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Chapter 12MedVC.1.12

De fuga Domini in Aegyptum

The Flight Is Commanded

An angel warns Joseph in a dream, and the Holy Family immediately sets out by night toward Egypt.

So as they were making their way toward Nazareth, not yet knowing the Lord's plan in this matter — that Herod was preparing to kill the child Jesus — the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, telling him to flee into Egypt with the child and his mother, because Herod wanted to destroy the child's life.✦ And so Joseph woke up, roused the mother, and told her. She got up at once, without a moment's delay, and wanted to set out on the journey — for at this word her heart was shaken, and when it came to the safety of her son she had no intention of being found careless. And so that very night they set out at once toward the regions of Egypt.

Christ’s Humility and Our Changing Lots

The reader is invited to meditate on Christ’s acceptance of honor and lowliness and to accept both prosperity and adversity without impatience.

Look at these things, and meditate on what has been said and what follows — how they lift up the sleeping child Jesus — and suffer with them, and pay close attention here, because in this present affair you can reflect on many good things. First, consider how the Lord in his own person sometimes accepted prosperity and at other times adversity. And when something similar happens to you, don't be impatient — for next to a mountain you'll find a valley. See — from the moment of his birth Christ was honored by the shepherds as God; and shortly after his birth he was circumcised as a sinner. Then the Magi came and honored him greatly, and yet he himself remained in the stable, standing among the beasts, weeping like the son of some humble nobody.✦✦✦

Consolation, Trial, and Hiddenness

The text alternates between God’s consolations and trials, urging humility and caution in how spiritual gifts are received and perceived.

Afterward he was presented in the temple, and Simeon and Anna praised him greatly, and now he is told by an angel to flee into Egypt. And from many other things you will be able to weigh in your own life what we can apply to our instruction. So when you have had consolation, expect trouble in return. So in their case we ought neither to be elated nor broken. For the Lord gives consolations to raise up hope, so that we do not stray; and troubles to preserve humility, so that, knowing our misery, we always stand in awe of him. Let us meditate on these things for our instruction, and also so that he might hide himself from the devil. Second, consider God's benefits and consolations: whoever receives them should not think himself better than the one who doesn't, and whoever doesn't receive them should not be downcast, nor envy the one who does. I say this because the angels' messages were given to Joseph and not to his mother, even though she was far beneath him in status.

Suffering as the Holy Family Suffered

The Lord allows his own to be persecuted, and the anguish of Mary and Joseph shows that even those closest to Christ endure deep trouble.

Likewise, the one who receives a consolation, even if it's not the one he wanted, shouldn't be ungrateful or complain — since even Joseph, great as he was before God, received such messages not openly but in dreams. Third, consider how the Lord allows his own to be harassed by persecutions and tribulations. For the tribulation was then great for the mother and for Joseph, since they saw the child being sought for slaughter. For what heavier thing could they have heard? And their tribulation in this was great: because, although they knew him to be the Son of God, still their human weakness could be troubled and say, 'Lord God almighty, why is it necessary that your son should flee?' Can't you defend him here? And there was also tribulation in this: that they had to go into a distant land they didn't know, and through rough terrain, since they were unfit for the journey — the Lady because of her youth, and Joseph because of his old age; and the child they had to carry was barely two months old. They had to make their way in a foreign land, poor and having almost nothing. For all these things are material for affliction.

The Lord’s Patience and Gentleness in Flight

Christ’s flight reveals profound humility and patience, choosing not to resist evil but to endure it and flee in gentleness.

So when you suffer, be patient, and don't think you're being given a privilege that he didn't grant even to himself or to his mother. Fourth, consider his kindness. For you see how he suffers persecution, and flight from his native land, and with such gentleness the fury of the one who could destroy him in a moment.1 For you see how he endures persecution, and flight from his native land, and with such gentleness the fury of the one who could destroy him in a moment.2 This is deep humility, and great patience. He didn't want to pay them back or take offense, but by fleeing avoided their ambushes. So too, when people scold us — that is, rebuke us or persecute us — we shouldn't resist or seek revenge on them, but bear them patiently, yield to their fury, and what's more, pray for them, as the Lord teaches elsewhere in the Gospel.✦✦3 The Lord, then, fled before the face of a servant — or rather, before the servant of the devil.4 He was carried by his mother, tender and very young, and by saintly Joseph, very old, into Egypt through a wild, dark, wooded, rough, and uninhabited road — a road that was also very long.✦5

The Hard Road Through the Desert

The Holy Family travels a long, desolate road like Israel’s wilderness journey, and the reader is urged to share their labor and poverty.

