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Chapter 37Ansl.1.37

ORATIO XXXVII. AD DEUM.

The Fount of Mercy and the Thirst for God

Anselm opens by addressing Christ as the fount of life and mercy, then traces events from the Incarnation through Christ's infancy, drawing each mystery into a personal prayer for the soul's cleansing, worship, and spiritual transformation.

Lord Jesus, most kind, fount of life, fount of mercy — the fount from which all the saints drink, and drink their fill, drunk with an ineffable sweetness, living in an eternal satiety — grant that through their merits, in this present life, I may so always thirst for you, that in the age to come, with those same saints of yours, I may be able to be eternally satisfied in you. And so I pray for your most sweet mercy, most pious, most gentle Lord Jesus: feed my wretched soul with the remembrance of your benefits, so that it does not fail on its pilgrimage, weighed down by the heaviest weight of its own sins. Your goodness created me, Lord, and through your baptism recreated me; it has patiently awaited me, daily sinning, up to this point. The power of your divinity made me; the humility of your humanity restored me. See, Lord Jesus Christ — your grace being the giver — you who are my Lord, my God: see, I remember that, just as you foretold through your saints from the beginning of the world, born of the holy Virgin, you took true flesh from her, you truly sucked the breasts of the Virgin Mother: feed my sinful soul with your holy flesh, satisfy it with your sweetness. You were laid in a manger, wrapped in swaddling cloths: wrap my soul in the swaddling cloths of your mercy, so that it does not remain bare before you. Shepherds and Magi coming from the east worshipped you lying in the manger: make me, Lord, faithfully to worship you, now seated in heaven. You allowed your flesh to be circumcised: circumcise my mind from every sin.

Christ's Hidden Life and Public Ministry as Pattern for the Soul

Anselm contemplates Christ's presentation in the temple, his subjection to his parents, his baptism, teaching, miracles, fasting, and hunger, asking that each event become a source of grace and imitation in the life of the praying soul.

You were presented in the temple; Simeon took you into his arms — that is, into his embrace — present me to your holy majesty, so that I may embrace you with the arms of my soul.✦ You were subject to your parents in your purity — make me subject to you, and to all those to whom your providence has placed me under.✦ You were baptized by John; in your own infancy you baptized me — yet after your holy baptism I have been defiled many times. Through true confession and penance, baptize me again.✦ You commanded sinners to do penance; you promised indulgence to those who repent worthily — make me repent for my sins in such a way that I may deserve to obtain their forgiveness from you. You taught truth, gentleness, and justice — teach and enlighten my heart, so that I may deserve to be one of those whom you, teaching within, have enlightened. Miracles, mighty works, and healings — in the bodies and souls of people, as much as it pleased you, you performed. Heal the weaknesses of my soul, because I have sinned against you. You fasted for my sake — make me abstain from every sin for the love of you.✦ You hungered for my sake — make me truly hunger for you, who are the true bread.✦

The Passion Begun: From Weariness to Scourging

Anselm meditates on Christ's weariness, the washing of feet, the Eucharistic meal, his betrayal, binding, mocking, and scourging, pleading with each mystery for the soul's strengthening, purification, and deliverance from sin's deserved punishments.

You were wearied on my account — strengthen me, restore the weariness of my soul. Sweetest and most merciful Lord Jesus Christ, when you dined with your friends you washed their feet; with your body and blood you fed them. Wash my body and soul from every stain, and with that same body and blood of yours — lest I fail — strengthen me.✦✦ What more can I say, Lord Jesus Christ? You are my life, my salvation, my sweetness, my strength, my gladness, my joy, my redemption, my resurrection. You were handed over for my sake — don't hand my soul over to the beasts.✦ You were bound for my sake — loose the bonds of my sins. You were mocked for my sake — free me from the illusions of demons. Sweetest Lord, you alone — a man without sin — were scourged for my sake. Free me from the scourges that my iniquities deserve.✦✦

The Cross, the Pierced Side, and the Harrowing of Hell

Anselm prays through the crowning with thorns, the carrying of the cross, the crucifixion and piercing of Christ's side, the promise to the thief, the vinegar offered, the Good Shepherd's self-giving, and the liberation of the holy dead, drawing each mystery into a plea for the soul's cleansing and salvation.

