Christus loquens sponse dicit, quod quatuor iaculis id est quatuor increpacionibus hic contentis sagittandi sunt peccatores et tepidi, ut compungantur et ad emendacionem vite humiliter reducantur.
The Four Arrows of Correction
Christ introduces four metaphorical arrows intended to pierce the hearts of the tepid and sinful.
The Son says, "I will give my friends four arrows." The first to be shot is the one who is blind in one eye; the second, the one who is lame in one foot; the third, the one who is deaf in one ear; and the fourth, the one who lies prostrate on the ground.1
The Blind and the Lame
The first two arrows address those who ignore God's commands for worldly gain and those who seek earthly comforts despite their repentance.
That person is blind in one eye who sees the commands of God and the works of the saints, but doesn't pay attention to them. Yet they see the pleasures of the world and crave them. Such a person must be pierced by this arrow, by saying this to them: 'You are like Lucifer, who saw the supreme beauty of God but, because he unjustly desired what he should not have, fell into hell; and you will descend there too, unless you repent, given that you understand the commandments of God and know that everything in this world is passing.'2 Therefore, it's wisest for you to hold onto what is certain and let go of what is fleeting, so that you don't descend into hell. But that person is lame in one foot who feels compunction and is crushed by the sins they've committed, yet still labors to acquire worldly comforts and the gains that belong to this world. This person must be pierced with this arrow: 'You labor for the comfort of a body that worms will soon enough devour.' Therefore, labor fruitfully for your soul, which is to live forever.
The Deaf and the Earthbound
The final two arrows address those who are distracted by worldly talk and those who are overly attached to earthly existence.
That person is deaf in one ear who wants to hear my words and the words of my saints, but keeps the other ear open to coarse talk and the things of this world. So tell him: 'You are like someone who hears the words of God with one ear, but they go right out the other; that is why the message you heard didn't do you any good.' Therefore, close your ears to empty talk, so that you may reach the songs of the angels.' Anyone caught up in worldly things is completely grounded in the earth, yet they still think about and want to know how they might improve themselves. To such a person, let it be said: 'This time is short, like a mere point; but the punishment of hell is eternal, and the glory of the saints is everlasting.'
The Healing of the Heart
The chapter concludes with a promise of grace and healing for those who allow these corrections to lead them to true repentance.
Therefore, so that you may reach true life, do not let it trouble you to take on something heavy and bitter, because just as God is merciful, so is He also just. Whoever has been pierced in this way—if the arrow comes out of their heart bloody, meaning they are truly moved to compunction and resolve to amend their life—to them I will pour in the oil of my grace, by which all their members will be healed.3
Read the original Latin
Filius loquitur: "Ego dabo amicis meis quatuor iacula. Primo sagittandus est ille qui altero oculo cecus est, secundo qui altero pede claudus est, tercio qui alia aure surdus est, quarto qui prostratus iacet in terra.
Ille igitur alio oculo cecus est, qui mandata Dei et opera sanctorum videt et non attendit. Videt vero delectabilia mundi et concupiscit. Hic talis sagittandus est isto modo, dicendo ei sic:
'Tu similis est Lucifero, qui vidit summam pulchritudinem Dei, sed quia iniuste desiderauit quod non debuit, ideo descendit in infernum, ad quem et tu descendes, nisi resipueris, ex eo quod intelligis precepta Dei et quod omnia transitoria sunt in mundo.
Ideo consultissimum est tibi tenere certum et dimittere transitorium, ne descendas in infernum.'
Ille vero alio pede claudus est, qui penitet et conteritur de peccatis commissis sed laborat ad acquirendum terrena commoda et lucra que mundi sunt.
Hic sagittandus est taliter: 'Tu laboras pro commodo corporis, quod vermes comesturi sunt cicius. Ideo labora fructuose pro anima, que ineternum est victura.'
Ille vero alia aure surdus est qui audire desiderat verba mea et sanctorum meorum, sed aliam aurem habet apertam ad scurrilia et ad ea que sunt mundi.
Ideo dicatur ei: 'Tu similis es Iude, qui audiuit una aure verba Dei et per aliam exierunt, ideo non profuit sibi sermo auditus. Propterea claude aures tuas a vano auditu, ut ad angelicos cantus possis peruenire.'
Ille vero iacet totus in terra qui terrenis implicatur sed tamen cogitat et vellet scire viam, per quam se emendare posset. Isti dicatur taliter: 'Tempus istud breue est quasi punctus, pena vero inferni eterna et gloria sanctorum perpetua.
Ideo ut ad vitam veram peruenias, non sit tibi molestum aliquid assumere graue et amarum, quia sicut Deus pius est sic est et iustus.'
Quicumque igitur sic sagittatus fuerit, si sagitta de corde eius exierit sanguineus, id est quod iste vere compungatur et proponat se emendare, huic ego immittam oleum gracie mee, qua omnia membra eius conualescent."
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin 'sagittandus est' literally means 'is to be shot with an arrow', referring back to the 'iacula' (arrows) mentioned in the previous sentence.
- 2 ↩The Latin 'resipueris' carries the sense of coming to one's senses or returning to a right mind, which is here rendered as 'repent' to capture the moral and spiritual urgency of the warning.
- 3 ↩The phrase 'sanguineus' (bloody) here signifies the outward manifestation of an inward, grace-pierced sorrow (compunction).
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