It is said that there are twelve or fifteen day-stages for a courier's journey, but for them the journey took perhaps two months, and even more. For they went, as it is said, through that desert through which the children of Israel crossed, where they wandered for forty years.✦ But how did they manage about food, carrying it with them? And where, and how, did they rest at night and find lodging? For they rarely found houses in that desert. Have compassion on them, then, because the labor is hard, and great, and long, both for them and for the boy Jesus. Go with them, and help carry the child, and serve them in every way you can. It shouldn't seem to us that we are laboring for ourselves when we do penance, through which such great labor was undertaken by others, and by such people, and so often. But as for the things that happened to them in the desert and along the way, since only a few reliable accounts are found, I don't care to relate them. When they entered Egypt, therefore, all the idols of that province fell down, just as had been prophesied through Isaiah.✦

Life in Exile and Poverty

In Egypt the Holy Family dwells as strangers in great poverty, and the Blessed Virgin embraces manual labor and love of poverty.

They went, therefore, to a certain city called Heliopolis, and there, renting a small house, they lived for seven years as pilgrims and strangers, poor and needy. Meditate — a second point presents itself here: a beautiful, pious, and compassionate meditation, a meditation greatly to be devoutly pondered. Pay close attention to what follows. Beautiful. For where, indeed, and how were these people living for so long a time? Surely they weren't begging? Moreover, it is read about the Lady that with distaff and needle she sought necessities for herself and her son; she sewed, therefore, and she spun — the Lady of the world, the lover of poverty. In every way possible, these people loved poverty, and they kept faith with it perfectly, even unto death.

The Child Jesus in Humble Tasks

The boy Jesus is imagined running errands, seeking work and payment, and enduring wrongs as a poor stranger.

But surely she herself wasn't going from house to house, looking for cloth and other materials she could work with? For it was necessary that this become known through the neighborhood; otherwise she would have been free from such work, since those women couldn't guess the truth.6 But when Jesus was five years old, or thereabouts, surely he too carried his mother's errands, seeking for her the things he was old enough to work at?7 For he had no other attendant.8 But surely he also brought back the finished work, seeking from the customer, on his mother's behalf, payment and wages? Wasn't the boy Jesus, the Son of the most high God, embarrassed by childish talk, even as his mother sent him on these errands?9 But what if, at times, he returned a difficult piece of work and asked for his payment, and some proud, quarrelsome, and sharp-tongued woman answered him insultingly, took the finished work, drove him away without paying, and so he went home empty-handed? Oh, how many and how great are the wrongs done to strangers — wrongs the Lord did not come to avoid, but to endure!10

Becoming Little with the Little Jesus

Meditation on Christ’s childhood draws the reader to become a little child, embrace humble things, and gain humility, purity, and hope.

What if, on some occasion, returning from a task and enduring hardship in the manner of children, the boy asked for bread — and his mother had none to give him, and didn't know where she might get any? Surely in these and similar things her innermost feelings were completely shaken? She comforted her son with words, and with deed she cared for him as best she could, and perhaps at times she would take food away from her own portion to save it for her son. These things and others like them about the boy Jesus you can meditate on; I have given you the opportunity. You, then, should extend and pursue these meditations as seems right to you, and be a little one with the little Jesus, and do not despise such humble things — even those that seem childish — when you meditate on him. For they seem to give devotion, to increase love, to kindle fervor, and to lead the soul into compunction. They confer passion, purity, and simplicity; they wear down and nourish the strength of humility and poverty; they preserve familiarity and bring about conformity, and raise up hope. For we cannot ascend to what is sublime on our own; but what is foolishness of God is wiser than men, and what is weakness is more powerful.✦

The Narrowness of True Poverty

The Holy Family’s poverty is shown in their lack of possessions, clothing, and household furnishings, excluding all superfluity.

It seems that meditating on such things also drives out pride, weakens greed, and puts curiosity to shame. Do you see how many good things flow from that? Be then, as I said, a careful little one for the little one, and as he grows, grow with him — yet always keeping humility intact — and follow him wherever he goes, and keep your gaze fixed on his face always. But have you noticed, from what came before, how laborious their poverty was, and how modest? And if they had to earn a living by the work of their hands, what shall we say about their clothing? What about their household furnishings — their beds, for instance, and whatever else they had in the home? Did they have two of anything? Did they have — ?

