Oranti sponse ad Virginem, quod impetraret ei perfectam dileccionem ad Deum, respondit Virgo, quod ad hoc optinendum sequatur sex verba euangelii hic contenta. Et declarat ei pulchre illud verbum: "Vade et vende omnia, qui habes, et da pauperibus", et illud: "Nolite sollicitari de crastino". Et dicit, quod laborans in oracione et leccione deutoe licite potest mendicare pro necessariis vite.
The Path to Perfect Love
The bride seeks the Virgin's guidance on how to detach from worldly things to love God perfectly.
The bride spoke to the Virgin, saying, "O how sweet the Lord God is!" For anyone who possesses Him as most sweet will have no sorrow in which they won't feel consolation. And so, most kind Mother of God, I ask you to pull from my heart the love of all worldly things, so that your Son may be dearer to me than everything else, even until death. The Mother answered: "Since you want my Son to be your most beloved, follow the words He spoke Himself in the Gospel, which lead to this goal: that He may be loved above all things."
Gospel Principles of Detachment
The Virgin outlines six gospel sayings that guide the soul toward true poverty and trust in God's providence.
So, I am bringing six gospel sayings back to your memory. The first is what He said to the rich man: "Go, sell what you have, give to the poor, and follow me." The second is: "Don't be anxious about tomorrow." The third is: 'Look at how the birds are fed; how much more will your heavenly Father feed you!' The fourth is: 'Give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's!' The fifth is: 'Seek first the kingdom of God!' The sixth is: 'All you who are hungry, come to me, and I will refresh you.' A person is truly seen to sell everything when they want nothing more than the modest sustenance needed for one body, and distribute all else to the poor for the honor of God—not for the honor of the world—with the intention of gaining the friendship of God, as is evident in blessed Gregory and many other kings and princes. Those so beloved by God—even if they once held wealth and gave it away—are just like those who left everything behind for God all at once and lived by begging from others afterward. Those who held the riches of the world solely for the honor of God would have gladly done without them, had it been God's will; these others, however, embraced the poverty they longed for, for the honor of God. Therefore, anyone who holds property or income from goods that were justly acquired is permitted to use the proceeds to support themselves and their household, for the honor of God. Whatever remains, however, should be given to the needy friends of God. Second, don't worry about tomorrow. For even if you have nothing but the clothes on your back, put your hope in God; and He who feeds the birds will also sustain you, whom He has redeemed with His own blood.
Practical Discernment for the Devout
The bride and the Virgin discuss the practical realities of daily needs, labor, and the legitimacy of begging for those dedicated to prayer.
I answered her, "O dearest Lady, you are beautiful, rich, and virtuous: beautiful because you have never sinned, rich because you are the dearest friend of God, and virtuous because you are most perfect in all good works." Therefore, my Lady, listen to me, for I am full of sins and poor in virtues." We have food and our necessities today, but tomorrow we're in need and completely run out. How, then, can we be free from anxiety when we have nothing? For although the soul finds consolation in God, the donkey—which is the body—still craves its food. The Virgin answered: "If you have any superfluous things that you can do without, sell them or pawn them, and in this way you'll live without anxiety." I replied, "We have clothes that we wear night and day, and a few dishes for our table." A priest, however, has his books, and for Mass we have a chalice and vestments." The Virgin replied: "A priest shouldn't be without books, nor you without Mass; but Mass itself shouldn't be celebrated except in clean vestments." Your body, too, shouldn't be naked, but clothed for the sake of modesty and to keep out the cold. Therefore, you have need of all these things." I replied, "Should I take out a loan based on my word for a set period of time?" The Mother answered, "If you're certain that you'll be able to pay it back at the agreed time, then take the loan; if not, don't." It's better for you to go without food for a day than to risk your integrity for something uncertain." And I asked, "Do I ever have to work to earn my living?" The Mother replied, "What are you doing right now, and what do you do every day?" And I answered, "I am studying grammar, praying, and writing." But the Mother then said, "It isn't right to set aside such labors because of physical work." And I asked, "What, then, will we have for food tomorrow?" The Mother answered, "Ask in the name of Jesus Christ, if you have nothing else."
Read the original Latin
Loquebatur sponsa ad Virginem dicens: "O quam dulcis est Dominus Deus! Omnis enim, qui habet eum dulcissimum, nullum habebit dolorem, in quo non senciet consolacionem.
