Divine Learning

Oportet, fratres charissimi, ut mundo corde et casto corpore sapientiam divinam discere diligatis, et intelligere appetatis; quia ipsa cognitio Dei fideliter se quaerentibus et instanter meditantibus tribuit. Cognitione autem Dei nihil melius est; quia nihil beatius est, et ipsa vera beatitudo est. Unde et Salvator ad Patrem ait: Haec est autem vita aeterna, ut cognoscant te unum verum Deum, et quem misisti Jesum Christum. Hujus ergo sapientiae notitia qualiter adipiscatur, audite. Primo omnium quaerendum est homini quae sit vera scientia, veraque sapientia: quia sapientia hujus saeculi, stultitia est apud Deum. Scientia vera est, a diaboli servitio, quod sunt peccata, recedere; et sapientia perfecta est, Deum colere secundum mandatorum illius veritatem: quia in his duobus vita beata acquiritur, sicut Psalmista ait, Diverte a malo, et fac bonum. Nec etiam sufficit cuiquam mala non facere, nisi etiam et bona faciat; nec bona facere, nisi etiam mala omittat. Omnis ergo qui sic sapiens est, procul dubio beatus erit in aeternum. Beata siquidem vita est cognitio divinitatis; cognitio divinitatis, virtus boni operis est; virtus boni operis, fructus est aeternae beatitudinis. Rabanus Maurus, Homilia XLVIII, De studio sapientiae, lectione et meditatione legis Dei. Source: Migne PL 110.88d-89a

It is necessary, dearest brothers, that the heart be clean and the body chaste for you to love the learning of divine wisdom and to be eager to understand, because the knowledge of God is given to those who faithfully seek Him and to those who firmly meditate on Him, and there is nothing better than this knowledge of God, because there is nothing more blessed, and it is the true blessing. Hence the Saviour says to the Father, 'This is eternal life, that they know you, the one true God, and Him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.' 1 Hear, then, in what way the awareness of this wisdom is acquired. First of all a man must ask what is true knowledge and what is true wisdom, for 'the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God.' 2 True knowledge is to withdraw from the service of the devil, that is, from sin, and it is perfect wisdom to revere God according to the truth of His commandments, for in these two ways the blessed life is obtained, as the Psalmist says, 'Turn from evil and do good.' 3 It is not enough for someone not to do evil, unless he also does good, nor to do good unless he eschews all evils. Therefore everyone who is so wise will certainly be blessed in eternity, and that blessed life is the knowledge of divine things, and the understanding is the doing of good works, and the fruit is the doing of good works is eternal blessedness. Rabanus Maurus, from Homily 48, On the study of wisdom, and reading, and meditation on the law of God. 1 Jn 17.3 2 1 Cor 3.19 3 Ps 33.15