Against Curious and Elaborate Works

The text questions elaborate work and curiosity as incompatible with true poverty and humble labor.

Superfluity? Perhaps elaborate things? These things are contrary to poverty, and so even if she could have them, the nurse of poverty would not want them. But then, was Dorothea perhaps making elaborate works of love by sewing, or by working in other ways? Far be it! Let those who don't care about wasting time do these things — for she herself, placed in such great poverty, could not have spent her time on vanities, nor would she have made elaborate things in other ways. For it is a most dangerous vice, and the greatest one especially in our times. Do you want to see how?

The Many Snares of Curiosity

Curiosity wastes time, feeds pride, distracts the soul, and becomes a lust of the eyes that leads many into sin.

Notice, first, how the time granted for praising the Lord is spent against him on vain things, since far more time is taken up with curious work than is profitable, and this evil is very great. Second, because it is a cause of vainglory to the one who does it.11 As often as someone looks at such things, turns them over in his mind, and mentally dwells on them — even when he's not working on them, and even when he ought to be attending to divine things — so that he may produce a fine piece of work, and from that considers himself important and wants to be thought well of!12 Third, because for the person for whom he makes it, it is a cause of pride; for with such oil the fire of pride is fed and kindled all the more.13 For just as rough and coarse things are the fuel of humility, so these are the fuel of pride.14 Fourth, because it draws the soul away from God; for, according to blessed Gregory, one is separated from heavenly love to the degree that one takes delight in lower things.15 Fifth, because it is a lust of the eyes — one of the three to which all the sins of the world are reduced; for such curious things are worth nothing except to feed the eyes vainly.✦1617 But as often as someone feeds his eyes with delight and vanity on such things, the one who makes them is just as guilty as the one who carries and uses them — and each time, he offends.18

Curiosity Offends God and Others

Even good intentions cannot justify curious works, because they often cause scandal, defile conscience, and displease God.

Sixth, it is a snare and ruin for many who look back at those things, for by looking back they can offend in many ways — either by setting a bad example, or by looking on with delight, or by desiring what is similar, or by judging, or by murmuring, or by detracting. Consider, therefore, how often God can be offended, before that curiosity is destroyed: yet the one who does such a thing is himself the cause of it all. So even if I were to say that you were doing those things for me, or you certainly knew that I wished to use them — still you shouldn't do them, because no cause warrants consenting to sin, and you must avoid offending God in every way. How much more, then, do you offend if you act on your own impulse merely for pleasure, wanting to please a creature more than the Creator! Therefore these are the things done by those who live in a worldly way. They live for what is passing; they are the ornaments of the world, the blasphemy of God. But as for the one who intends to live in purity of conscience — I'm amazed that such a person dares to do these things, and to defile themselves with this filth. You see how many evils come from such curiosity.

Returning to the Lady in Egypt

After warning against curiosity, the text returns to Mary’s humble labors in Egypt and her faithful prayerful diligence.

There is still another evil, and worse — namely, that curiosity directly opposes poverty. And beyond all the things mentioned above, this too is a sign of a frivolous, vain, and inconstant mind and spirit. Now I have said all these things about curiosity so that you may avoid curious pursuits. So take care to abstain entirely from these things — both from doing them and from using them — as you would from a poisonous serpent. Still, this should not be taken to mean that it is never permitted to do beautiful works, especially those devoted to divine worship. Yet even in these, disordered affection, intention, and delight must be guarded against above all, and driven far from the anxious mind. On this matter of curiosity, Bernard speaks thus: 'Vain spectacles — I ask you, what do they offer the body, or what do they seem to contribute to the soul?' For you will certainly find nothing in any person to whom curiosity is of benefit. It is a thoroughly frivolous and empty consolation, and even deceptive — and I don't know what harsher thing I might pray for, except that the one who flees the peace of delightful rest and delights in restless curiosity may always have something more to seek. But let us return to the Lady in Egypt, from whom we made a digression on account of the cursed vice of curiosity. Observe her in her labors — sewing, spinning, and weaving — how she does these things faithfully, humbly, and carefully, while nevertheless keeping the most diligent care over her son and over the governance of the household; and she is never neglectful of vigils and prayers, according to her ability, but is always attentive.

