MEDITATIO VII.
The Vanity of This Passing World
The meditator reflects on the instability of worldly life, the certainty of death, and the progression from contemplation to prayer.
Nothing in this world is stable. Nothing is more certain than death, and nothing more uncertain than the hour of death. Let us reflect, then, on how brief our life is, how slippery the path, how certain death is, and how uncertain the hour of death. Let us consider how many bitternesses it is mixed with — if anything sweet or pleasant in this life's way meets us at its very encounter. How deceitful and suspect, how unstable and fleeting is everything the love of this world brings forth — whatever beauty or outward charm it promises, whatever pleasure of the flesh it holds out. Let us also consider the sweetness and delight of our heavenly homeland — its serenity and beauty — and let us weigh where we have fallen from and where we now lie, what we have lost and what we have found, so that from both we may understand how much there is for us to mourn in this exile. On this point Solomon says: Whoever adds knowledge adds also pain — because the more a person understands the evils of his own soul, the more he sighs and groans.✦ Meditation, indeed, gives birth to knowledge; knowledge to compunction; compunction to devotion; and devotion commends prayer.
The Fruit of Meditation: Self-Knowledge and Compunction
Constant meditation leads to self-knowledge, and compunction pierces the heart with grief over sin.
Through constant meditation a person is enlightened to know himself. In compunction, the heart is pierced with deepest grief at the contemplation of one's own sins.
The Greatness of God's Gifts
The meditator marvels at God's creation, redemption, and providential care, and resolves to repay Him with wholehearted love.
On the many gifts of God. Wretched as I am, how greatly I ought to love my Lord, who made me when I did not yet exist, and redeemed me when I had already perished. I did not exist, and from nothing he made me. Among all the other creatures that lack reason, he did not make me — that is, not a tree, not a bird, not some animal or other — but he willed me to be one of the human race. He gave me life, the ability to feel, and the freedom to move through the world. I had perished, and the Immortal One came down to where mortality dwells. He took on mortal flesh, endured suffering, conquered death, and so restored me. Again and again his grace and his mercy went before me; he freed me from many dangers — he, my deliverer.1 When I wandered, he brought me back. When I was ignorant, he taught me. When I sinned, he corrected me. When I was grieved, he comforted me. When I despaired, he strengthened me. When I fell, he raised me up. When I stood firm, he held me. When I walked, he led me. And when I came to him, he welcomed me. These things and many others my Lord Jesus Christ has done for me, and for them it will always be sweet to give him thanks — so that for all his gifts I may be able to love him and to praise him always. For all this, what can I possibly repay him? I have nothing to offer — except only this: to love him with my whole heart.
Love: The Only Worthy Return
Nothing more fitting can be offered to God than love.
For nothing better, nothing more fitting has been given than love.
Self-Reproache for Ingratitude
The sinner reproaches himself for daring to appear before God, ungrateful and detestable, having used God's own gifts as weapons against Him.
Here the sinner reproaches himself for his ingratitude toward God's gifts. Ah, ah, ah — Lord God, Father of mercies — how can I dare to come and appear in the sight of your saints, most wretched and most miserable as I am, so ungrateful for so many and so great benefits, so shameless and so detestable an abuser of your gifts? I who so often and for so long did not fear to attack you with your very gifts; I who was not ashamed to serve as a soldier for the devil against you, using your own wages, so often and for so long; I who did not fear to turn your very gifts into diabolical weapons; I who presumed to abuse myself so abominably, and dared to offer myself as a slave to the devil, and to make my limbs serve him — the very limbs with which I attacked you, my Creator, my Author, and the Giver of my members.
The Sinner as a Weapon of the Devil
The meditator confesses how he made himself a sword and bow for the devil, wounding others and arming himself against God.
Surely I am not the one, my Lord God, who have so many times made myself a sharp sword for the ungrateful devil, to devour souls? How many times have I armed myself against you for an alien death! My tongue I have so many times made a bow of falsehood, sending arrows of detraction and flattery against others. I cannot list, most merciful and sweetest Father, the wicked abuses of my members, by which I armed the devil and attacked you, most kind and most merciful.