Et ideo, o mater Dei benignissima, rogo te, vt sic extrahas a corde meo dileccionem omnium rerum temporalium, quatenus filius tuus sit michi super omnia carissimus vsque ad mortem."
Respondit mater: "Quia filium meum desideras habere in tuum carissimum, sequere verba eius, que ipse personaliter loquebatur in euangelio, que ad hoc trahunt, vt ipse pre omnibus diligatur.
Et ideo sex verba euangelica reduco tibi ad memoriam. Primum est, quod dixit diuiti: 'Vade et vende, que habes, et da pauperibus et sequere me!' Secundum est: 'Nolite sollicitari de crastino!'
Tercium est: 'Videte, quomodo passeres pascuntur; quanto magis Pater celestis pascet homines!' Quartum est: 'Reddite, que sunt Cesaris, Cesari et, que sunt Dei, Deo!' Quintum est: 'Primum querite regnum Dei!' Sextum est: 'Omnes, qui esuritis, venite ad me, et ego reficiam vos.'
Ille quippe videtur omnia vendere, qui non plus appetit habere quam vnius corporis moderatam substanciam et omnia alia distribuit pauperibus ad honorem Dei et non pro honore mundi ea intencione, vt optineat amiciciam Dei, sicut apparet in beato Gregorio et aliis multis regibus et principibus.
Qui tantum dilecti sunt a Deo, quamuis habuerunt diuicias et aliis dederunt, sicut illi, qui omnia simul reliquerunt Deo, postea ab aliis mendicantes.
Nam illi, qui habuerunt diuicias mundi solummodo ad honorem Dei, libenter eis caruissent, si voluntas Dei fuisset; isti vero alii assumpserunt paupertatem, quam desiderabant, ad honorem Dei.
Ideo omnis homo, qui de iuste acquisitis bonis habet possessiones vel eciam pensiones, ei permittitur recipere fructus ad sustentacionem sui et familiarium suorum ad honorem Dei. Quidquid autem superfuerit, tribuat indigentibus amicis Dei.
Secundo noli sollicitari de crastino. Nam eciam si nichil habueris nisi corpus nudum, spera in Deo, et ipse, qui pascit passeres, eciam sustentabit te, quam redemit sanguine suo."
Cui ego respondi: "O domina carissima, que es pulchra, diues et virtuosa, ideo autem pulchra, quia numquam peccasti, ideo diues, quia amica Dei carissima, ideo virtuosa, quia perfectissima omnibus bonis operibus. Itaque, domina mea, audi me, que sum plena peccatis et in virtutibus pauper.
Nos hodie habemus victum et necessaria nostra, cras autem indigemus et omnino deficimus. Quomodo ergo possumus esse sine sollicitudine, quando nichil habemus? Nam licet anima consolacionem habet a Deo, asinus tamen, qui corpus est, appetit victum suum."
Respondit Virgo: "Si habetis aliqua superflua et quibus carere potestis, vendite ea vel impignorate et sic viuatis sine sollicitudine." Respondi ego: "Vestes habemus, quibus vtimur nocte et die, vasaque pauca pro mensa nostra. Sacerdos vero habet libros suos et pro missa habemus calicem et ornamenta."
Respondit Virgo: "Sacerdos non debet esse sine libris nec vos sine missa, sed nec missa dici debet nisi in ornamentis mundis. Corpus quoque vestrum non debet esse nudum sed vestitum propter verecundiam et ad vitandum frigus. Ideo talibus omnibus indigetis."
Respondi ego: "Numquid mutuatam pecuniam accipere debeo in fide mea ad aliquod tempus certum?" Respondit mater: "Si certa es, quod prefixo tempore soluere poteris, mutuum recipe; sin autem, dimitte. Melius enim est tibi vno die carere cibo quam fidem tuam exponere pro incerto."
Et ego: "Numquid vmquam laborare debeo propter victum lucrandum?" Respondit mater: "Quid agis modo et cottidie?" Et ego respondi: "Addisco gramaticam et oro et scribo."
Dixit autem tunc mater: "Non decet tales labores dimittere propter laborem corporalem." Et ego: "Quid ergo habebimus pro crastino victu?" Respondit mater: "Petite in nomine Ihesu Christi, si aliud non habetis."
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