Domina Birgitta habuit istam reuelacionem in Neapoli ad requisicionem domini Elziarii filii comitisse de Ariano, qui iuuenis tunc et scolaris bone indolis erat. Et tunc ipse rogauit dominam Birgittam, quod oraret Deum pro eo. Ipsa vero in oracione existente apparuit virgo Maria ei, que dedit ei istam reuelacionem, per quam informat eum de modis tenendis in vita sua, valde pulchre dicens, quod racio debet esse hostiarius et custos anime ad expellendum omnes temptaciones et resistendum eis viriliter, ne intrent domum interiorem hominis.
The Soul as a Royal House
The Virgin Mary introduces a parable to Elziarius, describing the soul as a royal house that must be guarded against mortal enemies.
Praise and glory be to Almighty God, from whom all good things proceed, and especially for those things He has done with you in your youth! You must ask for His grace, so that your love for Him may grow in you every day until death. A certain powerful and magnificent King built a house, in which he placed his beloved daughter, entrusting her to the care of a certain man and saying: My daughter, she has mortal enemies, and for that reason, you must guard her with every care. There are, therefore, four things you are bound to attend to with diligent reflection and constant care. The first is that no one should undermine the foundation of the house. The second is that no one should exceed the height of the walls. The third is that no one should break the walls of the house. The fourth is that no enemy should enter through the doors. My son, you must understand this parable spiritually; I write it to you out of divine love, with God—who searches every heart—as my witness. By the house, then, I mean your body, which the King of heaven formed from the earth.
Guarding the Foundation of Will
Reason is tasked with protecting the foundation of the soul—a firm will directed toward God—against worldly distractions and ambitions.
By the king's daughter, I mean your soul, created by the power of the Most High and placed within your body; by the guardian, I mean human reason, which will protect your soul according to the will of the eternal King; and by the foundation, I mean a good, firm, and stable will. It's upon this foundation that all good works must be built, as that's how the soul is best defended. So, when your will is set on living for nothing but to follow God’s will—offering Him all the honor you can through your words and deeds, and serving Him with your body, your possessions, and all your strength for as long as you live—you’ll be able to entrust your soul, kept pure from all the filth of the flesh, to its Creator. Oh, how vigilantly you must guard this foundation—your own will—with the guardian of reason, so that no one can undermine it with their schemes to the harm of your soul. By those who try to undermine this foundation, I mean those who speak to you like this: "My lord, be a layman; take a beautiful, noble, and wealthy wife so that you can enjoy children and an inheritance, and not be burdened by the trials of the flesh." Others might suggest it this way: "If you want to become a cleric, study the liberal arts so you can be called a master and secure as much as you can for yourself from the Church's goods or revenues through petitions or bribes." For then you'll have worldly honor because of your learning, and you'll boast of your abundance of riches before worldly friends and many servants. If someone tries to persuade you of such things, have your guardian—your reason—answer them immediately by saying that you would rather endure any physical suffering than lose your purity. You should also answer that you want to acquire knowledge and skills for the honor of God, for the defense of the Catholic faith, to encourage good people, and to correct those who are in error, as well as for all who need your counsel and teaching; and that you don't want to desire anything in this life beyond what is truly necessary for the support of your body and your household, and not for the sake of vain glory. You should also say that if, by chance, divine providence grants you any status, you desire to use it all wisely for the benefit of your neighbor and for the honor of God. In this way, your guardian—that is, reason—will be able to drive out those who are trying to undermine your foundation, which is your good will.
The Walls of Charity and Contemplation
The guardian of reason must defend the walls of charity and heavenly desire against the devil's attempts to introduce carnal love.