The Recognition of Sin
A brief heading-like sentence marking the recognition of sin.
Recognition of sin.
From Adoption to Apostasy: The Tragedy of the Fallen Son
The meditator laments how, despite being adopted as a son of grace and co-heir with Christ, he has become a degenerate son of the devil, trading eternal glory for eternal ruin.
I am that most foolish man whom you created from nothing, and from the mass of sin and perdition you chose to be a son of your grace, and whom you had adopted as a co-heir with your most beloved only-begotten Son, God and our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the honor and glory of your kingdom, and with such great bounty of your unowed grace you filled me — I who have forgotten the abundance of this great sweetness of yours, and who, despite seeing all the good things entrusted to me by you, scorned the honor of the heavenly kingdom and your glory, and turned myself into a bastard son and a degenerate, and handed myself over to the devil — torn apart through the dung-heaps of lust and the thorn-bushes of avarice, and dashed upon the stumbling-blocks, waves, and tempests of pride.✦✦ I am a blind merchant who, with the most precious talents of your riches, have traded away such wretched poverty and nakedness and eternal sighs — for the dung-heap of lust and the thorns of riches; the most delightful and sweetest peace for the storm of pride; the eternal light of eternity for the darkness of eternity; eternal joys for eternal sorrows; and eternal glory for eternal disgrace; and your kingdom for diabolical servitude.✦✦
The Defaced Image: A Monster Before God
The meditator describes himself as a target for sin's darts, cast out of the holy city, and so defaced by vice that he bears the devil's likeness rather than God's image.
I am that most wretched one who, like a target set up for arrows, have offered myself to be pierced through by the darts of sin and torn apart by wounds. I am that man who, like a corpse thrown out of your holy city — which is the fellowship of your holy friends, and the most delightful company of the heavenly spirits of the saints — to be cut apart and torn to pieces by hellish dogs and every unclean bird, have handed myself over to be devoured by the worms of vice.✦ How abominable I appear before your holy eyes — unclean with the most foul and hideous filth of lust, defiled by the fire of wrath and half-consumed by greed, my limbs beset by the worms of hatred and envy, swollen with the wind of pride, utterly monstrous, ulcerous, and pierced through, sealed with the marks of diabolical shamefulness by so many and such great sins of mine. I know, merciful Lord, that rightly and most justly you can deny me and refuse to acknowledge me — not only as your son, but even as your creature — inasmuch as I am what I am. For that horrendous, monstrous face of every kind of shamefulness is not the face of your creation or your re-creation; that abomination is not the image of you, nor the true likeness.✦ You created me to be something else entirely. Truly, this likeness of diabolical shamefulness shows me to have been the devil's son all along, and heir to the torments of the faithless.✦ This is the trade I've made, the exchange: because I am blind and utterly senseless, I have traded the glory and honor of your likeness for the most abominable and vilest foulness.
The Talents Betrayed: A Wasteful Steward
The meditator accuses himself of squandering God's precious gifts, returning only thorns and abominations, and yet remaining insensible to his own wounds and shame.
It was not for this reason, holy Father, that you had entrusted those precious talents of yours to me — that in return for interest you might make me bring back to you this horrifying abomination.✦ It was not for this reason that you sowed in me so many and such great kindnesses owed to your blessings — that you might gather from me the stench and thorns and thistles of sins.✦✦ It was not for this reason that you filled and enriched me with so many and such great blessings — that I might turn them against you in assault. It was never the intention of your goodness to arm me against you, nor to arm a diabolical authority with your gifts. Look — here I am, struck with so many wounds, and yet I feel no pain. Pierced through by so many and such great wounds, I do not grieve. I see that I am blind — I who do not blush at so many and such great shameful acts of mine, nor at my nakedness.✦
The Numbness of the Hardened Heart
The meditator confesses his heart is numb, hardened, and frozen—unmoved by loss, punishment, preaching, or divine threats.
