Monologion: Chapter 68/Chapter 69
BASIC WRITINGS
Chapter 68 That the rational creature was made for loving him And so it seems to follow that the rational creature should strive for nothing else so much as to express through voluntary action this image that has been stamped on it through its natural ability. For aside from the fact that it owes its very existence to the one who created it, if it recognizes that it can do nothing else so preeminent as to remember, understand, and love the supreme good, it will certainly be convinced that it ought to will nothing else so preeminently. For who would deny that whatever better things are in our power should be more in our will?
Furthermore, for the rational nature there is no difference between being rational and being able to discern the just from what is not just, the true from what is not true, the good from what is not good, and the greater good from the lesser good. But this ability is altogether useless for it, and utterly empty, unless it loves or repudiates what it discerns in accordance with the judgment of a true discernment.Hence,it is quite obvious that every rational thing exists in order that it might love something more or less, or reject it altogether, according as its rational discernment judges that the thing is more or less good, or not good at all. So nothing is more evident than that the rational creature was made in order that it might love the supreme essence above all other goods, since he is the supreme good—indeed, that it might love nothing but him or [what it loves] for his sake, since he is good through himself, and nothing else is good except through him.
Now it cannot love him unless it strives to remember and understand him.
It is therefore clear that the rational creature ought to devote all its power and will to remembering and understanding and loving the supreme good, for which purpose it knows it has its very existence.
Chapter 69 That a soul that always loves him will at some time truly live happily
Now there is no doubt that the human soul is a rational creature. Therefore, it must have been made in order that it might love the supreme essence. So it must have been made either in order that it might love without end or in order that it might at some time lose this love, whether willingly or by force.
But it is impious to suppose that the supreme wisdom made it in order that it might at some time either disdain so great a good or lose him by force even though it wills to hold on to him. So the only remaining possibility is that it was made in order that it might love the supreme essence without end.
Now it cannot do this unless it will always live. Therefore, it has been made in such a way that it will always live if it always wills to do what it was