Reason must also watch constantly and diligently, so that no one may climb over the height of these walls. By this height of the walls, I mean charity, which is more sublime than all other virtues. You should know for certain that the devil wants nothing more than to leap over that wall. That’s why he tries incessantly, as much as he can, to make worldly charity and carnal love surpass divine love. Therefore, my Lord, whenever worldly love tries to place itself above divine love in your heart, immediately send your guardian—that is, your reason—to meet it with the commandments of God, saying that you would rather suffer death in body and soul than live in a way that would provoke such a kind God by word or deed. Instead, you must be willing to spare neither your own life, nor your goods or possessions, nor the favors of relatives or friends, so that you may be able to please God alone completely and honor Him in all things. You also choose to submit yourself willingly to all trials rather than cause any harm, scandal, or distress to any neighbor, whether great or small; instead, you desire, in accordance with the Lord’s command, to love all your neighbors with a brotherly love. If you do this, my Lord, you prove that you love God more than yourself, and your neighbor as yourself. Then your guardian—that is, your reason—can rest securely, because no enemy of your soul can climb over the height of those walls. By the walls, however, I mean the four delights of the heavenly court, which a person ought to desire inwardly through attentive meditation. The first is to desire fervently in your heart to see God himself in his eternal glory, and those unfailing riches that are never taken away from anyone who has attained them. The second is to desire, without ceasing, to hear those sweet-sounding voices of the angels with which they praise God endlessly and without weariness, and worship Him unceasingly. The third is to long with your whole heart and a fervent desire to praise God eternally, just as the angels do. The fourth is to desire to share in the eternal consolations of the angels and the holy souls in heaven. It's worth noting that just as walls surround a person inside a house no matter which way they turn, so too does anyone who longs with their whole heart, day and night, for those four things—namely, to see God in His glory, to hear the angels praising God, to join them in praising Him, and to share in their consolations. Truly, wherever they turn and whatever work they're focused on, they're always kept safe within those firm walls, to the point that, while living in this life, they're said to have a conversation with God among the very angels. Oh, how your enemy longs, my Lord, to pierce through these walls, to snatch such interior delights from your heart, and to plant and entangle in their place others contrary to your desire—things that could gravely harm the soul.
Watching the Gates of the Senses
Reason must vigilantly guard the gates of hearing, sight, and bodily necessity to prevent the enemy from entering the inner life.
Therefore, it's necessary for the guardian—that is, reason—to keep a diligent watch over the two paths by which the enemy usually approaches. The first is the path of hearing, and the second is the path of sight. The enemy gains access through our sense of hearing, planting in the heart the delights of worldly songs, the sweet sounds of various instruments, useless stories, and the praise of one's own self. The more people puff themselves up with pride, the further they distance themselves from the humble Christ. Therefore, let the guardian—that is, reason—resist such pleasure by saying this: "Just as the devil hates all humility that the Holy Spirit inspires in the hearts of men, so, with the help of God working in me, I will hate all the pomp and worldly pride that the evil spirit pours into hearts with his poisonous fire; it will be as loathsome to me as the stench of rotting corpses, which chokes those who catch the smell of it." The enemy also uses visions as a second way to attack and pierce those walls, bringing along many tools: all kinds of metalwork fashioned into various objects and shapes, precious stones, fine clothing, grand estates, castles, farms, ponds, forests, vineyards, and anything else that promises a large profit. For if all these things are desired fervently, they are proven to shatter the aforementioned walls—that is, the heavenly delights. Therefore, the guardian—that is, reason—must hasten to intervene before such things can enter into the heart’s delight and love, saying: If I have any possessions like these, I’ll store them in that chest where thieves and moths aren’t a threat; and with the help of divine grace, I won’t offend my God by desiring what belongs to others, nor will I separate myself in any way from the company of those who serve Christ by being ambitious for the things of others.✦ By the gates of this house, I mean all the bodily necessities that the body cannot avoid—namely, eating, drinking, sleeping, and staying awake, and sometimes even being troubled or feeling joy. Therefore, your reason must act as a guardian, carefully watching over these gates—that is, over the body's necessities—and resisting the enemy with a holy fear, wisely and constantly, so that they don't enter into your soul. Just as you must be careful when eating and drinking that the enemy doesn't enter through excess—which makes the body sluggish in serving God—so too must you be careful that the enemy doesn't find an opening through excessive fasting, which leaves the body incapable of doing anything. Your guardian—that is, your reason—should stay alert, so you don't prepare a variety of dishes just for the sake of worldly honor or the favor of others, whether you're alone with your household or guests have arrived; instead, you should show kindness to everyone out of divine love, while avoiding an abundance of food and overly delicate meals. Next, your guardian—that is, reason—should watchfully and attentively consider that just as food and drink must be moderated, so too must sleep be moderated with fear. This ensures the body stays light and better ordered to honor God, and that all your waking hours are usefully spent in divine offices and honest labor, with any heaviness of sleep cast far away. However, when some trouble or resentment arises, your guardian—that is, reason—accompanied by its partner, the fear of God, should quickly intervene. This prevents you from losing divine grace through anger or impatience and gravely provoking God against yourself. Furthermore, when some consolation or joy fills your heart, let your guardian—that is, your reason—impress the fear of God more deeply upon your heart; for with the help of Jesus Christ’s grace, it will moderate that consolation or joy in whatever way is most useful to you.
