In Royce's 1913 book The Problem of Christianity, he discusses two levels of human consciousness (pp. 268-270): (1) the individual level of a person's consciousness of himself or herself; and (2) the level of the individual person's "genuine consciousness of the life of a community whereof they are members" (p. 268) - but with special reference to "the highest level of the consciousness of a human community" (p. 269).
For Royce, "Knowledge of the community is not love of the community. Love, when it comes, comes from above" (p. 269). Fair enough. But when this love from above of the highest form of community is experienced by the individual human person, what is it like?
Royce says that "this true love [from above] of the ideal community of all [hu]mankind" (p. 269) involves finding oneself "somehow fallen in love with the universe" (p. 270).
Subsequently, Royce says, "If the universe proves to be, in any sense, of the nature of a community, then love for this community, and for God, will not mean merely love for losing the self, or for losing the many selves, in any interpenetration of selves. If one can find that all humanity, in the sense of our definition, constitutes a real community [also known as the Beloved Community], or that the world itself [also known as the universe] is in any genuine way, of the nature of a real community such as we have defined; and if hereupon we can come to love this real community - then the one and the many, the body and the members, our beloved and ourselves, will be joined in a life in which we shall be both preserved as individuals, and yet united to that which we love" (p. 270; italics in Royce's text).
Now, Royce's descriptions here call to mind Bernard J. Muller-Thym's 1939 book The Establishment of the Universe of Being in the Doctrine of Meister Eckhart of Hochheim (Sheed & Ward).
In addition, Royce's more specific words about "hav[ing] somehow fallen in love with the universe" (p. 270) call to mind the "Contemplation to Attain Love" in the Fourth Week of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola (standardized paragraphs numbered 230-237).
To show how this culminating "Contemplation to Attain Love" ties in with Royce's words about "hav[ing] somehow fallen in love with the universe," I will quote paragraph 234 from George E. Ganss' 1992 translation of the Spiritual Exercises:
"I will call back into my memory the gifts I have received - my creation, redemption, and other gifts particular to myself. I will ponder with deep affection how much God our Lord has done for me, and how much he has given me of what he possesses, and consequently how he, the same Lord, desires to give me even his very self, in accordance with his divine design.
"Then I will reflect on myself, and consider what I on my part ought in all reason and justice to offer and give to the Divine Majesty, namely, all my possessions, and myself along with them. I will speak as one making an offering with deep affection, and say [the following prayer known as the Suscipe]:
"'Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and all my will - all that I have and possess. You, Lord, have given all that to me. I now give it back to you, O Lord. All of it is yours. Dispose of it according to your will. Give me love of yourself along with your grace, for that is enough for me.'"
But I will now quote only the first sentence of paragraph 235: "I will consider how God dwells in creatures; in the elements, giving them existence; in the plants, giving them life; in the animals, giving them sensation; in human beings, giving them intelligence; and finally, how in this way he dwells also in myself, giving me existence, life, sensation, and intelligence; and even further, making me his temple, since I am created as a likeness and image of the divine Majesty."
Next, I will quote paragraph 236: "I will consider how God labors and works for me in all the creatures on the face of the earth; that is, he acts in the manner of one who is laboring. For example, he is working in the heavens, elements, plants, fruits, cattle, and all the rest - giving them their existence, conserving them, concurring with their vegetative and sensitive activities, and so forth. Then I will reflect on myself."
Next, I will quote paragraph 237: "I will consider how all good things and gifts descend from above; for example, my limited power from the Supreme and Infinite Power above; and so do justice, goodness, piety, mercy, and so forth - just as the rays come down from the sun, or the rains from their source. Then I will finish by reflecting on myself, as has been explained. I will conclude with a colloquy and an Our Father."
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
