Caput XL. De dilectione Dei et proximi, ac primum ut in proximum exercenda a sanctimonialibus.
The Garment of Love
Love is the golden fringe that binds all virtues into one bridal garment.
A bridal garment, woven from a rich variety of virtues, ought to be bordered with golden fringes — that is, with the splendors of love — which holds every virtue within it, draws them all together into one, and, imparting its own singular radiance, makes one out of many; and when it clings to the many as one, the result is that all things are no longer many, but one.✦
The Twofold Commandment
Love divides into the love of God and the love of neighbor.
Love, however, is divided into two: namely, the love of God and the love of neighbor.✦
Innocence and Beneficence
Love of neighbor subdivides into innocence (harming none) and beneficence (doing good), each grounded in Scripture.
Furthermore, the love of neighbor is subdivided into two: innocence and beneficence — that is, that you harm no one, and that you do good to those you can. For it is written: 'What you do not wish to be done to you, do not do to another' (Tob. IV, 16): and this is innocence. And the Lord says in the Gospel: 'All things, whatever you wish people to do to you, do the same to them' (Matt.✦ VII 12): this is beneficence.✦
Examining the Heart
One must attend not only to refraining from harm but also to purifying the will of ill intent.
Pay careful attention to how much these two things apply to you. First, that you harm no one; then, that you wish no one harm.
Poverty as the Root of Peace
Embracing professed poverty frees the recluse from greed and ill will, making innocence easy.
The first of those is easy for you, since you can't do it anyway unless you've lashed out with your tongue; the second won't be hard if you pay attention to your purpose, if you've embraced the poverty you profess. For there'll be no room in you for any ill will toward anyone at all — where there's no greed, where nothing is loved that could be taken away, nothing is lost that ought to be cherished.
Doing Good Without Possessions
The recluse is urged to wish well and do good, even while questioning how this is possible without possessions.
Finally, wish everyone well; do good wherever you can. In what way, you ask, since I'm not allowed to possess even a little that I could give to those in need?
Read the original Latin
Vestis quippe nuptialis ex virtutum varietate contexta, oportet ut fimbriis aureis, id est charitatis splendoribus ambiatur, quae omnes virtutes contineat, et constringat in unum, et suam singularem claritatem impertiens, de multis unum faciat, et cum multis uni adhaereat; ut jam omnia non sint multa, sed unum. Charitas autem in duo dividitur, in Dei videlicet dilectionem et proximi. Porro dilectio proximi in duo subdividitur, in innocentiam et beneficentiam, videlicet ut nulli noceas, benefacias quibus potueris: scriptum est quippe, Quod tibi non vis fieri, alteri ne feceris (Tob. IV, 16): et haec innocentia. Et Dominus in Evangelio, Omnia, inquit, quaecumque vultis ut faciant vobis homines, et vos facite illis (Matth. VII 12): haec beneficentia. Quantum ad te duo ista pertineant, diligenter adverte. Primum ut nulli noceas; deinde ut nulli velis nocere.
Primum illud facile tibi, cum nec id possis nisi forte lingua percusseris: secundum illud, non erit difficile, si propositum attendas tuum; si professam dilexeris nuditatem. Non enim tibi poterit erga aliquam esse malae voluntatis materia, ubi cupiditas nulla, ubi nihil diligitur, quod possit auferri; nihil tollitur, quod debeat amari. Demum bene velis omnibus, prosis quibus possis. In quo, inquis; cum mihi non liceat vel modicum, quod egentibus tribuam, possidere?
Scripture echoes
- ↩Exod.28.33-Exod.28.34 — And you shall make on its hem pomegranates of blue and purple and scarlet yarn, around its hem, and gold bells in between them all around. Exod.28.34 — a gold bell and a pomegranate, a gold bell and a pomegranate, on the hem of the robe all around
- ↩Matt.22.37-Matt.22.39;Mark.12.30-Mark.12.31 — And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' Matt.22.38 — This is the great and first commandment. Matt.22.39 — And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Mark.12.30 — And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. Mark.12.31 — The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.
- ↩Matt.7.12 — Therefore, whatever you want people to do to you, do also to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.
- ↩Matt.7.12 — Therefore, whatever you want people to do to you, do also to them; for this is the Law and the Prophets.
De institutione inclusarum (A Rule of Life for a Recluse) companion
A rule only lives if you keep it daily
Chosen Portion gives your new rule its anchor: one free devotional portion every day.
Aelred built his sister's day around fixed times of prayer and meditation; Chosen Portion supplies the fixed daily portion that makes a modern rule of life keepable.
- Anchor your rule with a fixed 10-minute daily portion
- Practice Aelred's threefold meditation with guided daily prompts
- Review and adjust your one-page rule after 30 days of tracked practice