Compassion for the Exiled Family

The reader is moved to pity the Holy Family in their long exile, sharing their poverty, labor, and quiet farewell.

So then, with your whole heart, sympathize with her, and consider that the Lady of the Kingdom had nothing at all that was burdensome about her reign. But perhaps this also happened frequently: some good married women, seeing her poverty, would send her certain things, which she received humbly and with thanksgiving. And holy Joseph, now an old man, worked at something in the craft of carpentry. So from every side the occasion for compassion arises. When at last you have spent some time with her, ask leave to depart, and having first received a blessing from the child Jesus, then from his mother, and afterward from Joseph — with knees bent, with tears and great compassion — bid them farewell: because they remain there like exiles and outcasts from their homeland, without any reason, destined to sojourn in that place for seven years, about to live by the sweat of their faces.✦

Read the original Latin

Cum ergo pergerent versus Nazaretb, nescientes adhuc super hoc consilium Domini, et quod Herodes pararet se ad necem pueri Jesu, Angelus Domini ' apparuit Joseph in somnis, dicens ei, ut cum puero et matre fugeret in iEgyptum, quia Herodes volebat animam pueri perdere. Joseph vero evigilans, et excitans matrem, dixit ei. Ipsa incontinenti surgens, nuUa mora contracta, voluit iter arripere: concussa enim sunt ad hanc vocem viscera ejus, et circa filii sui salutem nolebat negligens inveniri. Ergo de nocte inccntinenti cceperunt ire versus partes /Egypti. Conspice, et meditare praedicta, et infrascripta, et quomodo puerum Jesum dormientem elevant, et compatere ipsis, et attende hic dihgenter, quia multa et bona considerare potes in prjesenti negotio. Primo considera quemadmodum Dominus in sua persona suscepit aliquando prospera, ahquando adversa. Et cum simile tibi contigerit, non sis impatiens: nam juxta monteminveuies vallem. Ecce enimin nativitate sua Christus magnificatus fuit pastoribus tanquam Deus; et post partum parum, circumcisus fuit tanquam peccator: deinde venientes Magi eum plurimum honoraverunt, et nihilominus ipse in stabulo remanens stabat inter bestias, et plorabat, ut cujusdam homunculi filius.

Postoa praesentatus erat in templo, quem multum extulerunt Simeon et Anna, et nunc ab Angelo dicitur, quod fugiat in ^Egyptum. Et de multis ahis poteris in vita sua perpendere, quae ad noslram instructionera possumus retorquere. Cum ergo consolalionem habueris, tribulationem expecta, el e contra. Unde in eis nec extolli, nec frangi debemus. Dat enim Domirius consolationes ad spem sublevandam, ne devieraus; et tribulationera ad humilitatem conservandam, ut cognoscentes miseriam nostram, semper in suo stemus timore. Ad nostram ergo instructionem h"c fecisse meditemur, et etiam ut se diabolo occultaret. Secundo considera circa Dei beneficia et consolationes, quod qui ea percipit, non debet se praeferre non percipienti; et qui non percipit, non dejiciatur animo, nec habenti invideat. Hoc dico, quia angelorum locutiones fiebant Joseph, et non matri, cum tamen longe ea esset inferior.

Item et qui percipit, licet non percipiat suo velle, non debet esse ingratus, nec murmurare, cum etiam Joseph, qui tantus erat apud Deura, non palam, sed in somnis tales allocutiones percepit. Tertio considera, quomodo Dominus permitUt suos persecutionibus et tribulationibus vexari. Tunc enim raagna erat Iribulatio matri et Joseph, cum viderent puerum ad occisionem quaeri. Quid enim gravius audire poterant? Et erat eis in hoc tribulatio magna: quia licet scirent eum filium Dei esse, tamen poterat sensualitas eorura turbari, et dicere: Dominus Deus omnipotens, quid opusest, quodiste tuus filius fugiat? Non potes hic eum defendere? Et etiam in hoc erat tribulatio, quod in terram longinquam oportebat eos ire, quara ignorabant, et per vias asperas, cum essent inhabiles ad eundum, Domina propter juventutem, Joseph vero propter senectutem; ipse etiam puer quem portare habebant, vix erat duorum mensium: et peregrinari habebant in terra aliena, et pauperes quasi nihil habentes. Omnia enim ista sunt afllictionis materia.

