Verba matris ad filiam de monacho habente cor meretricum in pectore, et quomodo per propriam voluntatem et concupiscentiam et subterfugionem ab angelica vita a Deo apostatauit.
Discerning True Faults
The mother corrects the daughter's superficial judgments regarding liturgical frequency and monastic habits.
The mother of the bride speaks again: "What do you see in him that stands there that is worthy of blame?" She replied: "That he very rarely says Mass." The mother said to her: "He isn't to be judged for that." For there are many who, mindful of their own actions, abstain reasonably and are no less acceptable to me; but what other things do you see in him?" She replied, "Because he doesn't wear the habit established by Blessed Benedict." Her mother answered, "It often happens that a certain custom is started, and everyone who knows it's wrong yet follows it is to be blamed. But those who are ignorant of the praiseworthy rules and would gladly be content with more humble ways, if only a long-standing custom didn't prevail, shouldn't be judged so easily or harshly."
The Threefold Reproof
The mother identifies three grave spiritual failures: impurity of heart, self-will, and the loss of an angelic likeness.
But listen, and I will show you that he is to be reproved for three other things: first, that his heart, in which God ought to rest, is in the breast of harlots. Second, that he has abandoned his own little portion and craves many things that belong to others; he promised to deny himself, yet he follows his own will entirely. Third, God created his soul beautiful, like an angel, and for that reason he ought to live an angelic life; but now his soul bears the image of that angel who, through pride, fell away from God.
God's Hidden Judgment
God contrasts human perception with divine knowledge, noting how He hides the true state of souls until the final reward.
This person is great in the eyes of men, but God knows what they are truly like in His sight. For God is like someone who hides something closed in their fist from others until they open it; in the same way, God chooses the weak and hides their crowns in this present life, until He rewards each one according to their works.
The Judgment of the Worldly Abbot
A specific example of a worldly abbot is given, concluding with a divine pronouncement of separation from God due to pride.
He was an abbot who was far too worldly and cared nothing for souls; he died suddenly without the Sacraments, and the Holy Spirit spoke of him. "O soul, you loved the earth, and now the earth has claimed you." You are dead to your own life, and now you won't have my life, nor will you share in me, because you loved the company of the one who fell from me through pride and despised humility.
Read the original Latin
Item loquitur mater sponse: "Quid vides in isto, qui astat reprehensibile?" Respondit illa: "Quod rarissime dicit missam." Cui mater: "Non est ideo iudicandus. Sunt enim multi, qui factorum suorum memores rationabiliter abstinent et non minus michi sunt accepti, sed que vides in eo alia?"
Et illa: "Quod non habet vestes a beato Benedicto institutas." Cui mater: "Contingit multotiens, quod consuetudo quedam inchoatur et omnes qui sciunt eam esse malam et imitantur reprehendendi sunt, qui vero ignorant instituta laudabilia essentque libenter contenti de abiectioribus, si non consuetudo longinqua preualeret, tales non sunt faciliter et improbe iudicandi.
Sed audi et indicabo tibi, quod in tribus alijs reprehendendus est: Primo, quod cor eius, in quo Deus quiescere deberet, est in pectore meretricum. Secundo, quod dimisit modicum suum et concupiscit multa aliena; promisit abnegare seipsum et sequitur totam propriam voluntatem.
Tercio, quod Deus creauit animam suam pulchram quasi angelum et ob hoc deberet habere angelicam vitam sed modo anima eius habet ymaginem illius angeli, qui per superbiam a Deo apostatauit.
Hic apud homines magnus est sed qualis apud Deum nouit Deus. Ipse enim Deus est, sicut ille qui clausum aliquid habens in pugno abscondit illud ab alijs, donec aperuit pugnum, sic Deus infirma eligit et coronas eorum in presenti abscondit, donec unicuique reddet secundum opera sua."
Hic fuit abbas nimis secularis nil curans de animabus, qui subito mortuus est sine sacramentis, de quo dixit spiritussanctus. "O anima, dilexisti terram et iam terra recepit te.
Mortuus es vita tua et iam non habebis vitam meam nec mecum eris particeps, quia societatem eius dilexisti, que a me per superbiam lapsus est et contempsit humilitatem."
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