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Chapter 73Ansl.1.73

ORATIO LXXIII [ol. LXXI]. AD SANCTUM DUNSTANUM. Cum recordatione miraculorum ejus.

The Soul's Desperate Plight

The soul, overwhelmed by fear of judgment, confesses its sins and finds no advocate to defend it before the Judge.

Holy Dunstan, sweet to call upon and kind to hear, generous in coming to the rescue: you have never been an uncertain refuge for those who flee to you, you have never been an unprepared help for those who cry out to you. Holy, kind, and faithful Dunstan, look on the misery of my soul. If you will but look, if you will attend to my calamity and my misery, you will surely not hold back the depths of your mercy. My soul is tormented by fear, by trembling, by horror. It fears, it trembles, and it recoils from the enormous punishments it deserves — and there is nowhere it can flee, standing as it does before the judge. It stands alone. There is no one to act on its behalf. My life is being examined — and what is found deserves damnation. Good deeds are demanded — and yet they are scarcely found, if any are found at all. The charges are brought forward. They cannot be denied — so many, so serious are the offenses that they shut out all hope of pardon. The judge demands long-suffering patience on his own part, yet all these charges obtain nothing but a stubborn refusal to repent. Accusers surround me. They repeat and repeat again, they bring up and lay out the charges that have been reported.

No One to Answer for the Accused

The wretched soul is accused on every side with no defender, while torturers stand ready to seize her once condemnation is pronounced.

It is accused from every side, and excused by no one. Cruel and horrifying torturers stand ready and wait, so that once the sentence of condemnation is handed down, they can quickly seize her to be tortured. Overwhelmed by such a mass of miseries, the wretched soul searches and looks around, and see: there is no one who will rise up and answer in her defense.

A Plea to Dunstan's Mercy

The suppliant begs Dunstan to rise in compassion, arguing that the greater the misery, the more praiseworthy the saint's mercy becomes, and that grace can lift the weight of sin.

So then, devout, merciful, and gentle Dunstan, rise, rise, show your usual help in compassion, bring the heart of your devotion to bear, grant the support of your intervention for me as I cry out to you: the works of devotion that are proclaimed about you were summoning and encouraging me; but they repel and blunt the works of impiety that were committed by me and are abhorred and detested by you with unbearable horror. See my misery, see my anguish: where the accused is condemned, and every fold of God's mercy and devotion is locked shut; so I am accused, confounded, and dulled by my accusing conscience, with the result that I dare not beg off the judge, nor is there anyone to intercede for me: but, O you, merciful and devout one, where is devotion, where is compassion, where is mercy — unless where there is misery? To whom will you be devout, to whom merciful, except to the miserable one? I acknowledge it, I acknowledge it — and acknowledging it, I am struck silent. As I dwell on the enormity of my sins — still, the greater my misery, the more praiseworthy your mercy becomes; nor will my misery be so great that it exhausts the power of your strength. Can my misery grow so far that it narrows your mercy? Can my weakness outweigh your most powerful merits? Indeed, may the grace that outweighs your merits lift me up, lighten me, and empty out the weight of my impieties.

The Judge Will Grant What Dunstan Asks

The Judge himself will willingly grant Dunstan's request for the salvation of a wretched soul, for Dunstan stands in intimate favor with him who is Life itself.

The Judge himself will most willingly grant you whatever your so beloved and dear familiarity with him will ask of him. He will not deny you the salvation of one wretched soul — he who is salvation itself, and to whom you are so close. He will easily restore to you the life of one who has died — he who is life itself, and in whose favor you stand so greatly.12

The Glories of Dunstan's Holiness

The saint's extraordinary purity, angelic fellowship, and heavenly dignity are celebrated, as he joins the virgin choir in singing the song of the blessed.

Don't let the generosity of your kindness run dry in just one person — me — when its benefits overflow in so many, so countless, ways in so many others. Through you, may I obtain your forgiveness, so that all may proclaim and magnify the mercy of so beloved and diligent a God — your Lord — in everyone. O, how God showed by signs worthy of proclamation how pleasing and how familiar you were to him! O, the inestimable purity of your heart, through which the angels of God conversed with you so often! O, the inestimable closeness with God, to whom the dignity of angels was itself so familiar! O, the honor and reward of virginity, to which the nature of angelic dignity itself rejoices! Into heaven you were led; you were among their blessed ranks; you were delighted by angelic melodies, singing with them the song that only the virgin choir sings alone. Again, as you celebrated a hymn to him on earth, a heavenly melody was there beside you and rang out in harmony; the ranks of virginity sang together, the highest dignity of the heavenly city.