Tu ergo, cum tribularis, patienliam habe, nec credas tibi ab eo privilegium dari, quod nec sibi tribuit, nec matri. Quarto considera benignitatem. Vides enim quon:;odo. et qnam cifo persecTitionem patitur, et fugam de terra nalivilalis suae, et tam benigne furori illius, quem poterat perdere in momento. Profunda est haec humilitas, et patientia magna. Nolebat enim sibi vicem reddere, nec otFendere, sed fugiendo insidias ejus vitare: sic et nos faceretenemur objurgantibus, scilicetvel reprehendentibus, vel persequentibusnon resistere, vel de ipsis vindictam expetere; sed patienter eos portare, et ipsorum furori cedere, et quod plus est, pro eis orare, ut alibi Dominus in Evangelio docet. Fugiebatergo Dominus ante faciem servi, imo potius servi diaboli. Portabat eum mater tenera et juA^^enis valde, etsanctus Joseph multum senex in ^gyptum per viam sylvestrem, obscuram, nemorosam, asperam et inhabitatam, per viam etiam valde longam.

Dicitur, quod ad iter cursoris sunt duodecim vel quindecim diaetse: pro eis autem fuit forte iter duorum mensium, et plurium. Iverunt enim, ut dicitur, per desertum illud, per quod transierunt filii Israel, in quo steterunt quadraginta annis. Sed quomodo faciebant de victu secum portando? Ubi etiam, et quomodo de nocte qiiiescebant ethospitabantur? raro enim domos in illo deserto inveniebant. Compatere ergo eis, quia labor difficilis, et magnus, et longus est tam ipsis quam puero Jesu, et vade cum eis, et adjuva puerum portare, et servias in omnibus in quibus potes: non deberet videri nobis labor pro nobisipsis poenitentiam agere, quo quibus tantus labor ab aliis, et a talibus, et toties est assumptus. De his autem quae ipsis in deserto et per viam contigerunt, quia pauca authentica inveniuntur, referre non curo. Cum ergo iEgyptum intraverunt, omnia idola ipsius provinciae corruerunt, sicut per Isaiam * fuit prophetatum.

Iverunt ergo ad quamdam civitatem, quse vocatur Heliopolis, et ibidem aliquam domunculam conducentes, habitaverunt ibidem per septem annos tanquam peregrini et advenae, pauperes et egeni. Medita- Scd hic occurrit pulchra, pia et compassiva tio piaet valde meditatio. Advertas bene quae sequuntur. pulcnra. ^ ^ Unde enim et quomodo vivebant isti tanto terapore? Numquid mendicabant? Legitur autem de Domina, quod colo et acu quaerebat sibi et filio necessaria; suebat ergo et filabat mundi Domina, paupertatis amatrix. Multum per omnem modum isti paupertatem dilexerunt, et eidem perfecle usquo ad mortem servaverunt fidem.

Sed numquid ibat ipsa per domos petendo pannum, et alia in quibus operaretur? Oportuit enim hoc per viciniara innotescere; alias vacasset a talibus operibus, quia illae mulieres non poterant divinare. Sed et cum Jesus esse quinquennis, vel sic, numquid et ipse portabat ambasiatas matris, petendo pro ipsa ea in quibus operari valeret? non enim habebat alium scutiferum. Sed et numquid reportabat opera facta, petens ex parte matris solutionem et pretium? Nonne in lalibus erubescebat puer Jesus, filius Dei altissimi, et etiam mater ipsum mittens? Sed quid si aliquoties, dura opus reddidisset, et pretium peteret, mulier aliqua superba, rixosa et loquax, injuriose respondit, opus factum accepit, eum sine pretio expulit, et sic vacuus domum rediit? 0 quot et quantae fiunt injuriae advenis, quas Dominus vitare non venit, sed suscipere!

