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Chapter 35BenjaminMinor.1.35

CAPUT XXXV. Commendatio perfectae patientiae

Asher's Abundant Consolations

The chapter opens by extolling Asher's perfect patience, which abounds in spiritual riches and delights even in adversity, offering joy to the true kings who delight in his steadfastness.

How greatly, then, do you think this Asher abounds in the riches of spiritual consolations, and how richly he overflows with the delights of spiritual joys—he whose riches any adversity tends not so much to lessen as to increase, and whose delights no torment can even interrupt? For the harder he is pressed outwardly, the more delightfully he rejoices within. These are those delights they thirst for so much and receive so gladly—I don't mean the poor and lowly, but even kings themselves, or princes. I'm lying if Scripture itself doesn't say these things about him. "Asher," it says, "his bread is rich, and he will offer delights to kings." For how sweetly we think they feed, how wonderfully we believe they take delight—not just any kings, but those who are truly kings, to whom that King of kings and Lord of lords has restored dominion over their own body, and to whom he has distributed the kingdom of his Father; to such kings, I say, how sweet we think it is, how deeply it tastes to them, when they see a person who for love of righteousness does not fear torments, and even in the midst of persecutions does not lose peace of heart and calm of soul.1 For if there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, how great then will the celebration be over any just person who gladly dies for righteousness? Truly, Asher—his bread is rich, and he will offer delights to kings. Oh what bread—his bread! Oh what delights—his delights—that taste so rich to kings, to kings of that kind! These kings have certainly already entered the wedding feast of the Lamb; they have already taken their seats at that eternal banquet; they already feast on the bread of angels and on eternal delights; they are already drunk on the torrent of delight—and still they hungrily, insatiably crave the delights of this Asher, and even to this day, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, they cannot quiet this hunger or thirst of theirs amid such abundance of heavenly joys.✦✦ Asher: his bread is rich, and he will give delights to kings.✦ How generous do you think he can be toward the needs of the poor, when he has more than enough left over to prepare delights for kings?2 How much, do you think, do those marvel and rejoice in his steadfastness—those whom their own weakness still presses while they live in the valley of tears—if even those whom that eternal happiness has already swallowed take such delight in his works? Asher: his bread is rich, and he will give delights to kings.✦

The Source of Riches in the Conscience

The chapter concludes by explaining that Asher's abundance comes from victory over enemies, and that the testimony of a good conscience is the true glory and riches, guarded by the other patriarchs.

And where does he get such abundance of riches, such plenty of delights, if not—as has been said—from the spoils of his enemies in victory won so often? For it’s clear that the more the enemies of righteousness are worn down, the richer the joys of conscience become: “Glory and riches are in his house,” says the Psalmist. And the Apostle, as if explaining such glory and riches, puts it this way: “This is our glory: the testimony of our conscience.” This is that house, or that city—namely our conscience—where the riches of spiritual goods abound when the sons of the handmaids mentioned earlier keep watch over it with vigilant care: Dan and Naphtali, that is, working hard to secure the peace of the citizens, and Gad and Asher, acting courageously in the overthrow of the enemies.3 For by the prudence of the former, the citizens are brought to peace; by the steadfastness of the latter, the enemies are overcome.4

Read the original Latin

Quantum namque putas Aser iste abundat divitiis spiritualium consolationum, quantumve affluit deliciis spiritualium gaudiorum, cujus divitias quaelibet adversitas non tam minuere quam augere solet, cujus delicias quodvis tormentum nec saltem interpolare valet. Nam quanto durius premitur exterius, tanto delectabilius gloriatur interius. Hae sunt illae deliciae, quas tantum sitiunt, quas tam gratanter accipiunt, non dico pauperes et ignobiles, sed etiam ipsi reges vel principes. Mentior, si haec de ipso ipsa Scriptura non loquitur. Aser, inquit, pinguis panis ejus, et praebebit delicias regibus. Quod enim putamus suaviter pascuntur, quam mirabiliter credimus delectantur, non quilibet reges, sed illi utique vere reges, quibus ille Rex regum et Dominus dominantium restituit imperium corporis sui, et quibus distribuit regnum Patris sui; talibus, inquam, regibus, quam putamus dulce sit, quam intime eis sapit, cum videant hominem justitiae amore tormenta non timere, et inter ipsas persecutiones pacem cordis animique tranquillitatem non amittere. Si enim gaudium est in coelo super uno peccatore poenitentiam agente, quanta tunc solemnitas erit super quolibet justo, pro justitia libenter moriente? Vere Aser pinguis panis ejus, et praebebit delicias regibus.

O qualis panis, panis ejus! O quales deliciae, deliciae ejus, quae tantum sapiunt regibus, regibus talibus! Certe reges isti jam ad nuptias Agni introierunt, jam ad illud aeternum convivium sederunt, jam illo angelorum pane, deliciisque aeternis vescuntur, jam torrente voluptatis inebriantur, et adhuc hujus Aser delicias insatiabiliter esuriunt, et usque hodie esurientes, et sitientes justitiam, in tanta coelestium gaudiorum abundantia hanc suam famem vel sitim sedare non possunt. Aser, pinguis panis ejus, et praebebit delicias regibus. Quam putas largus esse potest in necessitates pauperum, cui superabundat parare delicias regum? Quantum putas mirantur, quantumve gratulantur in ejus constantia, quos viventes adhuc in valle lacrymarum premit infirmitas sua, si tantum delectantur in ejus operibus illi etiam quos jam absorbuit felicitas illa aeterna? Aser, pinguis panis ejus, et praebebit delicias regibus. Et unde ei tanta divitiarum abundantia, tanta deliciarum copia, nisi, ut dictum est, de hostium spoliis in tam frequenti victoria?

Constat namque quia quanto amplius atteruntur hostes justitiae, tanto uberius cumulantur gaudia conscientiae: Gloria et divitiae in domo ejus, ait Psalmista. Et Apostolus de hujusmodi gloria et divitiis, quasi exponendo, loquitur ita: Gloria nostra haec est: testimonium conscientiae nostrae. Haec est domus, vel civitas illa, conscientia videlicet nostra, in qua spiritualium bonorum divitiae abundant, cum eam praedictarum ancillarum filii vigili sollicitudine custodiunt: Dan videlicet et Nephtalim satagentibus in confirmanda pace civium, Gad et Aser viriliter agentibus in expugnatione hostium. Horum namque prudentia cives pacificantur, illorum constantia hostes expugnantur.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Rev.19.9 — And he said to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God."
  2. ↩Matt.5.6 — Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
  3. ↩Gen.49.20 — From Asher, his bread shall be rich, and he shall yield royal delicacies.
  4. ↩Gen.49.20 — From Asher, his bread shall be rich, and he shall yield royal delicacies.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩imperium corporis sui: rendered as dominion over their own body (self-mastery restored to the true kings). Could also be read as the rule/realm of Christ's Body; the parallel with regnum Patris sui favors the personal-ascetical sense here.
  2. 2 ↩cui superabundat parare delicias regum: Asher’s surplus is so great that preparing royal delights is itself excess; generosity to the poor is inferred from that superabundance.
  3. 3 ↩In Richard of St. Victor’s allegory of the twelve patriarchs, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher are sons of the handmaids and figure interior powers that guard conscience: judgment and hope (peace among citizens), fortitude and delight/patience (defeat of enemies).
  4. 4 ↩Horum / illorum continue the pairs just named: Dan and Naphtali (prudence securing civic peace) versus Gad and Asher (steadfastness overthrowing enemies).

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