Truly, I am numb and senseless at heart: I don't grieve over all these great losses of mine, and I can't even mourn my own death. Truly, I am hardened with a heart of stone: I don't even fear the eternal punishments hanging over me.2 Truly, with a heart frozen solid, the fires of your gifts applied by the love of the most merciful Father aren't enough to warm me.3 Truly, I have every reason to reproach myself: neither the trumpet of preaching nor the thunder of your threats is enough to rouse me.
Where Is the Heart's Response?
A series of anguished questions asking where compunction, shame, fear, love, tears, and prayer have gone, and where the empty sinner can turn.
Where is that piercing grief, the grief of compunction, by which I ought to crush and shatter all that diabolical hardness, and break to pieces the whole stone of that hardness and obstinacy? Where is that shame, my God, by which I ought to be confounded before your eyes and before the whole heavenly court? Where is that fear of your vengeance, by which I ought to tremble in my whole being before your sight? Where is that love, and that longing for peace, for love, and for the recovery of your grace, by which I ought to burn with desire? Where is that torrent of tears, by which I ought to blot out my filthiness before you? Where is the devotion of prayer, by which I ought to make you appeased and favorable toward me? Where can I turn, merciful and compassionate Father, who offer nothing worthy in the sight of your mercy to your majesty? Where can I flee, most loving Father, who am empty of every good and even full of every evil, and who appear before the sight of your saints and of the holy armies and hosts of heaven?
All-Knowledge and the Fountain of Grace
The meditator acknowledges that every good gift comes from God, that he can offer nothing acceptable apart from grace, and that his merits deserve only eternal death.
I know, Lord God, ruler of my life, that every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above, descending from the Father and fountain of lights. I know that I can offer nothing before you that is acceptable or pleasing unless I have first drawn it from the fountain of your goodness — and this, surely, only as you enlighten and teach me.✦45 I know that this pledge of your mercy has gone before me.6 I know, sweetest Father, that just as I can seize or carry off your goods by no fraud, so neither can I by any merits obtain all that I need to return to you and please you.7 For what can be owed me for my merits except the punishment of eternal death? I know that it lies within your holy good pleasure to destroy me, given the multitude of my shameful deeds, crimes, and my negligences and omissions — or to reform me, or to make me acceptable to you according to the inestimable riches of your mercy, you who alone are the reformer of the creature whom alone you formed.89
Fleeing to Mercy: The Return of the Prodigal
The meditator flees to God for refuge, acknowledging that only divine mercy can deliver him, and begs God to look not upon his sins but upon Himself as the source of pardon.
Now, merciful Father, I flee to you for refuge, knowing there's no escape from you except to you. Who can deliver me from your hands, except you alone? Your mercy can deliver me — mercy which, through so many and such great sins of mine, I have not only forfeited but have even fought against, provoking your most just wrath, which I, most wretched and most ungrateful, have stirred up. Therefore, Lord, deign to receive me as I return to you. Turn your holy eyes, I beg you, away from my ingratitudes and foulness. Look upon yourself, I beg you — the one to whom supplication is never made without hope of pardon. In yourself you will find both the reason and the grounds for showing mercy, according to the abundance of your sweetness and the immensity of your mercy. Do not, I beg you, look upon me, because you will find nothing in me except reason to be angry, or one most deserving of eternal death.
Turn Away My Shame, Turn to Me
The meditator begs God to turn His eyes and nostrils from the sinner's filth and stench, and instead look upon him as His creature with kindness.
Turn your holy eyes away, I beg you, Lord, from the sight of my shamefulness and abominations; if I were to see them clearly and fully, I couldn't bear the overwhelming horror, but would shudder at myself and flee from myself. Turn your nostrils away, I beg you, from my stench, and turn to me yourself. I know, Lord of mercy, that your holy eyes are pure, and they cannot look upon the horror of my ugliness unless you have given me good things by which I may please you. I know that your whole heavenly court turns its eyes away and stops its ears, unable to endure my abominations. But you, merciful Father, turn to that fountain of mercy, whose mercy has no number or end, and look upon me, your creature, with a kind and serene countenance. I am your creature, Lord, and the work of your hands.