A Call to Conversion
The revelation of Elziarius's heart leads him to profound astonishment and a commitment to a new life.
While Lady Birgitta was in Naples, the most secret things of Elziarius’s heart—who later became a cardinal—were revealed to her, along with certain remarkable things that were to happen to him. When he heard this, he was stunned and turned toward a better life.
Read the original Latin
Omnipotenti Deo, a quo cuncta bona procedunt, sit laus et gloria et specialiter pro hiis, que vobiscum fecerat in etate iuuenili! A cuius gracia postulandum est, vt caritas, quam ad eum habetis, cotidie vsque ad mortem in vobis augeatur.
Rex quidam potens et magnificus domum quandam construxit, in qua dilectam filiam suam collocauit, assignans eam hominis cuiusdam custodie sic dicens:
"Filia mea mortales habet inimicos et idcirco omni cura eam custodire debes. Quatuor igitur sunt, ad que diligenti premeditacione et assidua sollicitudine teneris aduertere.
Primum est, quod nullus fundamentum domus suffodiat. Secundum est, quod nullus murorum altitudinem transcendat. Tercium est, quod parietes domus nemo frangat. Quartum est, quod nullus inimicorum per portas introeat."
Mi domine, spiritualiter debet intelligi hec parabola, quam ex diuina caritate vobis scribo teste Deo, omnium cordium scrutatore. Per domum itaque intelligo corpus tuum, quod rex celorum de terra plasmauit.
Per filiam regis intelligo animam tuam ex virtute Altissimi creatam et in tuo corpore collocatam; per custodem vero humanam racionem, que animam tuam iuxta eterni regis voluntatem custodiet; per fundamentum bonam et firmam seu stabilem voluntatem. Super ipsam namque omnia bona opera construenda sunt, quibus anima optime defenditur.
Igitur cum talis est voluntas tua, vt ad nichil aliud viuere velis, nisi vt Dei voluntatem sequaris, exhibendo ei omnem, quem poteris, honorem per verba et opera, ei quoque corpore et bonis totisque tuis viribus, quamdiu vixeris, obsequendo, vt animam tuam ab omni carnis spurcicia seruatam recommendare valeas suo creatori,
o quam vigilanter hoc fundamentum, idest voluntatem tuam, cum custode, idest cum racione, te oportet custodire, ne aliquis suis machinamentis ipsum suffodere valeat ad anime nocumentum.
Per eos, qui huiusmodi fundamentum suffodere nituntur, intelligo eos, qui te alloquuntur sic dicendo: "Domine mi, esto laycus ducendo vxorem tibi venustam, nobilem et locupletem, vt de sobole et hereditate gaudeas et carnis tribulacione non graueris."
Alii quoque sic forte referunt: "Si vis fieri clericus, tunc ad illum finem artes liberales addiscas, vt magister appelleris, de bonis vero seu redditibus Ecclesie, quantum poteris, tibi per preces seu munera procurando.
Tunc enim mundanum honorem habebis pro sciencia et ab amicis mundialibus multisque seruitoribus gloriaberis pro diuiciarum habundancia."
