Deprecatio sponse ad dominam pro Roma et de multitudine innumerabili sanctorum martirum Rome quiescentium, et de tribus gradibus perfectionis Christianorum et de quadam visione ipsius sponse, et qualiter Christus ei apparens predictam visionem sibi exposuit et declarauit.
A Plea for the Holy City
The bride prays for the restoration of honor and devotion in the city of Rome.
Mary, even though I've been harsh, I still call on you for help. And I ask you to deign to pray for that most excellent and most holy city, Rome. I can see physically that some churches where the bones of the saints rest are desolate. Others are indeed inhabited, but the hearts and ways of those who lead them are far from God. So, ask for charity for them, because I have heard from the Scriptures that in Rome, every single day of the year contains seven thousand martyrs. And so, even though their souls possess no less honor in heaven, and even though their bones are treated with contempt on earth, I still ask you that greater honor be shown on earth to your saints and to the relics of your saints, so that the devotion of the people may be stirred up.
The Multitude of Martyrs
The Mother reveals the immense number of martyrs and confessors who have sanctified Rome through their humility and faith.
The Mother replied, "If you were to measure out a plot of land a hundred feet long and just as wide, and sow it full of pure wheat, packed so tightly that there was no more space between one grain and the next than the width of a single finger joint," Even if every single grain were to yield a hundredfold harvest, there would still be more martyrs and confessors in Rome from the time Peter arrived there in humility until the time Celestine left that seat of pride and returned to his solitary life. I am speaking of those martyrs and confessors who preached the true faith against doubt and humility against pride, and who died for the truth of the faith or were willing to die for it. Peter and many others were so warm and fervent in proclaiming the words of God that if they could have died for even one person, they would have done so gladly. Yet they were cautious, fearing they might be snatched away from the sight of those they were nurturing with words of comfort and preaching, because they desired the salvation of those people more than their own lives and honor. There were also many who, for the sake of gain and gathering many souls, moved in secret during the persecution. Therefore, between these two—Peter and Celestine—not everyone was good, just as not everyone was evil.
The Three Degrees of Perfection
Christ defines the three degrees of Christian perfection and critiques the current state of the clergy and military.
Let's establish three degrees, just as you laid them out today: positive, comparative, and superlative—that is, the good, the better, and the best. The first degree consisted of those who thought like this: We believe whatever the holy Church commands. We don't want to cheat anyone, but rather to restore what was taken, and we desire to serve God with our whole heart. There were others like them in the time of Romulus, the founder of Rome, who thought this way according to their own faith: We understand and know from created things that God is the creator of all; therefore, we want to love Him above all else. Many others, however, thought this: 'We have heard from the Hebrews that the true God revealed Himself to them through clear miracles.' And so, if we knew what we ought to build our lives upon, we would gladly do it.' All of these were, in a sense, at the first degree. At the appointed time, Peter came to Rome; he raised some to the positive degree, others to the comparative, and others to the superlative. For those who received the true faith and lived in marriage and other praiseworthy states of life were in the positive degree. Those, however, who gave up their own possessions for the sake of divine love, who showed others good examples of how to live through their words, their conduct, and their deeds, and who also put nothing before Christ—these were in the comparative degree. Those who truly gave their own flesh for the love of God were in the superlative degree. But let’s ask, among these degrees mentioned above, where is the love of God found to be most fervent? Let’s look for it among soldiers and teachers! Let's look among those in the religious life and those who despise the world, who ought to be in the comparative and superlative degrees, and certainly very few are found. There is no life more austere than the life of a soldier, provided it is lived according to its true principles. For if a monk is commanded to wear a cowl, a soldier is commanded to wear something heavier—namely, a breastplate. If it's hard for a monk to fight against the desires of the flesh, it's even harder for a soldier to advance among armed enemies. If a hard bed is assigned to a monk, it's harder for a soldier to rest in his armor. And if a monk is troubled and afflicted by fasting, it's harder for a soldier to be afflicted by the constant fear of losing his life. The Christian life of service wasn't begun for the sake of worldly possessions or greed, but to strengthen the truth and to spread the true faith. And that is why the ranks of military service and religious life are expected to be held in the superlative or comparative degree. But every rank has fallen away from its praiseworthy purpose, because the love of God has been turned into a greed for the world. For if a single florin were taken from three, most people would rather stay silent about the truth than lose that money by speaking up.