Reform What You Have Made
The meditator prays for God to destroy the sin He did not make and to reform the creature He did, ending with the plea: destroy this, for You have granted me the grace to hate it.
So I beg you: reform what you have made in me, and destroy what I have made in myself against your commands. So destroy what you have hated in me—what you certainly did not make, but I, wretched as I am, did. Reform this and restore it—what you yourself made and fashioned. For this is yours, Lord my God: to hate what is not able to be.10 You hated none of the things you made. Destroy in me what is mine, which you certainly did not make—that is, the shamefulness of my abominations. Do not destroy me. Destroy this, merciful and compassionate Lord, for you have hated this, and you have granted me the grace to begin to hate it for myself as well.11
Read the original Latin
Quod nihil stabile est in mundo. -- Nihil certius morte, nihil hora mortis incertius. Cogitemus ergo quam brevis sit vita nostra, quam lubrica via, quam certa mors, et hora mortis incerta. Cogitemus quantis amaritudinibus admistum sit, si quid dulce aut jucundum in via hujus vitae, occursu suo nobis alludit. Quam fallax ac suspectum, quam instabile et transitorium est quidquid amor hujus mundi parturit; quidquid species aut pulchritudo temporalis promittit, quidquid delectatio carnis protendit. Consideremus etiam quae sit patriae coelestis suavitas aut dulcedo, serenitas et amoenitas: et perpendamus unde cecidimus, et ubi jacemus; quid perdidimus, et quid invenimus, ut ex utroque intelligamus quantum nobis in hoc exsilio lugendum sit. Hinc Salomon ait: Qui apponit scientiam, apponit et dolorem, quia quanto magis homo intelligit mala animae suae, tanto magis suspirat et gemit. Meditatio siquidem parit scientiam, scientia compunctionem, compunctio devotionem, devotio orationem commendat.
Meditatione assidua homo ad sui cognitionem illuminatur. In compunctione ex consideratione malorum suorum cor intimo dolore tangitur.
De multiplicibus beneficiis Dei. --Miser ego, quantum deberem diligere Dominum meum, qui me fecit cum non eram, redemit cum perieram. Non eram, et de nihilo me fecit. Inter caeteras alias creaturas ratione carentes non fecit me, id est, non arborem, non avem, non aliquod de animalibus, sed hominum voluit me esse. Dedit mihi vivere, sentire, et discurrere; perieram, et ad mortalem descendit; immortalis mortalitatem suscepit, passionem sustinuit, mortem vicit, et sic me restauravit: sic sic gratia ejus et misericordia ejus semper praevenerunt me; de multis etiam periculis liberavit me liberator meus. Quando errabam, reduxit me; quando ignorabam, docuit me; quando peccabam, corripuit me; quando contristabar, consolatus est me; quando desperabam, confortavit me; quando cecidi, erexit me; quando steti, tenuit me; quando ivi, duxit me: quando ad eum veni, suscepit me. Haec et alia multa fecit mihi Dominus meus Jesus Christus, de quibus erit mihi dulce semper gratias agere ut pro omnibus beneficiis suis possim eum amare, et semper laudare. Pro his enim omnibus quid illi rependam non habeo, nisi tantum ut diligam eum ex toto corde meo.
Non enim melius, nec decentius quam per dilectionem datum est.
Hic reprehendit se peccator de ingratitudine divinorum beneficiorum. --Ah, ah, ah, Domine Deus, Pater misericordiarum, audeone venire, et apparere in conspectu sanctorum tuorum infelicissimus et miserrimus, tot et tantorum beneficiorum tam ingratus, donorum tuorum tam impudens et tam exsecrabilis abusor? Qui toties ac tandiu ipsis beneficiis tuis te impugnare non veritus sum; qui stipendiis tuis diabolo contra te militare toties et tandiu non erubui, qui ipsa dona tua in arma diabolica convertere non timui, qui me ipso tam abominabiliter abuti praesumpsi, ac me ipsum servum ausus sum exhibere diabolo, et membra mea ejusdem facere, quibus te Creatorem, auctorem et membrorum meorum largitorem impugnavi.
