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Chapter 28MedVC.1.28

De conversione Magdalenae, et aliis

The Humble Feast

Jesus accepts Simon's invitation, revealing His humble courtesy and love of poverty.

One day, a most distinguished Lord was invited by Simon the leper and went to dine with him.✦ He did this, as was his custom, both out of his courteous nature and out of the goodness and zeal he had for saving the souls for whom he had come down from heaven — for by eating with people and spending time with them, he drew them to love of himself, and also out of his love of poverty.✦ For he himself was utterly poor, and he took nothing for himself or his own from the wealth of this world.✦ So when he was invited, Jesus — the mirror of humility — received the invitation humbly and with care to give thanks, as the place and time required.

Magdalene's Tears at His Feet

Magdalene, pierced with sorrow and love, prostrates herself at Jesus' feet in tearful repentance.

But when Magdalena heard that he was reclining at the table in the house of Simon — she who had perhaps often heard him preaching before and had come to love him ardently, though she had not yet made this known — she was pierced inwardly with heartfelt sorrow for her sins and set ablaze with the fire of love for him. Considering that without him she could find no salvation, and unwilling to delay any longer, she made her way to the banquet. With her face bowed down and her eyes cast to the ground, she passed before the guests and did not stop until she reached the Lord, her beloved. And then at once she fell prostrate at his feet, filled with deep anguish and shame over her sins, pressing her face against his feet with a certain confidence — for within herself she already loved him above all things — and she began to weep and sob bitterly, while silently saying within herself: 'My Lord, I firmly believe, I know, and I confess that you are my God and my Lord.'✦✦ In many and great ways I have offended your majesty, and I have multiplied my sins beyond counting; but I, a wicked sinner, take refuge in your mercy.✦✦ I grieve and am pierced with compunction; I ask for forgiveness, ready to make amends for my sins, and I resolve never to depart from your obedience. I beg you — do not let me be turned away by you, for I know I have no other refuge, and I do not wish to have one, because I love you alone above all things.✦✦ Do not drive me away from you; but punish me for my sins, so that — ; yet I ask for mercy.

The Wiping and Anointing

Magdalene washes the Lord's feet with her tears, wipes them with her hair, and anoints them with precious ointment.

Meanwhile, her tears flowed down in abundance and bathed the Lord's feet, and washed them.✦ From this you can see clearly that the Lord Jesus went about unshod — was going. At last, ceasing from her weeping, and when she — — she said, judging it unworthy, because — tears — She had touched the Lord's feet, and wiped them with her own hair.✦ And so she used her hair, because she had nothing else more precious with her to wipe them with; and also because she intended to turn to good use the things she had once used for vanity — and also, so as not to remove — from the Lord's feet; and with love growing, she kept kissing those same feet tenderly, and often. And because the Lord's own feet were made rough from traveling, she anointed them with precious ointment.✦

The Lord's Patient Reception and Simon's Secret Judgment

Jesus patiently receives Magdalene, pauses the meal, and refutes Simon's hidden judgment with the parable of the debtors.

Look at her carefully, then, and as you meditate deeply on these things, consider her devotion — how singularly she was loved by the Lord, and how this was indeed a solemn feast. Look also at the Lord Jesus — how patiently he receives her, and how patiently he bears whatever she does. And he pauses from eating until the matter is finished. The guests also stop eating, and everyone marvels at this unusual sight. Simon, however, was judging him harshly in his heart, because he allowed himself to be touched by such a woman — as if he were not a prophet, or would not have recognized her. The Lord, however, responding to the thoughts of his heart, showed himself to be a true prophet, and by the example of the debtors he refuted him.

Forgiven Much, Loving Much

Jesus declares Magdalene's sins forgiven because of her great love and sends her in peace to a new life.

And wishing to show openly that all things are brought to completion in love, he said: 'Her many sins are forgiven, because she loved much.'✦ And he said to her: 'Go in peace.'✦ What a delightful and sweet word — how gladly Mary Magdalene heard it, and how joyfully she departed! And having turned perfectly to him, from then on she lived a holy and honorable life, and she steadfastly clung both to him and to his mother.

