Of the lower degré of the secunde partie of contemplacioun.
The Gift of Spiritual Tasting
The author describes the transient nature of the lower degree of contemplative sweetness, urging humility and patience in those who receive it.
Still, this part has two degrees. People living an active life may, by grace, experience the lower degree of this feeling when they are visited by our Lord—just as powerfully and fervently as those who devote themselves entirely to the contemplative life and possess this gift.1 But it does not last so long. Also, this feeling in its fervor does not always come when a person would want it, nor does it last very long. It comes and goes as He wills who gives it. Therefore, anyone who has it should humble himself, thank God, keep it private except when speaking with his confessor, and hold onto it as long as he can with discretion.2 And when it withdraws, do not be too afraid; instead, stand in faith and humble hope, waiting patiently until it returns. This is a small taste of the sweetness in the love of God, of which David says in the Psalter: "Taste and see how sweet the Lord is" (Psalms 33:9).✦3 Taste and see how sweet our Lord is.
Read the original Latin
Neverthelees this partie hath two degrees. The lowere degré of this feelynge, men whiche aren actif may have bi grace whanne thei be visited of oure Lord, as myghtili and as ferventli as thei that gyven hem hooli to contemplatiff liyf and han this gift. But it lasteth not so longe. Also this feelynge in his fervour cometh not alwey whanne a man wolde, ne it lasteth not wel longe. It cometh and gooth as he wole that gyveth it. And therfore whoso hath it, meke hymsilf and thanke God, and kepe it prevey, but yif it be to his confessour, and holde it as longe as he may with discrecion. And whanne hit withdraweth, drede not to mykil, but stond in feith and in meke hope, with pacient abidynge til it come agen. This is a litil tastynge of the swetenesse in the love of God, of the whiche David seith thus in the sautier: Gustate et videte quam suavis est dominus (Psalms 33:9).
Tasteth and seeth the swettenesse of oure Lord.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Ps.33.9 — For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
Notes
- 1 ↩Active/contemplative here names the traditional two ways of life: active service in the world versus a life given wholly to contemplation. 'Feeling' continues the affective experience of the second part of contemplation from the previous chapter.
- 2 ↩'With discretion' (ME discrecion) means with sober spiritual judgment—neither clinging desperately nor casting the gift away, and not broadcasting it for show.
- 3 ↩Explicit citation of the Psalter with Latin incipit Gustate et videte quam suavis est dominus; source supplies Psalms 33:9 (Vulgate numbering; modern Psalm 34:8). Final Moses resolution deferred.
Scala Perfectionis (The Scale of Perfection) companion
A daily portion of stillness
Chosen Portion delivers one short contemplative reading and a guided moment of silence each day — the ascent, one step at a time.
Chosen Portion is the paced doorway into this collection: it portions the dense mystical treatises into one daily reading plus guided silence, exactly as the 14-day plan teaches.
- Daily bite-sized excerpts from the contemplative classics, never a wall of text
- A built-in timed stillness practice that grows from 2 minutes to 10
- Gentle progression through the tradition — the app remembers where you are on the ascent