The Vision of Desolation
The bride describes a vision of gardens and fields, followed by a lament over the desolate altars of Rome.
Now the bride speaks, saying: "Again I saw what looked like many gardens on the earth, and I noticed roses and lilies among them." In one spacious place on the earth, I saw a field a hundred paces long and just as wide. In every footprint, however, seven grains of wheat were sown, and each grain produced a hundredfold harvest. After this, I heard a voice saying, "O Rome, Rome, your walls are torn down." Therefore, your gates are left unguarded. Your vessels are being sold off. That is why your altars are desolate. The living sacrifice and the morning incense are being burned in the outer court. That is why the most sweet, holy fragrance does not go forth from the Holy of Holies.
The Meaning of the Vision
Christ interprets the vision, explaining the symbolism of the field, the wheat, and the current spiritual decay of Rome, while offering hope for mercy.
And the Son of God appeared at once and said to the bride, "I am showing you the meaning of these things you saw." The land you saw represents every place where the Christian faith now exists. The gardens, however, represent those places where God's saints received their crowns. Still, there were many of God's elect in pagan lands—specifically in Jerusalem and other places—whose locations, however, haven't been shown to you yet. The field, measuring a hundred feet in length and the same in width, represents Rome. If all the gardens in the world were joined together, Rome would certainly be just as great in martyrs—speaking in the flesh—because that place was chosen for the love of God. The wheat you saw among the footprints represents those who entered heaven through the mortification of the flesh, compunction, and an innocent life. The roses, however, are few: these are the martyrs, reddened by the shedding of their blood in various places. The lilies are the confessors who have preached and confirmed the holy faith through their words and deeds. Now, however, I can speak of Rome just as the prophet spoke of Jerusalem: 'Once,' he said, 'justice lived in her, and her leaders were leaders of peace.' But now, it has turned into dross, and its leaders are murderers. Oh, if you only knew the time you have, Rome, you would weep and not rejoice. In the past, Rome was like a tapestry colored in every beautiful hue and woven with the finest thread. Its very earth was stained red—that is, with the blood of martyrs—and woven through, or mingled, with the bones of the saints. Now, however, its gates are desolate, because those who defend and guard them have turned toward greed. Its walls have crumbled and stand unprotected, because they no longer care about the ruin of souls; instead, the clergy and the people—who are the wall of God—are scattered, pursuing the interests of the flesh. Divine vessels are sold contemptibly, because the Sacraments of God are dispensed for the sake of money and worldly favor. Altars, however, are desolate because those who celebrate have hands empty of the love of God and eyes fixed on the offering; and although they truly hold God between their hands, the heart remains empty of God because it is filled with worldly vanities. The Holy of Holies, where the supreme sacrifice was once offered, represents the longing for divine enjoyment and vision, from which love for God and neighbor—as well as the fragrance of all self-control and virtue—should rise. But now the sacrifice is consumed in the outer court—that is, in the world—because all divine love has been turned toward incontinence and the vanity of the world. Rome is like this in a physical sense, just as you saw. For many altars have been left desolate. The offering is being spent in the taverns. Those who give are more concerned with the world than with God. Yet you should know that from the time of the humble Peter until Boniface ascended the seat of pride, countless souls have ascended into heaven. Even now, Rome isn't without friends of God who, if they had the support, would cry out to the Lord, and He Himself would have mercy on them.
Read the original Latin
"OMaria, licet immitis fueram, tamen te inuoco in adiutorium meum. Et rogo te, ut rogare digneris pro excellentissima et sanctissima illa urbe Roma. Video enim corporaliter, quod quedam ecclesie in quibus ossa sanctorum quiescunt desolate sunt. Quedam vero habitantur sed corda et mores rectorum earum longe sunt a Deo.