Love Covers a Multitude of Sins

The reader is exhorted to imitate Magdalene's love, which restores peace with God, and Bernard's testimonies on love are cited.

Therefore, meditate on these things carefully, and deign to imitate so great a love, which is here especially commended by the Lord both in word and in deed.1 For here you plainly see that love restores peace between God and the sinner.2 Hence blessed Peter also says that love covers a multitude of sins.✦3 Therefore, since love shapes all the virtues and none of them pleases God without love, strive with all your strength to possess it — for it is love that makes you acceptable to your bridegroom, Christ Jesus. So that you may do so, I will bring forward some testimonies about it into the open.45 Bernard therefore says of it: "The most excellent gift is love — plainly incomparable — which the heavenly bridegroom so often took care to press upon his new bride, at one point saying: 'By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another'; and at another: 'A new commandment I give you, that you love one another'; and again: 'This is my commandment, that you love one another.'"✦✦✦678 And likewise, praying that they would be one, just as he himself and the Father are one.✦9

The Measure of the Soul Is Love

Bernard teaches that the soul's greatness is measured by its love, from the smallest social charity to the broadest universal benevolence.

"And a little later: 'After all, what do we think can be compared to this, which is placed above martyrdom even, and above faith that moves mountains?'"✦ "This is therefore what I mean: 'Peace be with you — let it come from within you.' And everything that seems to threaten from outside does not frighten, because it cannot harm."✦ "The same author: 'The size of each soul should be measured by the degree of love it possesses. To give an example: the soul that has much love is great; the one that has little, is small; and the one that has none at all is nothing at all' — as the Apostle says, 'If I do not have love, I am nothing.'"✦ "But if it begins to have even the smallest amount — so that it takes care to love those who love it, and to greet its brothers, and those who greet it — I would already say that such a soul is not nothing, since it retains, on the principle of giving and receiving, at least a social form of love." "And yet, according to the Lord's own words, what does the penny accomplish?"✦ "I would not call such a soul broad or great, but plainly narrow and small — a soul I have found to contain so little love." "But if it grows and advances to the point that, passing beyond the boundaries of this narrow and anxious love, it grasps with the full freedom of the Spirit the wide horizons of undeserved goodness — so that with the broad embrace of a good will it stretches itself out to include everyone, loving each person as itself — would it not rightly be said to it: 'What more could you have done?'"✦ "Indeed, the soul that makes itself so broad — that carries, I say, a vast bosom of love — embraces everyone, even those it knows no bond of fleshly connection to, with no hope of receiving any advantage from them, under no obligation from any favor received, bound by no debt except that one of which it is said: 'Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another.'"✦

The Kingdom of Love Without Boundaries

The soul that presses forward in love even toward enemies will be made equal to the breadth of heaven, and love enables all suffering to be borne for God and neighbor.

But if you would add every effort to press forward into the kingdom of love, so that as a devout conqueror you may seize hold of it and occupy it right up to its farthest boundaries — while taking care not to shut the inward mercies of compassion even toward your enemies, but doing good also to those who hate you, and praying for those who persecute and slander you, and striving to be at peace even with those who hate peace — then at last the breadth of heaven and its height will truly match the breadth and height of your soul, and not unequally; and that beauty will be fulfilled in you which is spoken of: "Who stretches out the heavens like a skin."✦✦ 104:2.✦ …heaven, in which the Most High — immense, boundless, and glorious — already dwells with a breadth, a height, and a beauty that fill us with wonder, and not only dwells worthily but roams through it with spacious freedom. Thus far Bernard. You have seen, then, how useful and how necessary the virtue of love is — without which it is surely impossible to please God, and with which anyone at all is pleasing without doubt.✦ Therefore, with your whole heart, your whole mind, and all your strength, strive to possess this love, which will gladly enable you to bear all things hard and harsh for God's sake and for your neighbor.✦

