Verba matris ad filiam de concupiscentia malorum episcoporum, et quomodo propter bonam voluntatem multi dignitatem obtinent spiritualem, quam inordinati episcopi contemnunt, qui ad eam corporaliter sunt vocati, per latum exemplum inducit.
The Burden of True Stewardship
The Mother of God laments the lack of true love in those who hold power, contrasting their vanity with the humble readiness of the poor.
The Mother of God speaks to the bride of her Son, saying: "You weep because the love of God for man is so great, while in contrast, the love of men for God is so small." It really is. For what lord or bishop is there who doesn't crave power to gain worldly honor or wealth more than he craves to help the poor with his own hands? Because lords or bishops don't want to come to the wedding feast prepared for everyone in heaven, the poor and the weak will come instead, as I want to show you by an example. In a certain city, there was a bishop who was wise, handsome, and wealthy. When people praised his beauty and wisdom, he didn't thank God as he should have—the very One who had given him that wisdom. He was also praised and honored for his wealth, and because of this, he gave away much to win the world's favor. He also craved many things so that he might give more generously and be honored even more. This bishop had a learned cleric in his diocese who thought to himself in this way:
The Canon's Holy Desire
A learned canon reflects on the bishop's failings and expresses a pure desire to serve God through the episcopal office, not for gain, but for the salvation of souls.
"This bishop," he said, "doesn't love God as much as he should." His whole life is aimed at worldly things. Therefore, if it pleased God, I would gladly desire his bishopric, so that I might bring honor to God. I certainly don't desire it for the sake of the world, because the world's honor is nothing but air; nor for the sake of riches, because they are heavy, like a crushing burden; nor for the sake of my own comfort and personal gain, because I'm not entitled to be at ease except in a reasonable way, so that my body can stand to serve God—but I desire it for God alone.1 And although I am most unworthy of such an honor, I would still accept it so that I might win more souls for God, help more people through my words and example, and support many more from the goods of the Church. I would gladly take on the burden of a bishop. For God knows that a hard death would be dearer to me, and it would be sweeter to endure bitter punishment than to hold the dignity of a bishop; yet, because I am subject to suffering just like everyone else, it remains true that whoever desires the office of a bishop desires a good work.2 Therefore, I willingly desire the honor of a bishop along with the burden of the office, yet I view it as a kind of death: the honor, indeed, for the salvation of many, but the burden for my own salvation and for the love of God and souls—for this reason alone: that I might distribute the goods of the Church more generously to the poor, instruct souls more freely, guide the wandering more confidently, discipline my own flesh more rigorously, and govern myself more watchfully as an example to others.
Judgment of the Heart
The bishop and the canon face divine judgment, where the bishop is stripped of his honors and the canon is exalted for his humility and charity.
This canon, however, rebuked his bishop privately and prudently. The bishop, taking the words poorly, shamed the cleric openly and impudently, boasting that he was sufficient and moderate in all things. The canon, however, wept over the bishop's excesses, patiently enduring the things inflicted upon him. But the bishop, mocking the canon's charity and patience, spoke against him to such an extent that the canon was accused and considered a fool and a liar, while the bishop was thought to be just and circumspect. As time went on, both the bishop and the canon passed away and were called to the judgment of God. In His sight and in the presence of the angels, a golden throne appeared, with a bishop's miter and all his vestments lying before it. Many demons also followed the canon, eager to find something deadly in him, because they were as certain about the bishop as they are about the whale, which keeps its young alive in its belly amidst the storms. Many complaints were brought against the bishop: specifically, why did he accept the bishopric, and with what intention? Why did he take pride in the good of souls, how had he governed the souls entrusted to him, and what answer did he have for God regarding the grace given to him? And because the bishop had no justice to offer in response to the charges, the Judge replied, saying: 'Let dregs be placed on the bishop's head in place of a miter, pitch on his hands in place of gloves, mud on his feet in place of sandals, and a harlot's rag in place of his episcopal shirt and linen.' Instead of honor, let him receive disgrace. Instead of a vast household, let him have a crowd of demons to serve him. Then the judge added, 'Place a crown as bright as the sun on the canon's head, put gilded gloves on his hands, and let his feet be shod in fine shoes.' “Furthermore, let him be dressed in episcopal vestments with all honor.” He was immediately dressed in episcopal robes and presented to the Judge by the entire heavenly host as a bishop, with all honor. The bishop descended like a thief, with a rope around his neck; the Judge turned the eyes of His mercy away from him, and all the saints did the same.