Most merciful Lord, you were crowned with thorns for my sake — take away from me the thorns of my sins.✦ Most kind Lord Jesus, you carried your cross upon your holy shoulders — make me follow you and, after you, carry my soul along.✦ Most high Lord, lifted up on the cross you drew all things to yourself — draw me to yourself.✦ Sweetest Lord, you allowed your hands and feet to be pierced with iron nails, your side to be opened with a lance, your blood to be poured out for sinners — through that same blood of yours, wash my soul from every sin, and remove from it every grief, through the distresses you endured for us.✦✦ Sweetest Lord, you received the request of the thief — receive the prayer of me, a sinner.✦ You were given vinegar to drink for my sake — fill my soul with the honey of your sweetness.✦ Good Shepherd, you laid down your life for your sheep — do not let my sinful soul perish and die.✦ You freed the souls of the devout from the underworld — free my soul from the condemnation of the wicked.✦

The Risen Lord and the Strengthening of Faith

Anselm concludes by contemplating Christ's resurrection, his appearances to the grieving disciples, and his eating and drinking with them, asking that the same risen Lord gladden and strengthen the soul of the servant in the faith of the holy resurrection.

Mightiest, most powerful Lord Jesus Christ, after you conquered death by rising from the dead, alive and immortal, you appeared to your disciples. They were grieving over your death, yet you gladdened them, eating and drinking often with them, and in the faith of your holy resurrection you strengthened their hearts. Gladden my soul, the soul of your servant, and strengthen it in the faith of your holy resurrection.✦✦1

Read the original Latin

Domine Jesu benignissime, fons vitae, fons misericordiae, de quo bibunt omnes sancti, bibunt et inebriantur ineffabili dulcedine, vivunt aeterna satietate, da mihi per merita eorum in praesenti vita sic te semper sitite, ut in futuro saeculo cum eisdem sanctis tuis ad te valeam aeternaliter satiari. Oro itaque dulcissimam misericordiam tuam, piissime, suavissime Domine Jesu, pasce miseram animam meam ex recordatione beneficiorum tuorum, ne deficiat in peregrinatione fatigata imo pondere peccatorum suorum. Tua me, Domine, bonitas creavit, et per baptismum tuum recreavit, patienter hactenus me quotidie peccantem exspectat. Potentia divinitatis tuae me fecit, humilitas humanitatis tuae me refecit. Ecce, Domine Jesu Christe, gratia tua donante, qui es Dominus meus, Deus meus, ecce recordor quia, sicut praenuntiasti per sanctos tuos ab initio mundi, natus de sancta Virgine veram ex ea carnem accepisti, Virginis matris ubera vere suxisti, pasce peccatricem animam meam tua sancta carne, satia illam tua dulcedine. In praesepio positus, pannis involutus es, involve meam animam pannis misericordiae tuae, ne remaneat nuda coram te. Pastores et ab oriente Magi venientes adoraverunt te in praesepio jacentem, fac me, Domine, te fideliter adorare jam in coelo sedentem. Permisisti circumcidi carnem tuam, circumcide ab omni peccato mentem meam.

Praesentatus es in templo, suscepit te Simeon in ulnas suas, id est in brachia sua, praesenta me sanctae majestati tuae, ut te complectar brachiis animae meae. Subditus eras parentibus in puritia tua, fac me tibi sudditum, et omnibus quibus me subjecerit dispositio tua. Baptizatus es a Joanne, in infantia tu baptizasti me, post baptismum tuum sanctum multoties pollutus sum, per veram confessionem et poenitentiam baptiza me. Jussisti peccatoribus agere poenitentiam, promisisti digne poenitentibus indulgentiam, fac me pro peccatis meis sic poenitere ut eorum veniam a te merear obtinere. Veritatem, mansuetudinem, justitiam docuisti, doce cor meum et illumina, ut unus ex eis esse merear quos tu docens interius illuminasti. Miracula, virtutes, sanitates in corporibus et animabus hominum, quantum tibi placuit, fecisti; sana languores animae meae, quia peccavi tibi. Jejunasti propter me, fac me abstinere ab omni peccato pro tuo amore. Esuriisti propter me, fac me te, qui panis es verus, veraciter esurire.

Fatigatus es propter me, robora, refice lassitudinem animae meae. Dulcissime et misericordissime Domine Jesu Christe, dum coenares cum amicis tuis, pedes eorum lavisti, corpore tuo et sanguine pavisti; corpus meum et animam ab omni sorde lava, et eodem corpore tuo et sanguine, ne deficiat, conforta. Quid amplius dicam, Domine Jesu Christe? Tu es vita mea, salus mea, dulcedo mea, fortitudo mea, laetitia mea, gaudium meum, redemptio mea, resurrectio mea. Tu propter me traditus es, ne tradas bestiis animam meam. Ligatus es propter me, solve ligamina peccatorum meorum. Illusus es propter me, libera me ab illusionibus daemonum. Dulcissime Domine, tu solus homo sine peccato flagellatus es propter me, libera me a flagellis quae merentur iniquitates meae.

