pure, God ‘will make them drink from the torrent of His pleasure’ (Ps. 35:9).

If it is wisdom, the very Wisdom of God will show itself to them.

If it is friendship, they will love God more than themselves and one another as themselves, and God will love them more than they love themselves. . . .

If it is peace, for all of them there will be one will, since they will have none save the will of God.

If it is power, they will be all-powerful with regard to their wills, as God is with His. For just as God will be able to do what He wills through Himself, so through Him they will be able to do what they will . . .

If it is honours and riches, God will set His good and faithful servants over many things (Matt. 25:21, 23); indeed, they will be called ‘sons of God’ and ‘gods’ (Matt. 5:9), and will in fact be so; and where the Son will be there also they will be, ‘heirs indeed of God and co-heirs with Christ’ (Rom. 8:17).

If it is real security, they will indeed be as assured that this . . . good will never in any way fail them, as they will be assured that they will not lose it of their own accord, nor that the loving God will take it away against their will from those who love Him, nor that anything more powerful than God will separate God and them against their will. . . . [Rom. 8:28–39]”

~St. Anselm