Nunquid non ego sum, Domine Deus meus, qui me ipsum toties exhibui gladium acutum ingrato diabolo ad devorandas animas? Quoties armavi me contra te in alienam mortem? Linguam meam in arcum mendacii toties exhibui, quoties sagittas detractionis ac adulationis in alios misi. Non sufficio, misericordissime ac dulcissime Pater, enumerare membrorum meorum nefarias abusiones, quibus et diabolum armavi, et te benignissimum ac clementissimum impugnavi.
Recognitio peccati. --Ego sum ille homo dementissimus, quem de nihilo creasti, et de massa peccati et perditionis in filium gratiae tuae elegisti, et in cohaeredem charissimo unigenito Filio tuo Deo et Domino nostro Jesu Christo adoptaveras, et ad honorem et gloriam regni tui, et tanta tam indebitae gratiae tuae largitate me implevisti, qui et abundantiam hujus tantae suavitatis tuae oblitus sum, et tanta bona mihi tradita a te prospiciens, spreto honore regni coelestis, et gloria tua, me in spurium filium et degenerem converti, et diabolo distrahendo per sterquilinia luxuriae et spineta avaritiae, et ad illidendum in scandalis fluctibus et procellis superbiae me tradidi. Ego sum caecus mercator qui pretiosissimis talentorum tuorum divitiis tantam, miserabilis, inopiam et nuditatem et aeterna suspiria mercatus sum; sterquilinio luxuriae et divitiarum sentibus, jucundissimam ac suavissimam pacem; securissimum portum, procella superbiae; aeternam lucem, aeternitatis tenebris; aeterna gaudia, aeternis doloribus; et aeternam gloriam, aeterno opprobrio; et regnum tuum, diabolica servitute commutavi.
Ego sum infirmissimus ille, qui velut signum ad sagittam jaculis peccatorum confodiendum, et vulneribus lacerandum me exposui. Ego sum ille homo qui, velut cadaver canibus infernalibus et omnibus volucribus immundis dissecandum et laniandum, projectus a civitate tua sancta, quae est sanctorum amicorum tuorum, sanctaque jucundissima societate sanctorum spirituum supernorum, vitiorum vermibus comedendum me tradidi. Quam abominabilis appareo coram oculis sanctis tuis, coeno fetidissimo teterrimoque luxuriae immundus ac sordidatus, igne iracundiae et avaritiae semiustus, atque vermibus odii, et invidiae obsessis membris meis, vento superbiae tumidus, monstruosus totus, ulcerosus, atque confossus, tot tantorumque peccatorum meorum diabolicae turpitudinis sigillatus characteribus. Scio, miserator Domine, quod merito et justissime negare me potes, et non me recognoscere non solum filium tuum, sed et creaturam tuam in eo quod talis sum. Nec enim horrenda illa omnigenum turpitudinum monstruosa facies, est creationis aut recreationis tuae, non est abominatio ista imago tui et similitudo aequa. Alteram me creasti. Vere similitudo ista diabolicae turpitudinis me ostendit diaboli hactenus fuisse filium, et tormentorum infidelium haeredem. Haec est mercatio et commutatio, quia caecus et dementissimus ego tuae similitudinis gloriam et honorem abominabilissima ac vilissima feditate mutavi.
Non ideo, sancte Pater, pretiosa illa talenta tua tradideras mihi, ut pro usuris horrendam istam abominationem faceres me tibi reportare. Non ideo mihi tot ac tantis beneficiis tuis debitis seminasti, ut fetorem et spinas et tribulos peccatorum de me colligeres. Non ideo tot et tantis beneficiis me implevisti et ditasti, ut in oppugnationem tuam ea converterem. Non erat intentio benignitatis tuae armare me contra te, nec armare diabolicam auctoritatem donis tuis. Ecce tot hic vulneribus plagatus sum, nec ullo sensu doloris torqueor. Tot et tantis vulneribus confossus non doleo. Video me caecum, qui tot et tantas turpitudines meas et nuditatem non erubesco.