Misericordissime Domine, spinis coronatus es propter me, spinas peccatorum meorum aufer a me. Domine Jesu benignissime, tu portasti super sanctos humeros tuos crucem tuam, fac me te sequi et post te portare animam meam. Altissime Domine, tu exaltatus in cruce traxisti omnia ad te, trahe me ad te. Dulcissime Domine, tu permisisti manus tuas et pedes clavis ferreis perforari, lancea latus tuum aperiri, sanguinem tuum pro peccatoribus effundi, per ipsum sanguinem tuum lava animam meam ab omnibus peccatis, et omnem dolorem ab ea tolle per angustias quas pro nobis sustinuisti. Dulcissime Domine, tu suscepisti petitionem latronis, suscipe orationem mei peccatoris. Aceto potatus es propter me, inebria animam meam melle dulcedinis tuae. Bone Pastor, tu posuisti pro tuis ovibus animam tuam, ne sinas perire et mori peccatricem animam meam. Liberasti de inferno animas piorum, libera animam meam a damnatione impiorum.

Fortissime, potentissime Domine Jesu Christe, tu postquam mortem vicisti, surgens a mortuis vivus et immortalis discipulis tuis apparuisti. Dolentes de tua morte laetificasti, manducans et bibens frequenter cum eis in fide sanctae resurrectionis tuae cor eorum solidasti, animam meam, animam servi tui laetifica et conforta in fide sanctae tuae resurrectionis.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Luke.2.25-Luke.2.32 — And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Luke.2.26 — And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Luke.2.27 — And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, Luke.2.28 — and he received him into his arms and blessed God and said, Luke.2.29 — Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace. Luke.2.30 — that my eyes have seen your salvation Luke.2.31 — which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples Luke.2.32 — a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.
  2. ↩Luke.2.51 — And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and he was subject to them. And his mother kept all these things in her heart.
  3. ↩Matt.3.13-Matt.3.17 — Then Jesus comes from Galilee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him. Matt.3.14 — But John tried to prevent him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' Matt.3.15 — But Jesus answered him, "Permit it now, for it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted him. Matt.3.16 — And when Jesus had been baptized, he immediately went up from the water. And behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. Matt.3.17 — And behold, a voice from the heavens said, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
  4. ↩Matt.4.1-Matt.4.2 — Then Jesus was led up into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by the Devil. Matt.4.2 — And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
  5. ↩John.6.35 — Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will not hunger, and the one who believes in me will never thirst."
  6. ↩John.13.4-John.13.5 — So he rose from supper, laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around himself. John.13.5 — Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, wiping them with the towel tied around him.
  7. ↩John.6.53-John.6.56 — So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves." John.6.54 — The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John.6.55 — For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. John.6.56 — The one who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.
  8. ↩Ps.22.13-Ps.22.21 — Many bulls surround me; the mighty ones of Bashan close in on me. Ps.22.14 — They have opened their mouths wide against me, like a ravening and roaring lion. Ps.22.15 — I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my bowels. Ps.22.16 — My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; and you lay me down in the dust of death. Ps.22.17 — For dogs have surrounded me; a company of evildoers has encircled me; they have pierced my hands and feet. Ps.22.18 — I will declare your name to my people; all my bones are exposed. They stare at me; they gloat over me. Ps.22.19 — They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. Ps.22.20 — But you, O LORD, do not be far off; my strength, hasten to help me. Ps.22.21 — Save my life from the sword, my only one from the power of the dog.
  9. ↩Isa.53.5 — But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
  10. ↩1Pet.2.24 — He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness — by whose wounds you were healed.
  11. ↩Matt.27.29;Mark.15.17 — And they twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' Mark.15.17 — And they clothed him in purple, and after twisting together a crown of thorns, they placed it on him.
  12. ↩Matt.16.24 — Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
  13. ↩John.12.32 — And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.
  14. ↩John.19.34;Zech.12.10 — But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. Zech.12.10 — And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication; and they will look to me, the one they pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves bitterly for a firstborn.
  15. ↩John.19.18 — There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, and Jesus in the middle.
  16. ↩Luke.23.42-Luke.23.43 — And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Luke.23.43 — And he said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
  17. ↩Matt.27.34;John.19.29 — They gave him wine to drink mixed with gall; and when he tasted it, he was not willing to drink. John.19.29 — A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and held it to his mouth.
  18. ↩John.10.11 — I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
  19. ↩1Pet.3.19 — in which also he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
  20. ↩Luke.24.30;John.21.13;Acts.10.41 — And it came to pass, when he was at table with them, he took the bread, blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to them. John.21.13 — Jesus comes and takes the bread and gives it to them, and likewise the fish. Acts.10.41 — not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God—to us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead
  21. ↩Luke.24.25;John.2.11 — And he said to them, 'O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!' John.2.11 — Jesus did this, the first of the signs, at Cana in Galilee, and revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Manducans et bibens frequenter cum eis echoes the Lukan and Johannine resurrection meals (Luke 24:30, 42–43; John 21:13); the participles describe Christ's tangible, bodily presence after the resurrection.

Orationes sive Meditationes — Collection for Princess Adeliza of Normandy companion

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