Read the original Latin

Curialissimus Dominus invitatur quadam die * a Simone leproso; ivit ad prandendum cum ^ Liic, vii, H et ^ Maith. , IX, 18 et eo: quod facere solitus erat, tum ex sua curialitate, tum ex benignitate et zelo, quem habebat ad salvandas animas, pro quibus de coelo descenderat, unde comedendo cum hominibus et conversando cum eis, ad amorem sui eos attrahebat; tum eliam ex amore paupertatis. Nam et ipse pauperrimus erat, et de mundi hujus substantia pro se et suisnihil sumpserat. Humiliter ergo et cura gratiarum actione, speculum humilitatis Jesus, cum invitabatur, recipiebat pro loco et tempore. Audiens autem Magdalena, quod in domo Simonis praedicti recumberet, quoe jam forte ipsum soepe preedicanlem audierat, et ardenter amabal, licet nondum hoc propalasset, tacta dolore cordis intrinsecus pro peccatis suis, et amoris ejus igne succensa, considerans quod sine ipso salatem oblinere non poterat, et amplius differre non volens, perrexit ad locum coavivii, facieque incliaata, ac oculis in terram demissis, ante convivas transiens, non quievit donec pervenit ad Dominum ac dilectum suum; et tunc illico ad pedes ejus prostrata, visceroso dolore paiiter et rubore repleta de peccatis suis, procumbens et ponens vultum super ipsius pedes, cum confidentia quadam, quia jam intra se eum super omnia dilige])at, fortiter fletibus atque singultibus abundare, ac tacite intra se dicere: Domine mi, firmiter credo, scio atque confiteor, vos Deum ac Dominum esse meum. In multis autem et magnis offendi majestatem vestram, et multiplicavi peccala super numerum arenoe maris; sed ad vestram misericordiam confugio iniqua et peccatrix. Doleo et compungor, veniam peto, emendare peccata parata, et nunquam a vestra obedientia discedere propono. Non patiar, quaeso, repulsam a vobis, quia aliud refugium nec me posse habere scio, nec hibere volo, quia vos solum super omnia diligo.

Non ergo me repellatis a vobis; sed de meis sceleribus me punite, ut hbet; misericordiamtamenpeto. Interim autem lacrymae decurrentes largiter, pedes Domini balneaverunt et laverunt. Unde hic manifeste habere potes, quod Dominus Jesus discalceatus istns ibat. Tandem a fletu cessans, et cum perpen^? *^dit, indignum judicans, quod sucfi lacrymae o*t. pedes Domini contigissent, capillis suis eos abstersit. Ideo autem capiilis, quia secum aliud pretiosius non habebat, quo eos tergeret; et etiam quia ea quibus ad vanitatem usa fuerat, ad utilitatem convertere intendcbat, et etiam ne vultura a pedibus Domini elongaret; et amore crescente, osculabatur eosdem amanler et saepe. Et quia etiam pedes ipsius Domini propter itinera squalidi erant, eos ungebat pretioso unguento.

Conspice ergo bene ipsam, et super his morose mediteris ob devotioncm ejus, quas ita singulariter a Domino fuit dilecta, et etiam quia solemne festum fuit hoc valde. Conspice etiam Dominum Jesum, quam patienter suscipit eara, et quam patienter sustinet quidquid facit. et quiescit a comedendo, doncc negotium compleatur. Cessant etiam convivae, et omnes super hac novitate mirantur. Simon autem vehementer eum judicabat in corde suo, quod a tali foemina se permittebat tangi, quasi non esset propheta, nec eam cognosceret. Dominus autem cogitationibus cordis ejus respondens, se verum ostendit prophetam, et exemplo debitorum convicit. Et volens aperte demonstrare, quod omnia in dilectione consummantur, dixit: Dimittuntur ei peccata multa, quoniam dilexit multum. Et ad eam dixit: Vade in pace.

0 verbum delectabile et suave, quam libenter illud Magdalena audivit, et quam jucunde recessit! Et perfecte ad eum conversa, deinceps sancte et honeste vixit, ac eidem et matri ejus perseveranter adhaesit. Meditare ergo haec diligenter, et tantam charitatem imitari digneris, quae hic maxime verbo et opere sic a Domino commendatur. Hic enim expresse habes, quod charitas inter Deum et peccatorem pacem reformat. Unde et beatus Petrus dicit \ quod charitas operit multitudinem peccatorum. Itaque cum charitas omnes virtutes informet, nullaque Deo placeat sine charitate; ut ad ipsam habendam tota virtute nitaris, quae te sponso tuo Christo Jesu acceptam faciat, aliquas de ipsa auctoritates adducam in medium. Dicit ergo de ipsa Bernardus ^; " Charisma peroptimum charitas est, plane incomparabile, quod novae sponsae coelestis sponsus toties inculcare curabat, nunc quidem dicens ^: In hoc cognoscent omnes, quod mei estis discipuli, si dilectionem habueritis ad invicem; nunc vero *: Mandatum novum do vobis, ut diligatis invicem; et ^*: floc est prceceptum meum, ut diligatis invicem. Itemque orans ® unum eos fore, sicut ipse et Pater unum sunt.

