Reuelacio octaua in libro questionum, in qua Christus loquitur sponse dicens, quod homines, qui delectantur in carnalibus et terrenis deliciis, desideria celestia et caritatem ac memoriam passionis eius et eterni iudicii negligentes, istorum oracio est quasi sonus collisorum lapidum, et proicientur a conspectu Dei abhominabiliter tamquam abortiuus et immundus pannus menstruate.
The Three Voices of the Worldly Heart
Christ describes the discordant, self-centered desires of the soul that prefers earthly comfort over divine truth.
He was singing, "Rescue me, Lord, from the wicked man!" To my ears, this voice sounds like two stones clattering together. For his heart cries out to me as if with three voices. The first says: 'I want to have my own will in my own hands, to sleep and wake and speak just as I please.' I'll give nature what it craves. I want money in my pocket and soft clothes on my back. When I have these and other things, I consider them happier than all other gifts and spiritual virtues of the soul. His second voice is this: 'Death isn't all that harsh, and judgment isn't as severe as it's written; they threaten harsher things as a warning, but grant lesser things out of mercy.' Therefore, if I have my own way in this life, let my soul pass into the next, just as it can.' The third voice says this: 'God would not have redeemed humanity if He didn't intend to give us heavenly things, nor would He have suffered if He didn't intend to lead us back to our true home.' Or why did He suffer, or who compelled Him to suffer? Of course, I don't understand heavenly things except by hearsay, and I don't even know if the Scriptures are to be believed. Still, if I could have my own way, I'd choose this over the kingdom of heaven. Look, this is what his will is like. So, his voice in my ears sounds like stones grinding together.
The Divine Response to Neglect
Christ directly addresses the soul's errors, warning of the consequences of rejecting His love and the path of the cross.
But, my friend, I answer you regarding that first voice: your path doesn't lead toward heaven, and the passion of my love has no savor for you. Hell is open to you for this reason, and because you love what is lowest and earthly, you are heading toward the depths. To the second voice I answer you: My child, death will be harsh for you, the judgment unbearable, and escape impossible, unless you reform your life. To the third voice I say to you: Brother, I did all my works out of love, so that you might be like me and, having turned away, return to me. But now, my works are dead in you, my words are burdensome, and my way is neglected. Therefore, punishment and the company of demons await you, because you turn your back on me, trample the signs of my humility under your feet, and fail to consider how I stood before you and for you on the cross.
The Suffering of the Cross and the Rejection of Grace
Christ recounts the intensity of His Passion to highlight the gravity of the soul's ingratitude and impending judgment.
I stood for you in three ways. First, like a man whose eye is pierced by a knife; second, like a man whose heart is run through by a sword; third, like a man whose whole body trembles from the pain of an impending trial.1 My Passion was actually more bitter to me than a piercing in the eye; yet I endured it out of love. My mother's sorrow also moved my heart more than my own, yet I endured it. Everything within and outside of me trembled for a long time from the impending passion and pain, yet I didn't give up, nor did I turn away. I have stood before you, yet you forget, neglect, and despise everything; so you will be cast aside like an aborted fetus and a filthy menstrual rag.
Read the original Latin
"Ille cantabat: 'Eripe me, Domine, a viro iniquo!' Hec vox est in auribus meis quasi sonus duorum lapidum collisorum. Eius quippe cor quasi cum tribus vocibus clamat ad me.
Prima dicit: 'Ego volo habere voluntatem meam in manu mea, dormire et surgere et loqui placencia. Dabo nature, quod appetit.
Pecuniam desidero in bursa, molliciem vestium in dorso. Cum hec et alia habuero, reputo feliciora ista omnibus aliis donis et virtutibus spiritualibus anime.'
Secunda vox eius est ista: 'Mors non est nimis dura, iudicium non est ita seuerum, vt scribitur; minantur duriora propter cautelam, dantur minora propter misericordiam.
Ideo, si habuero voluntatem meam in presenti, anima transeat in futuro, sicut potest.'
Tercia vox est ista: 'Deus non redemisset hominem, nisi dare vellet ei celestia, nec fuisset passus, nisi reducere vellet nos in patriam. Aut quare passus est aut quis compulit eum pati?
Nempe celestia non intelligo nisi ex auditu, et vtrum credendum sit scripturis, nescio. Tamen, si habere possem voluntatem meam, hoc reciperem pro celesti regno.'
Ecce talis est eius voluntas. Ideo quasi sonus lapidum est vox eius in auribus meis.
Sed, o amice, respondeo tibi ad vocem primam: Via tua non tendit ad celum nec passio caritatis mee sapit tibi. Ideo apertus est tibi infernus, et quia diligis infima et terrena, ideo vades ad inferiora.
Ad secundam vocem respondeo tibi: Fili, mors erit tibi dura, iudicium intollerabile et fuga impossibilis, nisi te emendes.
Ad terciam vocem dico tibi: Frater, omnia opera mea ex caritate feci, vt tu esses michi similis et auersus redires ad me. Nunc autem opera mea sunt mortua in te, verba mea onerosa et via mea neglecta.
Ideo restat tibi supplicium et societas demonum, quia vertis ad me dorsum, calcas sub pedibus tuis signa humilitatis mee et non attendis, qualis in cruce steti ante te et pro te.
Ego quippe tripliciter steti pro te. Primo sicut homo, cuius oculum cultellus penetraret; secundo sicut homo, cuius cor gladio perforaretur; tercio sicut homo, cuius omnia membra pre dolore instantis tribulacionis contremiscerent.
Passio quippe mea amarior michi erat quam punctura in oculo; attamen eam ex caritate paciebar.
Dolor quoque matris mee plus mouit meum cor quam proprius; attamen eum sustinebam. Omnia eciam interiora mea et exteriora diu ex instante passione et dolore tremuerunt; non tamen dimisi nec recessi.
Sic igitur steti ante te, sed tu omnia obliuisceris et negligis et contempnis; ideo sicut abortiuum et pannus menstruate proicieris."
Notes
- 1 ↩The Latin 'cultellus' specifically denotes a small knife or blade.
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