Visio Sexta
The Church Joined to the Passion
The Church is mystically betrothed to the Son of God through His passion and blood, and this union is made manifest in the celebration of the Eucharist.
After this, I saw that when the Son of God hung on the cross, that womanly image—like a bright radiance flowing quickly from an ancient plan—was brought to Him by divine power. It was bathed in the blood that flowed from His side as it rose upward; through the will of the heavenly Father, she was joined to Him in a blessed betrothal and nobly endowed with His flesh and blood. I heard a voice from heaven saying to him: "My son, let this be your bride for the restoration of my people; may she be a mother to them, regenerating souls through the salvation of spirit and water." And as the same image was now progressing in her strength in this way, I saw a kind of altar to which she frequently approached, and she would devoutly review her dowry, humbly showing it to the heavenly Father and His angels. Therefore, even when the priest, dressed in sacred vestments, approached that altar to celebrate the divine Sacraments, I saw that a great serenity of light, coming from heaven with an escort of angels, suddenly shone around that whole altar and remained there until the Sacrament was completed and the priest withdrew from the altar. But there, too, after the Gospel of peace was read and the offering that was to be consecrated was placed on the altar, when the priest sang the praise of the almighty God—which is: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth"—and thus began the mysteries of the ineffable Sacraments, a sudden fiery flash of inestimable brightness descended from the opened heaven upon that same offering and bathed it entirely in its light, just as the light of the sun illuminates the object it pierces with its rays. And while it radiated upon it in this way, it invisibly lifted it upward to the secrets of heaven and then sent it back down upon the altar, just as when a person draws breath inward and then exhales it again; in this way, it was made true flesh and true blood, even though in the sight of men it appeared as bread and wine. And as I watched this, the signs of the birth, passion, and burial, as well as the resurrection and ascension of our Savior, the only-begotten Son of God, immediately appeared as if in a mirror, showing how they were also accomplished in Him while the Son of God was in the world. But while the priest sang the song of the innocent Lamb—which is: "Lamb of God, who take away the sins of the world"—and presented himself to receive Holy Communion, the aforementioned fiery flash withdrew to the heavenly realms, and with heaven thus closed, I heard a voice from it saying: "Eat and drink the Body and Blood of my Son to abolish the transgression of Eve, so that you may be restored to your rightful inheritance." And as the rest of the people approached the priest to receive the Sacrament, I observed five different ways they appeared. For some were bright in body and fiery in soul; others, however, appeared pale in body and dark in soul. Some were rough in body and filthy in soul, stained by the many impurities of human pollution. Others were enclosed in body by sharp thorns and appeared leprous in soul. Still others appeared blood-red in body, and in soul, they were as foul as a rotting corpse. Yet among all these, as they received the same Sacrament, some were bathed in a fiery radiance, while others were darkened by a gloomy cloud. After the Sacrament was completed, as the priest stepped away from the altar, the radiance I mentioned—which had come from heaven and surrounded the entire altar—was withdrawn back up to the heavenly mysteries. And again I heard a voice from the heights of heaven saying to me: 'While Christ Jesus, the true Son of God, hung upon the wood of His passion, the Church was joined to Him in the secret of heavenly mysteries and endowed with His crimson blood.'
The Mystery of the Altar
The Eucharist is explained as a profound mystery where the bread and wine are transformed into the true Body and Blood of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
It shows this as well; for when she frequently approaches the altar to reclaim her dowry, she considers with the utmost attention how much devotion her children have when they approach to receive the divine mysteries. That is why you see that when the same Son of God hung on the cross, the aforementioned feminine image was brought to him by divine power, moving quickly like a bright splendor out of an ancient plan. When that same innocent Lamb was lifted up on the altar of the cross for the salvation of humanity, the Church—appearing suddenly in heaven through a most profound mystery in the purity of the brightness of faith and other virtues—was joined to the same only-begotten Son of God through the highest majesty. What is this? Because when blood flowed from the wounded side of my Son, the salvation of souls immediately arose. For that glory, from which the devil and his followers were cast out, was given to humanity when my only-begotten Son, temporarily undergoing death on the cross, despoiled hell and led faithful souls to heavenly things; and so it is that faith began to increase and be strengthened in his disciples and in those who sincerely followed them, so that they might become heirs of the heavenly kingdom. Hence, because that image was bathed in the blood that flowed from his side as it lifted itself upward, it was joined to him in a happy betrothal through the will of the heavenly Father. As the strength of the passion of the Son of God poured out ardently and lifted itself miraculously to the height of heavenly mysteries—just as the scent of good spices spreads on high—the Church, strengthened by this in the white-robed heirs of the eternal kingdom, was faithfully joined to the same only-begotten Son of God through the ordination of the heavenly Father. How? Just as a bride, subject to her groom in the service of submission and obedience, receives from him the gift of fertility with the love of the covenant in the procreation of children so