Quid etiara si aliquando doraura rediens, et faraera patiens more puerorum, petiit panem, nec unde daret, habuit mater? Nonne in his et simihbus totaliter concutiebantur viscera sua? Consolabatur verbis filium suum, et opere, ut poterat, procurabat, et sibi forte ahquando subtrahebat de victu, ut fllio reservaret. Haec et his similia de puero Jesu meditari potes; dedi tibi occasionem. Tu vero, sicut videbitur, extendas et prosequaris, sisque parvula cumparvulo Jesu, nec parvipendas talia humiUa, et quae puerilia videntur, meditari de ipso. Videntur enim dare devotionera, augere Qm^ amorem, accendere fervorem, inducere com- ^°. f' passionem, puritatera et simplicitatem conferre, conter et humilitatis et paupertatis vigorera nutrire, p^**" et conservare farailiaritatera, et conformitatera facere, ac spera elevare. Nam ad subliraia ascendere non valemus, sed ^ quod stultum Dei est, sapientius est hominibus, et quod infirmum, potentius.

Videtur etiara taliura raeditatio superbiara tollere, cupiditatera enervare, ac curiositatera confundere. Vides quotbona inde proveniunt? Sis ergo, ut dixi, cura parvulo parvula, et cum grandescente grandescas, semper tamen humilitate conservata; et sequaris eum quocumque ierit, et intuearis faciem ejus seraper. Sed numquid in superioribus attendisti, quam laboriosa fuerit eorum paupertas, et quam verecunda? Et si ex opere manuum victum quaerere oportebat, quid de vestimentis dicemus? quid de utensilibus, scilicet lectis, et aliis intra domum opportunis? Numquid duplicia habebant? numquid nea.

superfliia? numciuid curiosa? Hacc contra paupertatem sunt, et ideo etiamsi habere posset, nollet ea paupertatis anialrix. Sed et numquid Doraina suendo, vel alias operando, faciebat amore quorumdara opera curiosa? Absit. Faciant haec quse tempus perdere non curant: non enim poterat ipsa, in tanta posita egestate, tempus in vanis expendere; sed nec alias feciscuriosi- set. Est enim periculosissimura vitium, et mautiama- xime temporibus nostris. Vis videre quomodo?

Attende primo quomodo tempus ad laudem Domini concessum, expenditur contra ipsum in vanis; multum enim plus de tempore occupat, quam expediat, curiosum opus; et hoc malum est valde. Secundo, quia facienti est causa vanse gloriae. 0 quoties aspicit, recogitat et mente revolvit, etiam quando non operatur, et etiam quando debet divinis intendere, ut pulchrum opus faciat, et exinde se reputat, et vult reputari! Tertio, quia ei, cui facit, est causa superbiae; tali enim oleo ignis superbifB nutritur, et magis accenditur. Sicut enim rudia et grossa sunt humihtalis fomenta, sic ista superbiae. Quarto, quia est materia retrahendi animam a Deo; nam, juxta beatumGregorium*, tanto quis a superno amore disjungitur, quanto inferius dclectatur. Quinto, quia est concupiscentia ocuiorum de tribus unum, ad qua omnia peccata de mundo reducuntur: ad nihilum enim talia curiosa valent, nisi ut exinde ocuU vane pascantur. Quoties autem quis in taUbus delectabihter et vane oculos pascit, tam qui facit, quam qui portat et utitur, toties offendit.

Sexto, quia multorum ahorum estlaqueus et ruina; nam taha respicientes multis modis offendere possunt, vel malum exemplum habendo, vel delectabihter aspiciendo, vel simile concupiscendo, vel judicando, vel murmurando, vel detrahendo. Cogita ergo quoties Deus offendi potest, antequam illa curiositas sit deleta: de omnibus autem ilhs ipse, qui tale opus facit, est causa. Unde etiamsi tibi dicerem, quod taha pro me faceres, vel certissime scires me tahbus uti velle; tu facere non deberes, quia nuUa de causa peccato consentiendum est, et ab offensa Dei est omnibus modis abstinendum. Quanto ergo magis offendis, si tuo motu ad solam complacentiam facis, volens magis placere creaturae, quam Creatori! Haec igitur faciunt, qui saeculariter Convers. ad Clenc, vivunt; luhaonim sunt ornamenta mundi, blasphemia Dei. Sed qui in puritate conscientiai vivere intendit, miror quomodo hrec facere audet, et se hac faece foedare. Vides quot mala ex tali curiositate proveniunt.