Impetra ergo eis caritatem, quia audiui ex scripturis, quod Rome quelibet dies in anno septem milia continet martirum. Et ideo quamuis anime non minorem honorem obtinent in celo, licet ossa eorum contemnuntur in terris, tamen rogo te, ut sanctis tuis et sanctorum tuorum reliquiis amplior honor exhibeatur in terris et sic deuotio populi excitetur."
Respondit mater: "Si mensurares terram centum pedum in longitudine et totidem in latitudine et seminares eam plenam puris granis tritici, ita compresse, quod non esset distantia inter granum et granum nisi quasi articulus digiti unius,
quodlibet vero granum daret fructum centuplum, adhuc essent plures martires et confessores Rome a tempore illo, quo Petrus venit Romam cum humilitate, usquequo Celestinus discessit a sede superbie et reuersus est ad suam solitariam vitam.
De illis vero martiribus et confessoribus loquor, qui fidem veram predicabant contra diffidentiam et humilitatem contra superbiam, et qui pro veritate fidei mortui sunt vel voluntate parati erant mori.
Nam Petrus et alij plures sic calidi et feruentes erant ad proferendum verba Dei, quod si potuissent mori pro unoque homine, libenter fecissent. Attamen timidi fuerunt, ne a conspectibus illorum, quos verbo consolationis et predicationis fouebant raperentur, quia salutem eorum plus desiderabant quam vitam propriam et honorem.
Fuerunt quoque tanti et ideo processerunt occulte in persecutione propter lucrum et collectionem plurimarum animarum. Igitur inter istos duos, Petrum scilicet et Celestinum, non omnes fuerunt boni sicut nec omnes mali.
Ecce ponamus tres gradus, sicut tu composuisti hodie, positiuum, comparatiuum et superlatiuum, idest bonos meliores et optimos. In primo gradu fuerunt illi, quorum cogitatio fuit ista:
'Nos credimus quidquid sancta precipit ecclesia. Neminem defraudare volumus sed defraudata reddere et Deo seruire desideramus toto corde.' Consimiles eciam fuerunt tempore Romuli, fundatoris Rome, secundum fidem suam, qui cogitabant taliter:
'Nos intelligimus et scimus ex creaturis, quod Deus est creator omnium; hunc ergo diligere volumus pre omnibus.' Quamplures vero cogitabant ista: 'Nos audiuimus ex Hebreis, quod Deus verus ostendit se eis per miracula manifesta.
Et ideo, si sciremus in quo nos magis fundare deberemus, libenter faceremus.' Isti omnes fuerunt quasi in primo gradu. Tempore vero placito Petrus venit Romam, qui alios eleuauit in positiuum gradum, alios in comparatiuum, alios in superlatiuum. Illi enim, qui fidem receperunt veram, qui in coniugio et alia dispositione laudabili steterunt, isti fuerunt in positiuo gradu.
Qui vero sua dimiserunt propter caritatem diuinam, qui alijs exempla bona viuendi ostenderunt verbis et exemplis et operibus, necnon et qui nichil Christo preposuerunt, isti fuerunt in comparatiuo gradu.
Qui vero carnem suam dederunt pro amore Dei, isti fuerunt in gradu superlatiuo. Sed queramus in hijs gradibus supradictis, ubi inuenitur caritas Dei feruentior? Queramus in militibus et doctoribus!
Queramus in religiosis et mundi contemptoribus, qui tenerentur esse in comparatiuo et superlatiuo gradu et certe nimis pauci inueniuntur. Nam non est vita austerior quam vita militaris, si in sua vera institutione staret. Si enim monacho precipitur habere cucullam militi precipitur grauius, scilicet lorica.
Si vero est graue monacho pugnare contra voluptatem carnis, militi est grauius inter armatos hostes procedere. Si vero ordinatur monacho durus lectus, grauius est militi in armis quiescere. Et si monachus turbatur et affligitur abstinentia, durius est militi affligi continuo timore vite.
Non enim militia Christianitatis incepta est propter mundi possessionem et cupiditatem, sed ad confortandam veritatem et dilatandum veram fidem. Et ideo gradus militaris et religiositatis in superlatiuo gradu vel comparatiuo esse tenerentur.