God's Wisdom in Choosing the Humble
The vision concludes with a reflection on how God chooses the humble over the proud and a final description of the canon's detachment from worldly wealth.
Notice how, through a good will, many reach a spiritual dignity that those who were called to it in a merely physical sense despise. All these things happened in a single moment before God, but they have been put into words for your sake, because a thousand years are like one hour in God's sight. It also happens every day that, because bishops and lords refuse to hold the office they were called to, God chooses for Himself poor priests and bell-ringers who, living according to their own better conscience, would gladly work for the good of souls for the honor of God if they could, and they do what they can.3 That is why they enter the places prepared for bishops. For God is like someone who hangs a golden crown before the doors of his house and calls out to those passing by: 'Anyone, no matter their status, can earn this crown, and whoever is most nobly dressed in virtues will obtain it.' Still, you should know that if bishops and masters are wise with worldly wisdom, God is wiser than they are, even in spiritual matters; for He lifts up the humble and does not approve of the proud. Know also that this praised canon didn't personally tend to his horse when he went out to preach or to do his work. He didn't personally set up his own hearth when it was time to eat, but he had a household and the things he needed for a reasonable living; he even had money, but not for the sake of greed. For even if the entire wealth of the world had flowed to him, he wouldn't have given a single penny to become a bishop. He wouldn't have given up his bishopric for the whole world if it had pleased God, but he placed his entire will in God's hands, ready to be honored for the sake of God's honor, and ready to be cast down for the love and fear of God.
Read the original Latin
Mater Dei loquitur ad sponsam filij dicens: "Tu ploras, quod caritas Dei ad hominem est maxima et contra caritas hominum est ad Deum modica. Vere sic est. Quis enim est dominus vel episcopus, qui non magis concupiscit dominium ad honorem mundi obtinendum vel diuitias quam ad subueniendum pauperibus suis proprijs manibus.
Et ideo, quia domini vel episcopi nolunt venire ad nuptias omnibus preparatas in celo, venient pauperes et infirmi, sicut per exemplum tibi ostendere volo.
In ciuitate quadam erat quidam episcopus sapiens et pulcer et diues, qui de pulcritudine et sapientia sua laudatus non regratiabatur Deo, ut debuit, qui dedit ei ipsam sapientiam.
Laudabatur quoque et honorabatur de diuitijs suis et ideo dedit multa propter mundi fauorem. Plurima quoque concupiuit, ut largius daret et amplius honoraretur. Iste episcopus habebat quendam clericum litteratum in episcopatu suo, qui taliter secum cogitabat:
'Iste', inquiens, 'episcopus diligit Deum minus quam expedit. Vita eius tota tendit ad secularia. Ideo, si placeret Deo, libenter desiderarem episcopatum eius ad faciendum honorem Deo.
Non desidero quidem propter mundum, quia honor mundi non est aliud nisi sicut aer non propter diuitias, quia sunt graues tanquam onus grauissimum, non propter quietem carnis mee et commodum proprium, quia non teneor esse in quiete nisi rationabili, sicut corpus stare possit in seruitio Dei, sed propter solum Deum desidero.
Et quamuis indignissimus sim honore, tamen ut plures lucrifacerem Deo et pluribus proficerem verbo et exemplo, pluresque sustentarem de bonis ecclesie,
libenter susciperem onus episcopale. Nam Deus scit, quod carior esset michi mors dura et dulcius adferendum amarum supplicium quam episcopalis dignitas, quia, licet passibilis sim sicut ceteri, tamen qui episcopatum desiderat bonum opus desiderat.
Ideo libenter desidero honorem episcopi cum onere episcopali sed sicut mortem, honorem quidem propter salutem plurimorum, onus vero propter salutem meam et amorem Dei et animarum ad hoc solum, ut bona ecclesie possim distribuere largius pauperibus, animas instruere liberius, errantes instruere fiducialius, vexare carnem meam abundantius, moderare me ipsum sollicitius in exemplum aliorum.'