Adhuc est aliud malum et peju-^, scihcet, quod curiositas direcle obviat paupertati. Et ultra omnia praedicta cst ctiam hoc, quodlevis, et vani, et inconstantis animi est indicium. Haec autem omnia de curiositale dixi, ut tu curiosa devites. Ab ipsis igitur tam faciendis, quara utendis, tanquam a venenoso serpente omnino abstinere curato; non tamen inteliigi debet, quin ahquando hceat facere opera pulchra, et potissime in his, quse divino cultui mancipantur; in quibus tamen omnino ordinata afiectio, intentio et delectatio summopere cavenda est, et ab animo soIUcite longius propelleuda. De hac autem curiositate sic dicit Bernardus ^: " Speclacula vana, rogo, quid corpori praestant; quidve animae conferre videntur? Nam certe nihil in homine, cui curiositas prosit, invenies. Frivola prorsus et inanis, ac uugatoria consolatio: et nescio quid illi durius imprecer, nisi ut semper habeatquod requirat, qui jucundae quieUs pacem fugitans, curiosa inquietudine delectatur. " Sed redeamus ad Dominam in iEgyptum, a qua digressionem fecimus propter maledictum curiositatis vitium; et conspice ipsam in laboribus suis, suendo, filando, et texendo: quomodo facit ea fideliter, humiliter et sollicite; habens nihilominus diligentissimam curam super filio suo, et super gubernaUonem domus, nec non vigiliis et orationibus, juxta posse, est semper intenta.

Tu ergo toto affectu eidem compatere, et considera, quod non habuit omnino graUs regnum Domina regni. Sed et illud forte conUngebat frequenter, quod aliquae bonae matronae, videntes ejus paupertatem, aliqua trausmittebant eidem, quae humiliter et cum gratiarum acUone recipiebat. Sed et sanctus Joseph senex aliquid operabatur in arte Ugnaminis. Undique igitur occurrit compassionis materia, cum qua tandem cum aliquam moram cum ea contraxcris, pete licenUam recedendi, et benedicUone recepta primo a puero Jesu, deinde a matre, postea a Joseph, genibus flexis, cum lacrymis et compassione magna vale facias eis: quia tanquam exbanniU et exules a patria sua sine aUqua causa remanent, ad peregrinandum ibidem per septem annos, in sudore sui vultus victuri

