Verba Matris ad sponsam et Matris et Filii dulciter adinuicem et qualiter iniquis Christus est amarus, amarior et amarissimus et bonis dulcis, dulcior et dulcissimus.
The Bitterness of the Passion
The Mother of God reflects on the profound bitterness of her Son's passion.
The Mother spoke to the bride: "Consider, new bride, the passion of my Son, whose passion surpassed the passion of all the saints in its bitterness." For just as a mother would be bitterly distressed if she saw her son being cut alive, so I was distressed at the passion of my Son, seeing the bitterness of it."
The Sweetness of the Son
The Mother praises the eternal holiness and sweetness of her Son.
Then she spoke to the Son: "Blessed are you, my Son, for you are holy, just as it is sung: 'Holy, holy, holy Lord God of Hosts.'" Blessed are you, for you are sweet, sweeter, and sweetest!" You were holy before the incarnation, holy in the womb, and holy after the incarnation. You were also sweet before the world was created, sweeter than the angels, and most sweet to me in the incarnation.
The Bitterness of Divine Judgment
Christ explains that while He is sweet to the faithful, He is bitter to those who reject His creation and grace.
The Son replied, "Mother, you are blessed above all the angels." For just as I was most sweet to you, as you just said, so to the wicked I am bitter, more bitter, and most bitter. I am bitter to those who say I created many things without a cause, and who blaspheme me by saying I created man for death, not for life. What a miserable and senseless thought! Do you really think that I, who am most just and most virtuous, created the angels without a reason? Would I have enriched man with such goodness if I had created him for damnation? Certainly not. I did everything well, and out of love I gave every good thing to man. Yet he turns all those good things into evil for himself—not because I have made anything evil, but because he directs his own will in a way that goes against what divine law requires. That is what evil is. I am even more bitter toward those who claim I gave them free will to sin rather than to do good; toward those who call me unjust because I condemn some and justify others; and toward those who blame me for their own wickedness, claiming I withhold my grace from them. I am most bitter to those who say that my law and my commandments are too difficult and that no one can fulfill them, and who say that my passion is of no value to them. Consequently, they count it as nothing.
The Purpose of Creation and Free Will
Christ defends the goodness of His creation and the necessity of free will, emphasizing that love must be chosen.
Therefore, I swear by my life, just as I once swore to the prophets, that I will justify myself before my angels and all my saints; and those to whom I am bitter will prove that I created all things reasonably and well, for the benefit and instruction of humanity, and that not even the smallest worm exists without a purpose. Those, however, who find me more bitter will acknowledge that I wisely gave free will for the good of humanity. They will also know that I am just, for I give the eternal kingdom to the good, but punishment to the wicked. It wouldn't be right for the devil—whom I created good, but who fell through his own malice—to have fellowship with the good. Even evil people will eventually acknowledge that they aren't evil because of any fault of mine, but because of their own. If it were possible, I would gladly suffer for every single person the same pain I once endured on the cross for all, so that they might return to their promised inheritance. But humanity always holds a will that is contrary to mine. That’s why I gave them freedom, so they might serve me if they chose and receive an eternal reward. If, however, they refused, they would face punishment with the devil, for whose malice and that of his followers hell was justly created. Because I am love, I don't want anyone to serve me out of fear or under compulsion, like an unreasoning animal; I want them to serve me out of divine love, because no one can see my face who serves me unwillingly or out of fear of punishment. But those to whom I am most bitter will realize in their own conscience that my law was very light and my yoke most sweet, and they will grieve inconsolably that they rejected my law and loved the world more, whose yoke is far heavier and more difficult than mine.
The Final Exchange of Love
The Mother and Son conclude their dialogue with a mutual exchange of love and a warning about the reception of grace.
Then the mother answered, "Blessed are you, my son, my God, and my Lord!" I ask you that, because you have been so sweet to me, others may also share in my sweetness." The Son answered her, "Blessed are you, dearest Mother!" Your words are sweet and full of love. Therefore, anyone who receives your sweetness into their mouth and holds it perfectly will find it profitable. But whoever receives it and then rejects it will face a much more bitter punishment. Then the Virgin replied, "Blessed are you, my Son, for all your love!"