God's Testimony That He Spares the Sinner

The power of grace is extolled, and the argument is sealed with God's own testimony that he does not desire the sinner's death but gladly grants salvation.

O grace, powerful and all-powerful, to which the might of angelic dignity was so submissive! O excellence and preeminence of merit, which, once received by him, the divine super-excellence showed to be so precious! Never, then, will he turn away the prayer of one so beloved, so familiar to him, so as not to grant pardon to a single guilty soul.3 Indeed, he himself testifies that he does not want the sinner to die; gladly, then, he will give salvation to the sinful soul — he whose testimony is that he does not desire her death.✦4

Dunstan's Heavenly Escort at Death

Hope rises as the signs of Dunstan's friendship with God are recalled: angels were sent to escort his soul, foretelling the day and promising the dwelling of eternal blessedness.

Once again, hope and confidence in my deliverance rise up before the Judge himself—the signs of your intimate friendship with him. For what heralds, what attendants he has sent ahead to you—when he adjudged that your blessed soul, now about to depart from the flesh, would approach him and remain with him!5 So that she not be terrified by any fear, disturbed by astonishment, or troubled by uncertainty, the day is foretold, the dwelling of eternal blessedness is promised, the escort of the heavenly court is provided—and by whom she may be led through with cheerful confidence and secure joy.6

The Heavenly Court Welcomes Dunstan

The angels surround Dunstan in his episcopal chair, beseeching him to join them before the High Priest; he asks to delay for the Ascension feast, and the heavenly will yields to his.

How great — and oh, how great — with what kind of, and oh, what kind of exultation is he received, who is escorted with such a great and glorious manifestation! How much is the one received made glad and glorified, whose arrival is honored in such a way! With how great veneration, finally, and with how great a showing of glorification does the very announcement of your departure take place! Through a vision, the throng of angels — the court of the heavenly citizens standing by and surrounding you as you sit in your episcopal chair — asks you whether it would please you to remain in this flesh; it delivers a message, it reveals the desire of the whole heavenly assembly, desiring, praying, and beseeching that you might now join them before the supreme and eternal High Priest, singing Holy in the heavens.✦ You answered that you could not depart yet, because the feast of the Lord's Ascension was at hand, on which you were about to address and share with the people entrusted to you. A concession is made for a just and charitable excuse; a day is proclaimed on which no cause of delay would arise. O remarkable and admirable grace of intimacy! To the will of this one alone the desire and will of the entire heavenly dignity yields! He grants a delay of his own departure, lest this desire of yours not reach fulfillment; what that heavenly will does not will to happen, it prefers to happen, rather than that what this earthly will desires should not come to pass.

Dunstan at the Lamb's Wedding Feast

Clothed in virginity and integrity, Dunstan reclines among the first at the Lamb's wedding feast, and the suppliant urges him to obtain the salvation of one sinner, closing with a doxology.

With what love, then, is his presence cherished and embraced, when his absence is so deeply longed for and awaited? What grace-filled gift he received from God in heaven, to whom so great a glory was granted even on earth!7 Splendid in the robe of virginity, he is received with reverence at the wedding feast of the Lamb.✦8 He reclines among the first, for he is clothed with the beauty of integrity and the strength of humility; and endowed with the grace of love and every virtue, he follows the Lamb wherever he goes.✦9 How then, so beloved, so intimate with the very Author of salvation, with mercy and loving-kindness — how could you not obtain the salvation of a single sinner, if the will is there? It is certain that the power is not lacking; nor is it right that the will should be absent, for it is not right for you to stand against the will of him who desires all people to be saved.✦1011 Obtain, then, what you will — and obtain what you can: let my soul be set free and live through your intercession, the soul for which he chose to die, that it might live.12 The blessed life himself chose to die — God, my very mercy — who is blessed forever.13 Amen.

Read the original Latin

Sancte Dunstane, dulcis ad invocandum, et benignus ad exaudiendum, pius ad subveniendum; tu ad te fugientibus nunquam incertum refugium, tu ad te clamantibus nunquam imparatum auxilium; sancte, benigne ac pie Dunstane, respice miseriam animae meae: si enim respexeris, si calamitatem meam et miseriam attenderis, profecto misericordiae tuae viscera non continebis. Timore, tremore, horrore cruciatur anima mea; timet, tremit et exhorret immania, quae meretur, supplicia; et non est quo effugiat constituta ante judicem. Sola assistit; nullus, qui pro ea agat, existit. Vita discutitur, damnabilis invenitur. Bona etenim acta requiruntur; vix, aut nulla reperiuntur. Deferuntur admissa; negari non possunt tam multa et tam grandia, quae omnem veniae spem excludunt. Longanimem sui patientiam judex exigendo praetendit; nihil nisi pertinacem sui impoenitentiam ista obtendit. Circumsistunt accusantes, iterant et reiterant, replicant et explicant delatas accusationes.

