Verba angeli ad sponsam de spiritu cogitacionum suarum, an bonus vel malus sit, et qualiter duo sunt spiritus, scilicet unus increatus et alius creatus, et de eorum qualitatibus.
The Two Spirits
The angel distinguishes between the uncreated, pure Spirit of God and the created, bitter spirit of the devil.
The angel spoke to the bride, saying, "There are two spirits: one uncreated, the other created." The uncreated one has three qualities. First, it is warm; second, it is sweet; third, it is pure. First, it warms—not through any created things, but from itself—because it is, with the Father and the Son, the Creator of all things and all-powerful. It warms, however, when the soul burns entirely with the love of God. Second, it's sweet when nothing pleases the soul and nothing tastes sweet except God and the remembrance of His works. Third, it is pure, so that no sin can be found in it, nothing deformed, nothing corruptible or changeable. Yet it doesn't warm the soul like a material fire or a visible sun that melts things; rather, its heat is the soul's inner love and longing, filling and absorbing the soul into God. It also brings sweetness to the soul—not like desirable wine, or pleasure, or anything else worldly, but that sweetness of the Spirit is incomparable to all temporal delights and beyond the grasp of those who don't know it.1 Third, that spirit is as pure as the sun's rays, in which no stain can be found. The second spirit, which is created, also has three qualities. For it is burning, it is bitter, and it is unclean. First, it burns and consumes like fire, because it sets the soul it possesses entirely ablaze with the fire of lust and perverse desire, so that the soul can think of and desire nothing else but its fulfillment—to such an extent that, at times, because of it, one loses their temporal life, along with every honor and consolation. Second, it's bitter as gall, because it inflames the soul with its own pleasure to such a degree that future joys seem like nothing, and eternal goods seem like foolishness. Everything that is of God, and that one is bound to do for Him, also becomes bitter to the soul; the things of God become as abominable to it as vomit and gall. Third, it is unclean, because it makes the soul so vile and prone to sin that it feels no shame for any sin and would not stop at any sin, if it didn't fear the shame of people more than the shame of God. That spirit is burning like fire because he himself burns with wickedness and sets others on fire along with him. He is bitter, in fact, because every good thing is bitter to him, and he wants others to become bitter along with him. He is unclean, however, because he delights in uncleanness and seeks to have others like him by his side.
The Star and the Coal
Using the metaphors of a star and a coal, the angel explains the nature of angelic goodness versus demonic malice and the reality of temptation.
But now you can ask me and say, 'Aren't you also a created spirit, just like him?' Why, then, aren't you like him? I answer you: I was truly created by the same God as he was, because there is only one God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—and these are not three gods, but one God. We were both created good and for a good purpose, because God created nothing that wasn't good. But I am like a star, because I have remained in the goodness and love of God, in which I was created. He, however, is like a coal, because he has turned away from the love of God. Therefore, just as a star isn't without brightness and splendor, nor coal without blackness, so a good angel—who is like a star—isn't without splendor, that is, the Holy Spirit. Everything it has, it has from God—that is, from the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It burns with His love, shines with His radiance, clings to Him constantly, and conforms itself to His will; it never wants anything except what God wants. That is why it burns, and that is why it is pure. The devil is like a deformed coal, and more deformed than all other creatures, because just as he was more beautiful than the rest, so he had to become more deformed than the others, because he set himself against his Creator. Just as an angel of God shines with God's light and burns incessantly with His love, so the devil always burns and is tormented by his own malice. His malice is insatiable, and so too is the goodness of the Holy Spirit and His inexpressible grace. There’s no one in the world so rooted in the devil that the good Spirit doesn't sometimes visit and stir their heart; and likewise, there’s no one so good that the devil doesn't gladly set out to touch them with temptation. Many good and righteous people are, by God's permission, tempted by the devil. This isn't for their harm, but for their greater glory. The Son of God, who is one in deity with the Father and the Holy Spirit, was tempted in the humanity He assumed. How much more, then, are His chosen ones tempted for the sake of their greater reward! Many good people sometimes fall into sin, and their conscience is clouded by the devil's deception, but through the power of the Holy Spirit, they rise up stronger and stand more firmly. Still, anyone can tell in their own conscience whether a suggestion from the devil is leading toward the ugliness of sin or toward what is good, provided they’re willing to think it over and examine it carefully. Therefore, you, bride of my Lord, have no reason to doubt the spirit behind your thoughts, whether it's good or evil. For your conscience tells you what you should leave behind and what you should choose.
Healing the Soul
The angel outlines the three steps of confession, humility, and prayer to overcome the devil's influence.
But what will someone do when they are filled with the devil? A good spirit cannot enter them, because they're full of evil. There are three things they must do: first, they must make a pure and complete confession of their sins. Even if this can't happen immediately because of a hardened heart, it's still so beneficial that, because of it, the devil grants a kind of pause and gives the good spirit an opening.2 Second, you must have humility—that is, you must resolve to amend the sins you've committed and to do whatever good you can; then the devil begins to leave. Third, to regain the good spirit, one must humbly pray to God and be truly sorry for the sins one has committed, with true love; for love for God kills the devil. In the end, he would rather die a hundred times over than have a person offer even the smallest act of charity to their God. That’s how envious and malicious he is.
