Caput LXIV. De decurione.
The Decurion's Tender Embrace
The noble decurion draws out the nails, loosens Christ's limbs, and embraces the body to his breast, echoing the beloved's myrrh-laden intimacy from the Song of Songs.
But wait until that noble decurion comes, and when the nails are drawn out, he loosens his hands and feet. See how with most blessed arms he embraces the body and presses it to his own breast. Then that most holy man could say: A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me; he will linger between my breasts (Song 1:12).✦
The Call to Follow and Gather
The recluse is urged to follow Christ's precious body, carry His feet, support His arms, and reverently gather every drop of His blood.
Song 1:12). Follow that most precious treasure of heaven and earth; carry his feet, or support his hands and arms; or at least carefully gather the drops of his most precious blood as they trickle down drop by drop, and lick the dust of his feet.
Nicodemus and Joseph Prepare the Body
Nicodemus tenderly bathes Christ's wounds with ointment, and Joseph wraps Him in a shroud and lays Him in the tomb.
Notice too how sweetly the most blessed Nicodemus handled his most sacred wounds with his fingers, bathed them with ointments, and with holy Joseph wrapped him in a shroud and laid him in the tomb.
Read the original Latin
Sed adhuc exspecta donec nobilis ille decurio veniens, extractis clavis manus pedesque dissolvat. Vide quomodo felicissimis brachiis corpus complectitur, ac suo astringit pectori. Tunc dicere potuit vir ille sanctissimus: Fasciculus myrrhae, dilectus meus mihi inter ubera commorabitur (Cant. I, 12). Sequere tu pretiosissimum illum coeli terraeque thesaurum, vel pedes porta; vel manus brachiaque sustenta; vel certe defluentes minutatim pretiosissimi sanguinis stillas curiosius collige, et pedum illius pulverem linge. Cerne praeterea quod dulciter beatissimus Nicodemus sacratissima ejus vulnera tractavit digitis, fovit unguentis, et cum sancto Joseph involvit sindone, collocavit in sepulcro.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Song.1.12 — While the king was at his table, my nard gave forth its fragrance.
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