Undique accusatur, a nullo excusatur. Astant et exspectant crudeles ac horrendi tortores, ut prolata damnationis sententia mox eam ad cruciandum abripiant. Tanta miseriarum mole obruta miserabilis anima quaerit, et circumspicit; et ecce, qui consurgat, et pro ea respondeat, nullum aspicit.

Tu ergo, pie, misericors et clemens Dunstane, surge, surge, exhibe solitam opem miserationis, adhibe viscera pietatis, impende suffragium interventionis: ad te clamandum invitabant et exhortabantur opera pietatis, quae de te praedicantur; sed repellunt, ac obtundunt opera impietatis, quae a me commissa a te horrore intolerabili abominantur atque exsecrantur. Ecce miseria, ecce angustia; ubi reus condemnatur, et omnis Dei misericordiae ac pietatis sinus obseratur; sic arguitur, confunditur, obtunditur, accusatrice conscientia, ut nec judicem deprecari audeat, nec qui deprecetur pro ea: sed, o tu, misericors et pie, ubi pietas, ubi miseratio, ubi misericordia, nisi ubi miseria? Cui pius, cui misericors fies, nisi misero? Agnosco, agnosco, agnoscens obmutesco. Intentans enormitatem criminum meorum; attamen quanto major miseria, tanto fit praedicabilior misericordia; nec miseria mea tanta erit, ut deficiens fiat potentia tuae virtutis. An eo usque amplificatur miseria mea, ut angustetur misericordia tua? An invalitudo mea praeponderabit potentissima merita tua? imo meritorum tuorum praeponderans gratia sustollat, leviget ac evacuet impietatum mearum pondera.

Libentissime tibi judex ipse donabit quidquid tua tam dilecta et chara eum familiaritas postulabit: non negabit tibi unius salutem miseri, salus ipsa cui tam familiaris existis; facile reddet tibi unius mortui vitam, vita ipsa apud quam tantam habes gratiam.

Ne deficiat, quaeso, in me uno tuae benignitatis munificentia, cujus in multis et tam innumeris redundant beneficia. Obtineam per te indulgentiam, ut tam dilecti et diligentis Dei, ac Domini tui in omnes praedicent ac magnificent misericordiam. O quam praedicandis monstrabat Deus indiciis quantum ei tu gratus esses ac familiaris! O inaestimabilis cordis tui puritas, cum qua tam crebro sermocinabantur angeli Dei! o inaestimabilis apud Deum familiaritas, cui sic familiaris erat angelorum dignitas! O decus ac praemium virginitatis, cui sic adgaudet natura angelicae dignitatis! In coelum deducebaris, intereras beatis agminibus illorum, oblectabaris modulationibus angelicis, cantans cum illis canticum, quod solus cantat chorus virginalis. Rursus tibi in terris hymnam celebranti vicissim aderat et consonabat melodia coelestis; concinebant agmina virginitatis, summa dignitas supernae civitatis.

Potens ac praepotens gratia, cui sic obsequens erat dignitatis angelicae potentia! Excellens ac praecellens meriti eminentia, quam sibi acceptam, sic pretiosam divina monstrabat superexcellentia! Nunquam ergo tam dilecti, tam familiaris sui precem avertet, ut reo uni veniam non donet. Denique ipse testatur quoniam non vult ut peccator moriatur: libenter itaque animae peccatrici salutem dabit, cujus testatur se nolle mortem.

Rursus occurrunt spes et confidentia ereptionis meae apud ipsum judicem, insignia familiaritatis tuae. Quos enim praenuntios, quos apparitores ad te praemisit, cum directam tuam beatam animam jam carne abituram, illum adituram, ac secum permansuram adjudicavit? ne ullo metu terreretur, stupore turbaretur, incertitudine sollicitaretur, dies praedicitur, aeternae beatitudinis mansio promittitur, ducatus curiae coelestis adducitur; a quo hilari securitate, ac secura hilaritate perducatur.