Vere insensibilis sum et stupidus corde, qui tot et tanta damna mea non doleo, et qui mortem meam lugere non valeo. Vere corde lapideo induratus sum, qui nec imminentia mihi aeterna supplicia saltem non timeo. Vere corde congelatissimo, quem beneficiorum incendia admota amore Patris clementissimi calefacere non sufficiunt. Vere largiter me reprehendo, quem nec tuba praedicationis, nec comminationum tuarum tonitrua sufficiunt excitare.
Ubi est dolor penetrabilis, dolor compunctionis, quo totam illam duritiam diabolicam conterere et diruere deberem, et totum lapidem duritiae et obstinationis illius comminuere? Ubi est, Deus meus, ille pudor, quo ante occulos tuos et totius curiae coelestis confundi deberem? Ubi est timor ille tuae vindictae, quo totus ante conspectum tuum contremiscere deberem? Ubi est amor ille, et desiderium pacis, amoris, et gratiae tuae recuperandae quo inardescere deberem? Ubi est torrens ille lacrymarum, quo spurcitias meas ante te delere deberem? Ubi est devotio orationis, qua te mihi placatum et propitium reddere deberem? Quo me vertam, misericors et miserator Pater, qui nihil dignum respectu misericordiae tuae offero majestati tuae? Quo fugiam, piissime Pater, qui sum vacuus omni bono, et etiam plenus omni malo appareo ante conspectum sanctorum tuorum, et sanctarum militiarum exercituum coelestium?
Scio, Domine Deus, dominator vitae meae, quod omne datum optimum, et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a Patre et fonte luminum: scio me nihil posse acceptum offerre coram te et gratum nisi de fonte bonitatis tuae illud praehauserim; et hoc utique te illuminante, docente. Scio hanc arrham misericordiae tuae me praevenire. Scio, dulcissime Pater, quod bona tua sicut fraude nulla tibi arripere aut auferre possum, sic nec ullis meritis obtinere me omnia posse quibus ad te revertar, et complaceam. Quid enim meritis meis deberi potest, nisi mortis aeternae supplicium? Scio quod in beneplacito tuo sancto est me disperdere, secundum multitudinem flagitiorum, facinorum, et negligentiarum et omissionum mearum; vel reformare me, vel facere me tibi acceptabilem secundum divitias inaestimabiles misericordiae tuae, qui solus es reformator creaturae quam solus formasti.
Nunc, misericors Pater, ad te confugio, sciens quod non est mihi fuga a te nisi ad te. Quis me potest liberare de manibus tuis, nisi tu solus? Liberare me potest misericordia tua, quam tot et tantis iniquitatibus meis non solum demerui, sed etiam impugnavi, ab ira justissima tua, quam infelicissimus et gratissimus irritavi. Igitur suscipere me dignare, Domine, revertentem ad te. Averte, obsecro te, oculos sanctos ab ingratitudinibus meis atque spurcitiis. Ad teipsum, obsecro, respice, cui nunquam sine veniae spe supplicatur. In temetipso invenies unde et propter quod miserearis secundum abundantiam suavitatis tuae, et immensitatem misericordiae tuae. Noli, obsecro, ad me respicere, quia nihil in me invenies, nisi unde irasci debeas, vel nisi morte aeterna dignissimum.