Iste autem canonicus increpauit episcopum suum occulte et prudenter. Episcopus vero egre ferens verba confudit clericum aperte et impudenter iactans se ad omnia sufficientem et moderatum.
Canonicus autem plorauit excessus episcopi patienter ferens illata. Sed episcopus deridens caritatem et patientiam canonici obloquebatur ei in tantum, quod canonicus arguebatur et reputabatur fatuus et mendax, episcopus vero iustus et circumspectus.
Tandem procedente tempore episcopus et canonicus migrauerunt et vocati sunt ad iudicium Dei. In cuius aspectu et presentia angelorum posita videbatur quedam sedes aurea et ante sedem infula episcopalis et totus eius ornatus.
Multi quoque demones sequebantur canonicum cupientes inuenire aliquid mortiferum in eo, quia de episcopo sic erant certi sicut cete, qui inter procellas seruat catulos suos viuos in ventre suo.
Propositis vero multis querimonijs contra episcopum: Cur, scilicet, et qua intentione suscepisset episcopatum? Cur superbiuit de bonis animarum, quomodo animas sibi commissas rexisset, quid vero Deo pro facta sibi gratia respondisset?
Cumque episcopus nichil iusticie haberet, quid responderet ad proposita, respondit iudex: 'Ponatur', inquiens, 'in capite episcopi fex pro infula, in manibus autem pix pro cyrothecis, lutum in pedibus pro sandalijs, pro camisia et lintheo episcopali pannus meretricalis.
Pro honore suscipiat dedecus. Pro lata familia habeat seruientem turbam demoniorum. Deinde addidit iudex: 'Ponatur in capite canonici corona fulgida sicut sol, in manibus eius cyrothece deaurate, calciate pedes eius sotularibus.
Insuper induatur habitu episcopali cum omni honore'. Qui statim veste episcopali circumdatus ab omni exercitu celesti presentatus est iudici tamquam episcopus cum honore. Episcopus descendit sicut fur habens in collo funem, a cuius conspectu iudex auertebat oculos misericordie sue et omnes sancti cum eo.
Ecce quomodo propter voluntatem bonam multi obtinent dignitatem spiritualiter, quam illi contemnunt, qui ad eam corporaliter sunt vocati. Omnia hec fiebant in uno puncto apud Deum sed propter te verbis prolata sunt, quia mille anni apud Deum sunt quasi una hora.
Quotidie quoque contingit, quod ex quo episcopi et domini nolunt tenere officium suum ad quod vocati sunt, Deus eligit sibi pauperes sacerdotes et campanarios, qui viuentes iuxta meliorem conscientiam suam ad honorem Dei libenter proficerent animabus, si possent et faciunt que possunt.
Ideo ingrediuntur loca episcopis preparata. Nam Deus similis est illi, qui suspendens auream coronam ante fores domus sue clamat transeuntibus sic: 'Omnis cuiuscumque status fuerit promereri potest coronam istam et quicumque nobilius vestitus fuerit virtutibus obtinebit illam.'
Verumtamen scito, quod si episcopi et domini sapientes sunt carnali sapientia, Deus sapientior est illis eciam spiritualiter, qui exaltat humiles et non approbat superbientes. Scito eciam, quod canonicus iste laudatus non curauit personaliter equum suum, cum iret ad predicandum vel ad opus suum.
Nec personaliter extruxit focum suum cum commesturus esset, sed habuit familiam et necessaria sua ad sustentationem rationabilem, qui eciam habuit pecuniam sed non ad cupiditatem. Nam eciam, si affluxisset sibi tota mundi substantia, non dedisset unum denarium ad hoc, quod fieret episcopus.
Nec pro toto mundo dimisisset episcopatum, si placuisset Deo, sed totam voluntatem suam posuit ad Deum paratus honorari ad honorem Dei et paratus deici pro amore et timore Dei."
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin structure here is a series of negations ('non... non... non...') followed by a final, emphatic affirmation ('sed...'). The translation maintains this parallel structure for clarity.
- 2 ↩The final clause echoes 1 Timothy 3:1.
- 3 ↩The term 'campanarios' (bell-ringers) is used here to denote humble, low-ranking church workers or minor clergy, contrasting with the high-ranking 'bishops and lords' who neglect their duties.
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