Quanta et o quanta, quali et o quali suscipitur exsultatione, qui cum tali ac tanta deducitur apparitione? quantum jucundatur et glorificatur susceptus, cujus sic honorificatur adventus? Quanta denique veneratione, quanta glorificationis exhibitione fit ipsa annuntiatio migrationis tuae? Per visum tibi sedenti in cathedra tua pontificali astans et circumstans angelorum frequentia supernorum civium curia, quaerit a te quoad tibi placeat commorari in carne ista; refert nuntium, indicat votum totius supernae concionis optantis, orantis ac deprecantis, ut jam cum eis ante summum pontificem perpetuum Sanctus decantes in coelis. Respondisti te nunc non posse abire; quia Dominicae Ascensionis aderat festum, in quo allocuturus et communicaturus eras commissum tibi populum. Fit concessio justae et charitativae excusationis; indicitur dies, in qua nulla occurreret causa dilationis. O insignis et admirabilis gratia familiaritatis; cujus solius voluntati, totius supernae dignitatis votum ac voluntas cedit! Concedit dilationem sui, ne hujus non habeat adimpletionem; quod non vult, illa fieri mavult, quam ne non fiat quod ista vult.

Quo ergo amore praesentia ejus amatur et amplectitur, cujus absentia sic desideratur et exspectatur? Quod a Deo gratiae donum accepit in coelis, cui tantum gloriae munus in terris concessit? Splendidus in stola virginitatis, quam veneranter suscipitur ad nuptias Agni. Inter primos discumbit; quia cum decore integritatis induitur virtute humilitatis; praeditusque gratia charitatis ac totius virtutis sequitur Agnum quocunque vadit. Quomodo ergo tam amatus, tam familiaris apud ipsum auctorem salutis, misericordiae ac pietatis, non obtinebis salutem unius peccatoris, si voluntas adest, constat quia possibilitas non deest; nec voluntatem fas est abesse, quia te voluntati ejus fas non est contrarium esse, qui omnes homines vult salvos facere. Obtine itaque quod vis, et quod potes obtine: liberetur et vivat tua intercessione anima mea, pro qua, ut viveret. mori voluit vita beata, Deus ipse misericordia mea, qui est benedictus in saecula. Amen.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩Ezek.33.11 — Say to them, 'As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?'
  2. ↩Isa.6.3;Rev.4.8 — And one called to another and said, 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the fullness of the earth is his glory. Rev.4.8 — And the four living creatures, each having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. And they have no rest day and night, saying, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.'
  3. ↩Rev.19.7-Rev.19.9 — Let us rejoice and be glad and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Rev.19.8 — And it was granted to her that she be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure—for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Rev.19.9 — And he said to me, "Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God."
  4. ↩Rev.14.4 — These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
  5. ↩1Tim.2.4 — who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩The Latin plays on the appositional pairings salus ipsa ('salvation itself') and vita ipsa ('life itself'), identifying Christ directly with the gifts being sought. The translation preserves this identification rather than treating them as mere metaphors.
  2. 2 ↩Familiaritas here carries the sense of intimate, personal closeness with Christ — not casual familiarity but the deep relational access of a beloved friend before a judge.
  3. 3 ↩The ut clause carries result-force: God will never turn away the prayer in such a way that he fails to grant pardon.
  4. 4 ↩The language echoes Ezekiel 33:11 (nolo mortem peccatoris), though the span is not a direct quotation.
  5. 5 ↩cum with participles read temporally ('when'); causal reading ('because/since') is also plausible but temporal fits the narrative sequence better.
  6. 6 ↩ne + subjunctive: negative purpose clause ('so that…not'). The subject of the purpose clauses is the blessed soul (understood from context). 'a quo' ('by whom') refers back to the heavenly escort or God as guide.
  7. 7 ↩gratiae donum rendered as 'grace-filled gift' to preserve the double sense of gift and grace; could also be read as 'a gift of grace.'
  8. 8 ↩ad nuptias Agni echoes Revelation 19:7–9 (nuptiae Agni); candidate allusion flagged for Moses resolution.
  9. 9 ↩sequitur Agnum quocunque vadit echoes Revelation 14:4; candidate allusion flagged for Moses resolution.
  10. 10 ↩qui omnes homines vult salvos facere echoes 1 Timothy 2:4; candidate allusion flagged for Moses resolution.
  11. 11 ↩fas est / fas non est rendered as 'it is right / it is not right' to convey the moral-natural law sense of fas.
  12. 12 ↩pro qua, ut viveret is compressed in the Latin; expanded in translation to clarify that Christ died so the soul might live.
  13. 13 ↩vita beata rendered as 'the blessed life' referring to Christ; Deus ipse misericordia mea rendered with apposition to preserve the directness of the address.

Orationes sive Meditationes — Collection for Princess Adeliza of Normandy companion

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