Ecce si forte tibi aliquis talia persuaserit, tunc continuo custodem, idest racionem, illi facias respondere dicendo, quod pocius omnem tribulacionem carnis sustinere velis quam castitatem tuam perdere.
Respondeas eciam, quod ad honorem Dei et catholice fidei defensionem et ad bonorum hominum confortacionem et ad errancium correccionem atque omnium tuo consilio et doctrina indigencium vis scienciam atque artes acquirere, nichil eciam preter corporis tui sustentacionem et familie tibi vere necessarie et non propter vanam gloriam superflue vis aliquid desiderare in hac vita.
Dicas eciam, quod si forte diuina prouidencia aliquid dignitatis tibi superaddiderit, omnia desideras ad vtilitatem proximorum et ad honorem Dei sapienter ordinare.
Et sic vtique custos, idest racio, illos expellere poterit, qui fundamentum, idest bonam voluntatem tuam, suffodere moliuntur.
Animaduertere debet eciam racio assidue et diligenter, ne aliquis murorum altitudinem transcendat. Per quam alitudinem murorum intelligo caritatem, que omnibus virtutibus est sublimior.
Certissime igitur scias, quod dyabolus nil magis desiderat quam super istum murum saltare. Vnde incessanter, quantum potest, conatur, vt mundana caritas et carnalis amor diuinam supergrediatur caritatem.
Vnde, domine mi, quocienscumque mundanus amor diuine caritati se preferre in tuo corde temptauerit, confestim custodem, idest racionem, ei obuiam mitte cum preceptis Dei dicentem, quod magis vis in anima et corpore mortem sustinere quam ad hoc viuere, vt tam benignum Deum verbo vel opere prouocares,
ymmo quod nec proprie vite nec bonis seu possessionibus tuis neque propinquorum aut amicorum fauoribus vis quoquomodo parcere, vt soli Deo possis totaliter complacere ipsumque in omnibus honorare,
magis quoque omnibus tribulacionibus eligis te voluntarie subicere quam alicui tuo proximo, maiori vel minori, dampnum aliquod seu scandalum aut tribulacionem facere, sed quod vis pocius iuxta preceptum Domini omnes proximos tuos fraternaliter peramare.
Et si sic, domine mi, feceris, Deum plus quam te ipsum et proximum tuum sicut te ipsum diligere comprobaris. Tunc igitur custos, idest racio, secure potest quiescere ex eo, quod nullus anime tue emulus murorum altitudinem potest transcendere.
Per parietes vero intelligo quatuor celestis curie delectaciones, quas debet attenta meditacione intrinsecus homo desiderare.
Prima est desiderare feruenter in corde videre ipsum Deum in eterna gloria sua illasque indeficientes diuicias, que numquam illi, qui eas adeptus fuerit, auferuntur.
Secunda est indesinenter velle audire illas dulcissonas angelorum voces, quibus sine fine et tedio Deum collaudant et incessanter adorant.
Tercia est toto corde et feruenti desiderio concupiscere sicut et ipsi angeli Deum eternaliter collaudare. Quarta est desiderare angelorum et sanctarum animarum in celo potiri consolacionibus sempiternis.
Vnde notandum est, quod sicut homo in domo consistens, quocumque se verterit, semper eum circumstant parietes, ita eciam quicumque illa quatuor (scilicet Deum videre in gloria sua, angelos Deum laudantes audire, Deum vna cum ipsis collaudare et ipsorum potiri consolacionibus) die noctuque summo desiderio concupiscit,
reuera quocumque se verterit et cuicumque operi intentus fuerit, tunc inter firmos parietes semper conseruatur illesus, ita eciam quod inter ipsos angelos in hac vita degens conuersacionem Dei habere asseratur.
O quantum desiderat inimicus tuus, domine mi, huiusmodi parietes transfodere et tales delectaciones internas a corde auferre atque alias ipsis contrarias tuo desiderio immittere et implicare, que anime nocere grauiter possent.