The Passion of the Son
The Virgin Mary instructs the bride to contemplate the passion of her Son, illustrating His redemptive work between heaven and hell.
Afterward, the blessed Virgin spoke to the bride, saying: "New bride of my Son, clothe yourself in your garments and put on your necklace—that is, the passion of my Son." She replied, “You put it on, my Lady!” And she said, “I certainly will.” “I want to tell you how my Son was prepared, and why the patriarchs longed for Him so fervently.” He stood there like a man between two cities, and a voice from the first city called out to him, 'You there, standing on the road between the cities, you are a wise man.' For you know how to guard against the dangers that threaten you. You are also strong enough to endure the evils that come your way. You're also magnanimous, because you fear nothing. For we have desired you and have waited for you. Open our gate, then! Enemies are surrounding it, so it can't be opened. A voice was heard from the second city saying, 'You, most human and most strong person, listen to our complaint and our groaning!' We sit in darkness and suffer hunger and an unbearable thirst. Consider, then, our misery and our wretched poverty. For we are struck down like grass cut by a scythe. We’ve withered away from all that is good, and all our strength has failed. Come to us and save us, for we have waited for you alone; we have hoped in you as our deliverer! Come and dissolve our poverty; turn our mourning into joy! Be our help and our salvation! Come, O most worthy and blessed Body, which came forth from a pure virgin! My Son heard these two voices from two cities: heaven and hell. And so, moved by mercy, through His most bitter passion and the shedding of His blood, He opened the gate of hell and rescued His friends. He also opened heaven, and to the joy of the angels, He brought into it those who had been rescued from hell. Think about these things, my daughter, and keep them always in your sight.
Read the original Latin
Angelus loquebatur ad sponsam dicens: "Duo sunt spiritus, unus increatus, alter creatus. Increatus habet tria. Primo est calidus, secundo dulcis, tercio mundus.
Primo calefacit, non de aliquibus rebus creatis sed a se ipso, quia ipse cum Patre et Filio est omnium creator et omnia potens. Calefacit autem, quando anima tota ardet ad amorem Dei.
Secundo est dulcis, quando anime nichil placet, nichil dulcescit nisi Deus et recordacio operum eius.
Tercio est mundus, ut nullum peccatum in eo inueniri possit, nichil deforme, nichil corruptibile et mutabile. Calefacit autem non sicut ignis materialis aut sicut sol visibilis aliquid liquefaciens, sed calor eius est amor internus anime et desiderium, replens et absorbens animam in Deum.
Dulcescit eciam anime, non sicut vinum desiderabile aut voluptas vel aliquid aliud mundanum, sed dulcedo illa spiritus incomparabilis est omnibus dulcoribus temporalibus et inexogitabilis non sapientibus illam.
Tercio est spiritus ille sic mundus quemadmodum radii solis, in quibus nulla macula inueniri possit.
Secundus spiritus, qui est creatus, similiter habet tria. Est enim ardens, est amarus, est et immundus.
Primo est ardens et consumens quasi ignis, quia animam, quam possidet, totam incendit igne luxurie et praue cupiditatis, ut anima preter eius explecionem nichil aliud cogitare, nichil desiderare possit in tantum, quod quandoque propter illam amittitur vita temporalis et omnis honor et consolacio.
Secundo est amarus quasi fel, quia animam sic sua delectacione inflammat, quod gaudia futura videntur ei esse nulla et bona eterna fatuitas. Omnia quoque, que de Deo sunt et que tenetur ei facere, amarescunt ei et abhominabilia sunt ei quasi vomitus et quasi fel.
Tercio est immundus, quia animam sic vilem facit et pronam ad peccatum, ut de nullo peccato erubescat et a nullo peccato desisteret, si non plus hominum timeret verecundiam quam Dei.
Et ideo est spiritus ille ardens quasi ignis, quia ipse ardet ad iniquitatem et alios secum accendit. Ideo vero amarus, quia omne bonum est amarum ei et aliis secum amarescere vult. Ideo autem est immundus, quia ipse delectatur ex immundicia et alios similes secum querit habere.
Sed nunc querere potes et dicere michi: 'Numquid non tu es eciam spiritus creatus sicut ille? Quare ergo tu non es talis?'
Respondeo tibi: vere ego creatus sum ab eodem Deo, quo et ipse, quia non est nisi unus Deus, Pater et Filius et Spiritus sanctus, et hii non tres dii, sed unus Deus. Et ambo bene creati sumus et ad bonum, quia Deus nichil nisi bonum creauit.
Sed ego sum quasi stella, quia in bonitate et caritate Dei, in qua creatus sum, steti. Ipse autem est quasi carbo, quia a caritate Dei discessit.
Ergo, sicut stella non est sine claritate et splendore nec carbo sine nigredine, sic angelus bonus, qui est quasi stella, non est sine splendore, idest Spiritu sancto.