Read the original Latin
Mater loquebatur ad sponsam: "Considera, sponsa noua, passionem filii mei, cuius passio omnium sanctorum passionem in amaritudine superauit. Sicut enim mater, si filium suum viuum incidi videret, amarissime turbaretur, sic ego in passione filii mei visa amaritudine eius turbabar."
Deinde loquebatur ad filium: "Benedictus sis tu, fili mi, quia sanctus es, sicut cantatur: 'Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth.' Benedictus sis tu, quia dulcis es, dulcior et dulcissimus!
Tu sanctus eras ante incarnacionem, sanctus in utero, sanctus post incarnacionem. Tu eciam dulcis fuisti ante mundi creacionem, dulcior angelis, dulcissimus michi in incarnacione."
Respondit filius: "Benedicta sis tu, mater, pre omnibus angelis! Sicut enim tibi, ut nunc dixisti, fui dulcissimus, sic malis sum amarus, amarior, amarissimus.
Amarus sum illis, qui dicunt me creasse multa sine causa, qui blasphemant me hominem creasse ad mortem, non ad vitam. O misera et insensata cogitacio!
Numquid ego iustissimus et virtuosissimus angelos creaui sine racione? Numquid ego tanta bonitate ditassem hominem, si creassem eum ad dampnacionem? Nequaquam.
Ego quippe omnia bene feci et ex caritate omne bonum dedi homini. Ipse autem omnia bona vertit sibi in malum, non quod ego aliquid malum fecerim, sed quia ipse homo, cum aliter, quam tenetur secundum diuinam constitucionem, mouet voluntatem suam. Hoc est malum.
Hiis autem sum amarior, qui dicunt me liberum arbitrium dedisse ad peccandum et non ad faciendum bonum, qui dicunt me iniustum esse, eo quod alios dampno, alios iustifico, qui imputant michi, quod mali sunt, quia subtraho eis graciam.
Hiis vero sum amarissimus, qui dicunt legem et mandata mea difficillima et neminem posse implere ea, qui dicunt passionem meam eis nichil valere. Ideo et pro nichilo reputant eam.
Propterea iuro in vita mea, sicut olim iurabam prophetis, quod excusabo me coram angelis et omnibus sanctis meis, et probabunt hii, quibus amarus sum, me omnia racionabiliter et bene creasse et ad utilitatem et erudicionem hominis nec minimum vermem sine causa subsistere.
Hii vero, qui me amariorem habent, probabunt me liberum arbitrium pro bono hominis sapienter dedisse. Scient et me esse iustum, qui bono homini do eternum regnum, malo vero supplicium.
Non enim deceret diabolum qui a me bene factus est et ex malicia sua lapsus, ut cum bono societatem haberet. Probabunt eciam mali homines non esse propter meam culpam, quod ipsi mali sunt sed propter suam culpam propriam.
Ego enim, si possibile esset, libenter pro unoquoque homine talem penam exciperem, qualem semel in cruce pro omnibus recepi ad hoc, ut ad promissam hereditatem redirent.
Sed homo voluntatem suam semper habet michi contrariam. Cui ideo dedi libertatem, ut seruiret michi, si vellet, et haberet eternum premium. Si autem nollet, haberet supplicium cum diabolo, propter cuius maliciam et eius sequacium infernus iuste factus est.
Ego enim, quia caritatiuus sum, nolo, ut homo seruiat michi ex timore vel coactus quasi animal irracionabile sed ex diuina caritate, quia nullus potest videre faciem meam, qui inuitus seruit michi vel ex timore pene.
Illi vero, quibus amarissimus sum, intelligent in consciencia sua legem meam fuisse leuissimam et iugum meum suauissimum et dolebunt inconsolabiliter, quod spreuerunt legem meam et quod dilexerunt magis mundum, cuius iugum est grauius et difficilius multo quam meum."
Tunc respondit mater: "Benedictus sis tu, fili mi, Deus meus et Dominus meus! Rogo te, ut, quia tu michi fuisti dulcissimus, alii participes fiant dulcedinis mee."
Cui respondit filius: "Benedicta sis tu, carissima mater! Verba tua dulcia sunt et caritate plena. Ideo quicumque de dulcedine tua in os suum receperit et perfecte tenuerit, proficiet ei.
Qui autem receperit et reiecerit, tanto amarius supplicium habebit." Tunc respondit Virgo: "Benedictus sis tu, fili mi, pro omni dileccione tua!"
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