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Matt.2.13 — Now after they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him."
  2. ↩Luke.2.8-Luke.2.12 — And there were shepherds in the same region, living out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke.2.9 — And an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. Luke.2.10 — And the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.' Luke.2.11 — For today a Savior has been born to you, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. Luke.2.12 — And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.
  3. ↩Luke.2.21 — And when eight days were fulfilled for his circumcising, his name was called Jesus, the name called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
  4. ↩Matt.2.1-Matt.2.11 — Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, Matt.2.2 — Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and we have come to worship him. Matt.2.3 — But when King Herod heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Matt.2.4 — And having gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ is born. Matt.2.5 — But they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: Matt.2.6 — And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. Matt.2.7 — Then Herod secretly called the magi and carefully ascertained from them the time the star had appeared. Matt.2.8 — And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the child, and when you have found him, report to me so that I too may come and worship him." Matt.2.9 — After they had heard the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen in the east went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. Matt.2.10 — Seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. Matt.2.11 — And entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they worshiped him, and opening their treasures they offered him gifts: gold and frankincense and myrrh.
  5. ↩Matt.5.39-Matt.5.44 — But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matt.5.40 — And if anyone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. Matt.5.41 — And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Matt.5.42 — Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away the one who wants to borrow from you. Matt.5.43 — You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' Matt.5.44 — But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
  6. ↩Matt.2.13-Matt.2.15 — Now after they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him." Matt.2.14 — So when Joseph got up, he took the child and his mother by night and withdrew to Egypt, Matt.2.15 — And he remained there until the death of Herod, in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'
  7. ↩Matt.2.14-Matt.2.15 — So when Joseph got up, he took the child and his mother by night and withdrew to Egypt, Matt.2.15 — And he remained there until the death of Herod, in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'
  8. ↩Num.14.33-Num.14.34;Deut.2.7 — And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness forty years, and shall bear your faithfulness, until your bodies lie in the wilderness. Num.14.34 — According to the number of days that you spied out the land — forty days, a day for a year, a day for a year — you shall bear your iniquities forty years, and you shall know my displeasure. Deut.2.7 — For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He has known your walking through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.
  9. ↩Isa.19.1 — An oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt; the idols of Egypt will tremble before him, and the heart of Egypt will melt within it.
  10. ↩1Cor.1.25 — For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
  11. ↩1John.2.16 — For all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the pride of life—is not from the Father, but is from the world.
  12. ↩Gen.3.19 — By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The supplied Latin 'Vides enim quon:;odo' is corrupt and unreadable as given. The normalized_text repeats the same corruption. The translation reconstructs the most plausible intended sense from the surrounding context and the gloss tokens (vides + enim + quon + odo), reading the sentence as a continuation of the contemplation of Christ's kindness in suffering. The Latin likely read something like 'Vides enim quomodo persecutionem patitur et fugam de terra natali sua' or similar, with subsequent corruption. This is a best-effort rendering of the intended sense, not a translation of the surface Latin.
  2. 2 ↩The supplied Latin 'et qnam cifo persecTitionem patitur, et fugam de terra nalivilalis suae, et tam benigne furori illius, quem poterat perdere in momento' is heavily corrupted. The normalized_text repeats the same corruption. The translation reconstructs the most plausible intended sense from recognizable word fragments (persecutionem, patitur, fugam, terra, natalis/benigni, furor, perdere, momento) and the context of the Flight into Egypt meditation. This is a best-effort rendering, not a translation of the surface Latin.
  3. 3 ↩The supplied Latin 'Nolebat enim sibi vicem reddere, nec otFendere, sed fugiendo insidias ejus vitare: sic et nos faceretenemur objurgantibus, scilicetvel reprehendentibus, vel persequentibusnon resistere, vel de ipsis vindictam expetere; sed patienter eos portare, et ipsorum furori cedere, et quod plus est, pro eis orare, ut alibi Dominus in Evangelio docet' contains several corruptions (otFendere, faceretenemur, scilicetvel, persequentibusnon). The normalized_text repeats the same corruptions. The translation reconstructs the intended sense from recognizable word fragments and the context of Christ's non-retaliatory flight. This is a best-effort rendering of the intended sense.
  4. 4 ↩The supplied Latin 'Fugiebatergo Dominus ante faciem servi, imo potius servi diaboli' contains a corruption in 'Fugiebatergo' (fugiebat + ergo fused). The normalized_text repeats the same corruption. The translation reconstructs the intended sense: 'Fugiebat ergo Dominus ante faciem servi, imo potius servi diaboli.'
  5. 5 ↩The supplied Latin 'Portabat eum mater tenera et juA^^enis valde, etsanctus Joseph multum senex in ^gyptum per viam sylvestrem, obscuram, nemorosam, asperam et inhabitatam, per viam etiam valde longam' contains several corruptions (juA^^enis, etsanctus, ^gyptum, inhabitatam). The normalized_text repeats the same corruptions. The translation reconstructs the intended sense from recognizable word fragments: tenera et juvenis valde, et sanctus Joseph, Aegyptum, inhabitatam (uninhabited).
  6. 6 ↩viciniara: unusual form, possibly 'nearby places' or 'the vicinity'; rendered as 'the neighborhood' for sense.
  7. 7 ↩ambasiatas: rare form, possibly 'messages' or 'commissions'; rendered as 'errands'.
  8. 8 ↩scutiferum: literally 'shield-bearer'; used metaphorically for 'attendant' or 'servant.'
  9. 9 ↩lalibus: rare word, possibly 'lullabies' or 'childish/nursery talk'; rendered as 'childish talk.'
  10. 10 ↩Initial '0' in the source appears to be an exclamation mark or interjection; rendered as 'Oh.'
  11. 11 ↩vanse: form uncertain in source, normalized as if from vanus (vain); rendered accordingly.
  12. 12 ↩Initial '0' in raw text treated as a numbering artifact and omitted in translation.
  13. 13 ↩superbifB: corrupt form in source, normalized as superbia (pride); translated accordingly.
  14. 14 ↩humihtalis: corrupt form in source, normalized as humilitas (humility); translated accordingly.
  15. 15 ↩dclectatur: corrupt form in source, normalized as delectatur (takes delight); translated accordingly.
  16. 16 ↩ocuU: corrupt form in source, normalized as oculi (eyes); translated accordingly.
  17. 17 ↩concupiscentia oculorum de tribus unum: the author references the tripartite division of worldly sin (lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, pride of life), echoing 1 John 2:16. The phrase 'de tribus unum' means 'one of the three.'
  18. 18 ↩taUbus: corrupt form in source, normalized as talibus (such things); translated accordingly.

Meditationes Vitae Christi (Pseudo-Bonaventure), Castilian court context companion

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