Sed omnes gradus a sua laudabili dispositione apostatauerunt, quia caritas Dei versa est in cupiditatem mundi. Si enim auferretur unus florenus de tribus, magis tacerent plerique veritatem quam loquendo amitterent illum.
Nunc autem loquitur sponsa dicens: "Iterum vidi quasi multos hortos in terra, rosas vero et lilia conspexi inter hortos. In quodam vero loco spacioso terre vidi agrum centum vestigiorum in longitudine et totidem in latitudine.
In quolibet autem vestigio erant septem grana tritici seminata et quodlibet granum dabat fructum centuplum. Post hec audiui vocem dicentem: 'O Roma, Roma, muri tui dirupti sunt. Ideo porte tue sunt sine custodia. Vasa tua venduntur.
Ideo altaria tua desolata sunt. Viuum sacrificium et incensum matutinum comburitur in atrio. Ideo non egreditur de sancta sanctorum sanctus odor suauissimus."
Et statim apparens Dei filius dixit sponse: "Horum intelligentiam, que vidisti, indico tibi. Terra quam vidisti significat omnem locum, ubi nunc est fides Christiana. Horti vero significant loca illa, ubi sancti Dei receperunt coronas suas.
Verumtamen in paganismo, scilicet in Iherusalem et in alijs locis, multi fuerunt electorum Dei, quorum tamen loca tibi modo non sunt monstrata. Ager vero centum pedum in longitudine et totidem in latitudine significat Romam.
Nam si omnes horti de toto mundo coniuncti essentome, certe Roma essent eque magna de martiribus, in carne loquor, quia locus ille electus est ad amorem Dei.
Triticum vero quod inter vestigia vidisti, significat illos qui per carnis macerationem et contritionem et vitam innocentem intrauerunt celum. Rose vero pauce sunt martires rubicundi sanguinis sui effusione in diuersis locis.
Lilia vero confessores sunt, qui fidem sanctam verbis et operibus predicauerunt et confirmauerunt. Nunc autem ego possum loqui de Roma, sicut propheta loquebatur de Iehrusalem: 'Olim', inquiens 'habitauit in ea iusticia et principes eius principes pacis. Nunc autem versa est in scoriam et principes eius homicide.
O, si cognosceres dies tuos, o Roma, fleres utique et non gauderes. Roma quippe in diebus antiquis erat quasi tela colorata omni colore pulcerrimo et contexta nobilissimo filo. Terra quoque eius erat colorata colore rubeo, idest sanguine martirum et contexta, idest commixta ossibus sanctorum.
Nunc autem porte eius desolate sunt, quia defensores et custodes earum inclinati sunt ad cupiditatem. Muri eius depressi sunt et sine custodia, quia iam non curant animarum damna, sed clerus et populus, qui sunt murus Dei, disperguntur ad faciendum utilitatem carnis.
Vasa diuina venduntur contemptibiliter, quia sacramenta Dei propter pecuniam et fauorem mundanum dispensantur. Altaria vero desolata sunt, quia qui celebrant cum vasis manus habent a caritate Dei vacuas et oculos ad offertorium, et licet Deum vere habeant inter manus, cor tamen vacuum est a Deo, quia mundanis vanitatibus est repletum.
Sanctum vero sanctorum, ubi olim consumebatur summum sacrificium, significat desiderium diuine fruitionis et visionis de quo ascendere deberet caritas ad Deum et proximum et odor totius continentie et virtutis.
Nunc autem sacrificium consumitur in atrio, idest in mundo, quia tota diuina caritas versa est ad incontinentiam et mundi vanitatem. Talis est Roma corporaliter, sicut vidisti. Nam altaria plura desolata sunt.
Offertorium expenditur in tabernis. Offerentes plus vacant mundo quam Deo. Verum tamen scias, quod a tempore Petri humilis usque dum Bonefacius ascendit sedem superbie, innumerabiles anime ascenderunt in celum.
Adhuc tamen Roma non est sine amicis Dei, qui si haberent adiutorium, clamarent domino et ipse misereretur eisdem."
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