" Et paulo post: " Denique quidnam huic comparandum putamus, qu8B ipsi praefertur martyrio ac fidei transferenti montes? Hoc est ergo quod dico: Pax vobis a vobis sitj et omne quod extrinsecus minari videtur non terret, quia non nocet?" Idem *: " Quantitas cujusque animae eestimetur de mensura charitatis, quam habet: ut, verbi gratia, quae multuin habet charitatis, magna sit; quae parum, parva; quee vero nihil> nihil, dicente Apostolo ^: Si charitatem non habeo, nihil sum. Quod si quantulumcumque habere coeperit, ut saltem diligentes se diligere curet, ac salutare vel fratres suos, et eos qui se salutant; jam nonnihil quidem illam animam dixerim, quae in ratione dati et recepti socialem saltem retinet charitatem. Veruratamen, juxta sermonem Domini *, quid arwpUus facit? Nec amplam proinde, nec magnam, sed plane angustam modicamque censuerim animam, quam adeo modicee charitatis esse cognoverim. At * si grandescat et proficiat, ita quod transiens limites angusti hujus obnoxiique amoris, latos fines bonitatis gratuitae tota hbertate spiritus apprehendat, quatenus largo quodam gremio bonae voluntatis, ad omnem seipsam curet extendere proximum, diligendo unumquemque tanquam seipsum; numquid jam illi recte dicetur: Quid amflius fads? Quippe quee seipsam tam amplam facit, amplum, inquam, gerit charitatis sinum, quee complectitur universos, etiam quibus nulla se novit carnis necessitudine junctam, nuUa spe percipiendi commodi cujusquam illeclam, nulla percepti redhibitioneobnoxiam, nuUo denique adstrictam debito, nisi illo sane de quo dicitur '": Nemini quidquam debeatis, nisi ut invicem diligatis.

Verum si adjicias etiam usquequaque vim facere regno charitatis, ut usque ad ultimos ejus terminos occupare illud pius invasor praevaleas, dum ne inimicis quidem viscera claudenda pietatis existimes, benefacias ^ his quoque qui te oderunt, ores pro persequentibus et calumniantibus tc, nec non et "^ cum ipsis qui oderunt pacem, esse pacificus studeas, tunc prorsus latitudiai coeli et altitudini, latitudo tuae animae, et altitudo non dispar, sed nec dissimilispulchritudo; impleturque demum in ea qiiod dicitur *: Extendens coslum sicut pel— " l>sa/. ciiv, 2. lem, in quo jam mirae latitudinis, aUitudinis et pulchritudinis coelo, summus et immensus atque gloriosus non modo dignanter habitat, sed spatiose deambulabat. " Hucusque Bernardus. Vidisti ergo quam sit utilis, quamque necessaria charitaUs virtus, sine qua profecto impossibile est placere Deo, cum qua sine dubio placet quicumque. Igilur toto corde, tota mente, totaque virtute studeas ipsam habere, quae te libenter faciet omnia dura et aspera pro Deo portare, et proximo