Omne enim, quod habet, hoc habet a Deo, Patre scilicet et Filio et Spiritu sancto. Huius amore incalescit, huius splendore nitescit et ei iugiter inheret et ad voluntatem eius se conformat nec umquam vult aliud nisi quod Deus. Ideo ardet, ideo et mundus est.
Diabolus autem est quasi carbo deformis, et omnium creaturarum deformior, quia sicut pulchrior erat ceteris, sic deformior aliis deberet fieri, quia creatori suo se opposuit.
Sicut autem angelus Dei splendet luce Dei et ardet caritate eius incessanter, sic demon malicia sua semper inardescit et angustiatur. Eius malicia insaciabilis est, sic et bonitas Spiritus sancti et gracia eius inenarrabilis. Nam nullus est in mundo sic radicatus cum diabolo, cuius cor non quandoque visitet et commoueat spiritus bonus; sic eciam nullus est sic bonus, quem diabolus non apponit libenter tangere temptacione.
Multi quippe boni et iusti temptantur ex permissione Dei a diabolo. Hoc non est pro malo eorum sed ad maiorem eorum gloriam.
Dei quippe Filius, unus in deitate cum Patre et Spiritu sancto, in assumpta humanitate temptatus est. Quanto magis electi eius ad maiorem remuneracionem eorum!
Multi eciam boni quandoque in peccata cadunt et obumbratur consciencia eorum fallacia diaboli, sed virtute Spiritus sancti robustius surgunt et forcius stant.
Verumptamen nullus est, qui in consciencia sua non intelligat, utrum suggestio diaboli ducat ad deformitatem peccati an ad bonum, si diligenter cogitare et examinare voluerit.
Ideo tu, sponsa Domini mei, non habes dubitare de spiritu cogitacionum tuarum, utrum bonus sit an malus. Consciencia enim tua dicit tibi, que omittenda sunt et que eligenda.
Quid autem faciet ille, cum quo plenus est diabolus? Non enim in eum ingredi potest spiritus bonus, quia plenus est malo. Tria sunt ei facienda, scilicet quod habeat puram et integram peccatorum confessionem, que, licet in contrito corde non statim poterit esse propter obduratum cor, tamen prodest tantum, quod propter hanc dat diabolus quasi quandam cessacionem et saltum spiritui bono.
Secundo habeat humilitatem, scilicet quod proponat emendare peccata, que commisit, et facere bona, que poterit, et tunc incipit egredi diabolus.
Tercio, ut optineat iterum spiritum bonum, humili prece supplicare debet Deo et conteri de peccatis factis cum caritate vera, quia caritas ad Deum interficit diabolum.
Ipse denique mallet cencies mori, quam homo minimum bonum caritatis exhiberet Deo suo. Sic inuidus et maliciosus est."
Postea loquebatur beata Virgo ad sponsam dicens: "Sponsa noua filii mei, indue te vestibus tuis, impone tibi monile tuum, idest passionem filii mei!"
Cui illa respondit: "Impone tu, domina mea!" Et illa: "Ego utique faciam. Ego volo tibi dicere, quomodo filius meus dispositus erat et quare a patribus sic feruenter desiderabatur.
Ipse stabat quasi homo in medio duarum urbium intersticio, et vox de prima urbe clamauit ad eum dicens: 'Tu homo, qui stas in media via inter urbes, tu es homo sapiens. Scis enim cauere ab imminentibus periculis.
Tu quoque fortis ad paciendum mala incumbencia. Tu es eciam magnanimus, quia nichil times. Nos enim desiderauimus te et expectauimus te.
Aperi ergo portam nostram! Inimici enim obsident eam, ne aperiatur.'
Vox de secunda urbe audiebatur dicens: 'Tu, homo humanissime et fortissime, audi querimoniam nostram et gemitum! Nos sedemus in tenebris et patimur famem et sitim intolerabilem.
Considera ergo miseriam nostram et penuriam miserabilem! Sumus enim percussi quasi fenum excisum falcastro. Aruimus ab omni bono et defecit omne robur nostrum.
Veni ad nos et salua nos, quia te solum expectauimus, te liberatorem nostrum sperauimus! Veni et dissolue penuriam nostram, conuerte planctum nostrum in gaudium! Tu esto auxilium nostrum et salus! Veni, o dignissimum et benedictum corpus, quod de virgine pura processit!'
Has duas voces audiuit filius meus de duabus urbibus, celo scilicet et inferno. Ideo misertus aperuit per amarissimam passionem suam et per effusionem sanguinis sui portam inferni et eripuit amicos suos. Aperuit et celum et letificans angelos introduxit in eum ereptos de inferno.
Hec, filia mea, cogita et habeto semper pre oculis!"
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin 'inexogitabilis' suggests something that cannot be thought out or imagined; 'beyond the grasp' captures the sense of it being inaccessible to the uninitiated mind.
- 2 ↩The term 'saltum' here is used in the sense of an opening, a leap, or a gap in the devil's hold that allows the good spirit to enter.
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