Averte, obsecro te, Domine, oculos tuos sanctos a conspectu turpitudinum et abominationum mearum, quas si ego perlucide et plene conspicerem et viderem, horrore nimio non sustinerem, sed me ipsum horrerem et fugerem. Averte, obsecro, nares tuas a fetoribus meis; et ad temetipsum converte. Scio, Domine misericordiae, quod mundi sunt oculi tui sancti, et horrorem deformitatis meae, nisi tu dederis mihi bona, quibus placeam tibi, non possunt aspicere. Scio quod tota tua curia coelestis avertit oculos suos, et aures obturat, abominationes meas ferre non sustinens. Sed tu, misericors Pater, ad fontem illum misericordiae convertere, cujus misericordiae non est numerus nec finis, et pio ac sereno vultu respice me creaturam tuam. Creatura tua ego sum, Domine, et opus manuum tuarum.
Reforma igitur, obsecro, quod in me fecisti, et destrue quod ego contra mandata tua in me feci. Hoc igitur destrue quod odisti in me, et quod tu utique non fecisti, sed ego miser. Hoc reforma et refice quod tu ipse fecisti et formasti. Hoc enim est tuum, Domine Deus meus, hoc est odisse, quod non posse. Nihil odisti eorum quae fecisti. Hoc destrue in me quod meum est, quod utique tu non fecisti, hoc est, turpitudinem abominationum mearum. Ne me destruas. Hanc destrue, misericors et miserator Domine; hanc enim odisti, et hanc ut odisse incipiam mihi largitus es.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Eccl.1.18 — For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.
- ↩Rom.8.15;Gal.4.5-Gal.4.7 — For you did not receive a spirit of slavery again to fear, but you received a spirit of adoption, in which we cry, "Abba, Father." Gal.4.5 — in order to redeem those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. Gal.4.6 — And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father.' Gal.4.7 — So you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
- ↩Matt.25.14-Matt.25.30 — For it is like a man going on a journey, who called his own servants and entrusted his property to them. Matt.25.15 — And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his own ability, and he went away immediately. Matt.25.16 — The one who had received the five talents went and traded with them and gained five more. Matt.25.17 — In the same way, the one who had received two talents gained two more. Matt.25.18 — But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug in the ground and hid his master's silver. Matt.25.19 — After a long time the master of those servants comes and settles accounts with them. Matt.25.20 — And the one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, 'Lord, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I have gained five more talents.' Matt.25.21 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matt.25.22 — The one who had received the two talents also came forward and said, 'Lord, you entrusted two talents to me; see, I have gained two more.' Matt.25.23 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matt.25.24 — Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed.' Matt.25.25 — And being afraid, I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours. Matt.25.26 — But his master answered him, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed. Matt.25.27 — Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back what was mine with interest. Matt.25.28 — So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. Matt.25.29 — For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matt.25.30 — And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- ↩Matt.13.45-Matt.13.46 — Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. Matt.13.46 — who, having found one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
- ↩Matt.25.14-Matt.25.30 — For it is like a man going on a journey, who called his own servants and entrusted his property to them. Matt.25.15 — And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his own ability, and he went away immediately. Matt.25.16 — The one who had received the five talents went and traded with them and gained five more. Matt.25.17 — In the same way, the one who had received two talents gained two more. Matt.25.18 — But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug in the ground and hid his master's silver. Matt.25.19 — After a long time the master of those servants comes and settles accounts with them. Matt.25.20 — And the one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, 'Lord, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I have gained five more talents.' Matt.25.21 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matt.25.22 — The one who had received the two talents also came forward and said, 'Lord, you entrusted two talents to me; see, I have gained two more.' Matt.25.23 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matt.25.24 — Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed.' Matt.25.25 — And being afraid, I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours. Matt.25.26 — But his master answered him, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed. Matt.25.27 — Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back what was mine with interest. Matt.25.28 — So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. Matt.25.29 — For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matt.25.30 — And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- ↩Heb.13.13-Heb.13.14 — So then, let us go out to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. Heb.13.14 — For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the one that is coming.
- ↩Gen.1.26-Gen.1.27 — Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." Gen.1.27 — So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
- ↩John.8.44 — You are of your father the devil, and you desire to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks from his own, for he is a liar and the father of it.