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Luke.7.36-Luke.7.50 — Now one of the Pharisees kept asking him to eat with him, and when Jesus entered the Pharisee's house, he reclined at table. Luke.7.37 — And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner, having learned that he was reclining in the house of the Pharisee, brought an alabaster flask of ointment Luke.7.38 — and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Luke.7.39 — Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, 'If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is: that she is a sinner.' Luke.7.40 — And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he said, "Teacher, speak." Luke.7.41 — There were two debtors to a certain lender; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Luke.7.42 — Since neither of them had the means to repay him, he graciously canceled the debt for both. Which of them, therefore, will love him more? Luke.7.43 — Simon answered and said, 'I suppose the one to whom the more was forgiven.' And he said to him, 'You have judged correctly.' Luke.7.44 — Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. Luke.7.45 — You gave me no kiss, but she has not stopped kissing my feet since I arrived. Luke.7.46 — You did not anoint my head with oil, but this woman has anointed my feet with ointment. Luke.7.47 — Therefore I tell you, her many sins are forgiven, as her great love shows. But the one who is forgiven little loves little. Luke.7.48 — And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Luke.7.49 — And those who were reclining with him began to say among themselves, 'Who is this who even forgives sins?' Luke.7.50 — But he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
  2. ↩Luke.7.34 — The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'
  3. ↩2Cor.8.9 — For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
  4. ↩Luke.7.37-Luke.7.38 — And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner, having learned that he was reclining in the house of the Pharisee, brought an alabaster flask of ointment Luke.7.38 — and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
  5. ↩Luke.7.47 — Therefore I tell you, her many sins are forgiven, as her great love shows. But the one who is forgiven little loves little.
  6. ↩Gen.22.17 — because I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore, and your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies;
  7. ↩Ps.40.12 — But you, O LORD, do not withhold your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will guard me continually.
  8. ↩Ps.73.25 — Whom have I in heaven but you? And with you I desire nothing on earth.
  9. ↩Ps.16.2 — I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."
  10. ↩Luke.7.38 — and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
  11. ↩Luke.7.38 — and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
  12. ↩Luke.7.37-Luke.7.38 — And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner, having learned that he was reclining in the house of the Pharisee, brought an alabaster flask of ointment Luke.7.38 — and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
  13. ↩Luke.7.47 — Therefore I tell you, her many sins are forgiven, as her great love shows. But the one who is forgiven little loves little.
  14. ↩Luke.7.50 — But he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
  15. ↩1Pet.4.8 — Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, for love covers a multitude of sins.
  16. ↩John.13.35 — By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
  17. ↩John.13.34 — A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
  18. ↩John.15.12 — This is my commandment: that you love one another, just as I have loved you.
  19. ↩John.17.21 — that they all may be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you; that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me.
  20. ↩1Cor.13.2 — And if I have prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
  21. ↩John.20.19 — On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."
  22. ↩1Cor.13.2 — And if I have prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
  23. ↩Mark.12.42;Luke.21.2 — And a poor widow came and threw in two small copper coins, which make up a quadrans. Luke.21.2 — He also saw a certain poor widow casting in two small copper coins there.
  24. ↩Luke.10.36 — Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the one who fell among the robbers?
  25. ↩Rom.13.8 — Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves the other has fulfilled the law.
  26. ↩Ps.143.2 — And do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you.
  27. ↩Matt.5.44 — But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
  28. ↩Ps.104.2 — You wrap yourself in light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent curtain.
  29. ↩1Cor.13.2 — And if I have prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
  30. ↩Deut.6.5;Matt.22.37 — And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. Matt.22.37 — 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.'

Notes

  1. 1 ↩charitatem rendered as 'love' per lexeme policy default for charitas
  2. 2 ↩charitas rendered as 'love' per lexeme policy default
  3. 3 ↩charitas rendered as 'love' per lexeme policy default
  4. 4 ↩charitas rendered as 'love' throughout per lexeme policy default
  5. 5 ↩Itaque rendered as 'Therefore' to capture the inferential force
  6. 6 ↩charitas rendered as 'love' per lexeme policy default; dilectio also rendered as 'love' per policy
  7. 7 ↩floc (token 45) is an unusual/corrupt form; likely a textual variant or corruption of an original word. Translated as 'again' to preserve the connective sense of the passage, treating it as a transitional marker introducing a third quotation.
  8. 8 ↩Three scriptural quotations embedded in Bernard's discourse: John 13:35 ('In hoc cognoscent omnes...'), John 13:34 ('Mandatum novum do vobis...'), and John 15:12 ('Hoc est praeceptum meum...'). All three are candidates pending Moses resolution.
  9. 9 ↩Allusion to John 17:21 (Christ's high-priestly prayer for unity). Candidate pending Moses resolution.

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