St Thomas reminds us of the following words of St Bernard: ‘The first and chiefest contemplation is the marvelling of God's majesty'. We learn from St Ambrose that ‘Glory is the shining Fact praised', and that the splendour of the Holy Trinity is the glory of God in himself. It therefore follows that man's end of life, which is the rendering of glory to God, is at once the most bene- ficial mode of ministering to his own happiness—and that of all others, since his relationship to God involves his relationship with all other men—and the greatest act of friendship ship he can render to his Creator. ‘Charity', says St Thomas, ‘inspires the soul with a sovereign love of him, who is supremely the object of love.’