Quapropter oportet custodem, idest racionem, in duabus viis, per quas hostis aduenire solet, diligentem cautelam habere. Prima est via auditus, secunda visus.
Per auditum quidem venit immittendo cordi secularium cancionum delectaciones et diuersorum instrumentorum suauiter personancium, fabularum inutilium atque proprie persone laudes narrancium;
ex quibus quanto homo per superbiam in se ipso extollitur, tanto ab illo humili Christo longius sequestratur. Tali igitur delectacioni custos, idest racio, resistat sic dicendo:
"Sicut dyabolus omnem humilitatem odio habet, quam Spiritus Sanctus inspirat hominum cordibus, ita operante Dei adiutorio ego odio habebo omnem pompam et mundi superbiam, quam malignus spiritus sua pestifera inflammacione cordibus infundit, eritque michi ita odibilis sicut fetor putridorum cadauerum, quem naribus percipientes protinus suffocantur."
Per visum quoque quasi per viam secundam aggredi solet inimicus ad transfodiendum predictos parietes, secum deferens plurima instrumenta, videlicet omnium metallorum genera in diuersas res et formas fabricata, preciosos lapides, vestimenta honorabilia, herilia palacia, castella, predia, stagna, siluas, vineas atque alia quecumque multarum pecuniarum lucratiua.
Hec enim omnia si feruenter desiderantur, predictos parietes, idest celestes delectaciones, probantur dissipare. Oportet igitur custodem, idest racionem, priusquam in cordis delectacionem et dileccionem ista talia venerint, properanter occurrere dicendo:
"Si quidquam ex huiusmodi possessionibus in mea potestate habebo, in illa archa reponam, vbi fures vel tinea non timentur, et auxiliante me diuina gracia per alienarum possessionum concupiscenciam Deum meum non offendam nec a societate Christo famulancium per alienarum rerum ambicionem me quomodolibet separabo."
Per portas vero dicte domus intelligo omnia corporis necessaria, que quidem corpus non potest excusare, scilicet comedere, bibere, dormire et vigilare, quandoque eciam turbari et letari.
Oportet igitur custodem, idest racionem, cum sollicitudine hiis portis, idest corporis necessariis, assistere et cum diuino timore inimicis, ne ad animam introeant, sapienter et assidue resistere.
Igitur sicut in sumpcione cibi et potus cauendum est, ne inimicus per superfluitatem introeat, que corpus ad seruiendum Deo accidiosum reddit, ita eciam cauendum est, ne per abstinencie nimietatem, que corpus ad omnia facienda defectuosum reddit, hostis ingressum habeat.
Animaduertat eciam custos, idest racio, ne propter mundanum honorem et hominum fauorem, siue cum solus cum familia tua fueris, siue cum hospites aduenerint, continuetur pluralitas ferculorum, sed ex diuina caritate vnicuique benefacies exclusis pluribus cibariis et nimium delicatis.
Deinde vigilanter et attente custos, idest racio, consideret, quod sicut cibus et potus moderandi sunt, ita eciam cum timore taliter moderandus est sompnus, vt corpus ad omnem honorem Dei peragendum leue sit et melius ordinatum, vt omnia vigiliarum tempora in diuinis officiis et honestis laboribus vtiliter expendantur quacumque sompni grauedine procul mota. 41 Adueniente autem turbacione aliqua vel rancore custos, idest racio, concomitante se socio suo, scilicet timore Dei, celeriter occurrat, ne per iram vel impacienciam contingat te diuina gracia carere Deumque contra te grauiter prouocare.
Insuper consolacione aliqua vel leticia cor tuum implente timorem Dei custos, idest racio, cordi arcius imprimat, qui opitulante Ihesu Christi gracia, sicut tibi magis vtile fuerit, consolacionem siue leticiam illam moderabit.
Cum domina Birgitta staret in Neapoli, reuelata sunt ei secretissima cordis Elziarii, postea cardinalis, et quedam ad ipsum mirabilia futura. Quibus auditis ille stupefactus conuersus est ad meliora.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.6.20 — But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.
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