- ↩Matt.25.14-Matt.25.30 — For it is like a man going on a journey, who called his own servants and entrusted his property to them. Matt.25.15 — And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his own ability, and he went away immediately. Matt.25.16 — The one who had received the five talents went and traded with them and gained five more. Matt.25.17 — In the same way, the one who had received two talents gained two more. Matt.25.18 — But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug in the ground and hid his master's silver. Matt.25.19 — After a long time the master of those servants comes and settles accounts with them. Matt.25.20 — And the one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, 'Lord, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I have gained five more talents.' Matt.25.21 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matt.25.22 — The one who had received the two talents also came forward and said, 'Lord, you entrusted two talents to me; see, I have gained two more.' Matt.25.23 — His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Matt.25.24 — Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward and said, 'Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter seed.' Matt.25.25 — And being afraid, I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours. Matt.25.26 — But his master answered him, 'You wicked and lazy slave! You knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed. Matt.25.27 — Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back what was mine with interest. Matt.25.28 — So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. Matt.25.29 — For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Matt.25.30 — And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- ↩Gen.3.18 — And thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the plants of the field.
- ↩Matt.13.7 — But some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
- ↩Gen.3.7-Gen.3.10 — Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Gen.3.8 — And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Gen.3.9 — And the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?" Gen.3.10 — He said, "I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself."
- ↩Jas.1.17 — Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
Notes
- 1 ↩ad mortalem descendit rendered as 'came down to where mortality dwells' to capture the sense of the Immortal entering the mortal condition; alternative: 'descended to the mortal realm.'
- 2 ↩lapideo is taken as ablative of quality modifying an implied corde ('heart'); the phrase corde lapideo frames the heart itself as stony rather than merely stone-like.
- 3 ↩congelatissimo is taken as ablative of quality modifying an implied corde; admota agrees with incendia (neuter plural), rendered 'applied'.
- 4 ↩The opening clause echoes James 1:17 (Vulgate: 'Omne datum optimum et omne donum perfectum desursum est, descendens a Patre luminum'). Candidate allusion flagged for Moses resolution.
- 5 ↩'praehauserim' (perfect subjunctive of praehaurio) rendered as 'I have first drawn' to capture the sense of anticipating or drawing beforehand from God's goodness.
- 6 ↩'arrham' (arrha) is a commercial metaphor — a pledge, down payment, or earnest — applied here to divine mercy as a foretaste of grace. Rendered as 'pledge' to preserve the theological weight.
- 7 ↩The sicut...sic correlative structure is rendered as 'just as...so' to preserve the parallel between the two impossibilities: neither by fraud nor by merit can the speaker claim what belongs to God.
- 8 ↩'beneplacito tuo sancto' rendered as 'your holy good pleasure' to capture the theological sense of God's sovereign will and delight.
- 9 ↩'reformator creaturae' — 'reformer of the creature' — preserves the Latin's emphasis on God as the one who reshapes what he alone originally formed.
- 10 ↩The clause 'odisse, quod non posse' is compressed: the speaker identifies what God hates as 'what is not able to be' — that is, what has no true being or power apart from God. The rendering preserves the ambiguity between 'what cannot exist' and 'what is powerless'; the devotional sense is that God hates what opposes or lacks true being.
- 11 ↩The phrase 'ut odisse incipiam mihi largitus es' is rendered to preserve the sense that God grants the grace of beginning to share God's own hatred of sin. 'Mihi' is taken as a dative of reference: 'for myself' — the speaker asks to begin to hate sin as God hates it.
Orationes sive Meditationes — Collection for Princess Adeliza of Normandy companion
There are 90 more prayers where these came from
Chosen Portion delivers the full Anselm collection — and the wider royal devotional archive — one daily prayer at a time, free.
Anselm told Adeliza to take these prayers a little at a time, and Chosen Portion does exactly that — serving the collection as paced daily portions rather than a book to skim.
- Pray through all 97 of Anselm's prayers and meditations, one portion each day
- Each prayer is broken into short sections so a 100-sentence meditation fits a 10-minute sitting
- Morning reminder at your chosen time, so the day starts with a written prayer instead of a blank