that she may bring them to her inheritance, so too the Church, the Daughter of God, joined in the office of humility and charity, receives from him the regeneration of spirit and water with the salvation of souls for the restoration of life, and transmits them to heavenly things. And so, it is nobly endowed with his flesh and blood; for the only-begotten Son of God has bestowed his own body and blood upon his faithful—the Church and her children—in such supreme glory that, through him, they might possess life in the heavenly city. How? Because He gave His own flesh and blood for the sanctification of believers, and because the heavenly Father even handed Him over to the passion for the redemption of the peoples, He thereby conquered the ancient serpent in humility and justice, not wishing to overcome him by His own power and strength, for God is just and does not desire iniquity, just as the psalmist says: "Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seat of pestilence." What does this mean? Because God is the author of all the blessings and happiness of His creatures, showing many and diverse signs within those very creatures of His. Just as the incarnation of His Son distilled a most sweet taste in great sweetness, when the heavenly virtues built up many edifications in Him, through which man might return to the heavenly kingdom, which is obscured by no shadow of death. And so, the most powerful forces of all virtues were also made manifest in the heavenly Father Himself. For through His Only-Begotten He manfully slew death and broke hell; and on the last day He will convert the circle of the earth into another and better newness. From this, through the diffusion of His heart, He did not walk in the wavering paths of the malignant spirits who abandoned the truth and seized upon a lie. How? Because they wanted to divide the truth with a lie. How so? They wanted to crush the Ancient of Days, who existed before the beginning of days and hours, and they were eager to make the ancient serpent—who did not exist before the beginning of time—a partner to Him. But this could not and should not be, because God is one. That is why the devil is a liar. For he withdrew from God, abandoning life and finding death. In the same way, God did not stand on the path where sinners set their feet, because He rejected the way of Adam and did not love his sin; instead, He cast him out of paradise, for he had been seduced by the devil. Nor did He reign in the power of that iniquity, just as the whole human race is caught in death, sitting in the shadow of death, when it proudly abandons the truth. What does this mean? For God did not resist the devil’s presumption or human negligence by using His power to strike them down through sheer force. How so? It is as if there were two fighters, and one surpassed the other in strength; surely the stronger one would show the weaker one his greater fighting ability in order to confuse and subdue him, refusing to yield to him in any way. But God didn't act that way. In His supreme goodness, He resisted the work of iniquity by sending His Son into the world, who, in His own body and with the greatest humility, brought His lost sheep back to heaven. How so? Because the blood that flowed from His body—as soon as it poured from His opened wounds—appeared in the heavenly secrets and pleaded for the salvation of souls to be released. How so? For every creature shows in the Son of God that, through His passion and death, the ruin of humanity has been restored to life. How? Because the Only-Begotten of God, being Life itself, offered Himself for the redemption of the human race to the passion on the altar of the cross. You also, having perceived with truthful hearing the voice resounding from heavenly secrets, chose the Church as your bride, so that she might exist as a mother for the restoration of the salvation of believing peoples. Namely, that she might transmit them to heavenly things through a spiritual regeneration without stain. But as this image grows in its own strength, you see a kind of altar to which it frequently approaches; there, it reviews its dowry with devotion and humbly presents it to the heavenly Father and His angels, because the Church, as has been said, grows in blessed and most powerful virtues and is soon shown to you in a clear demonstration. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the sanctification of mystical altars has arisen from the depths of the sighs of the faithful. There, the same Church, with constant intention, follows the footsteps of its examples and offers its dowry—namely, the Body and Blood of the Son of God—considering it with the deepest devotion, and offering it to the Creator of all in the sight of the living and burning lights, that is, the heavenly citizens, in the subjection of the most humble obedience. What is this? Just as the flesh of my Only-Begotten was born in the undefiled womb of the Virgin Mary and was later given for the salvation of humanity, so too is His flesh now frequently given for the sanctification of the faithful, increased within the incorrupt integrity of the Church. For just as a smith sometimes melts his gold in the fire to unite it, and sometimes divides what has been united, so too do I, the Father, glorify the Body and Blood of my Son through the sanctification of the Holy Spirit in the offering, and I distribute it, now glorified, to the faithful for their salvation. This is why, when a priest dressed in sacred vestments approaches the altar to celebrate the divine Sacrament, you see a great serenity of light suddenly come from heaven with the service of angels, shining all around that altar; for when the steward of souls, wrapped in his sacred vestment, approaches the life-giving table for the immolation of the innocent Lamb, a great brightness of the heavenly inheritance suddenly shines forth, dispelling the density of darkness and, with the arrival of heavenly spirits from the secret places of heaven, illuminates that entire composition of sanctification everywhere. For it is there that the refreshment of souls is carried out for the salvation of the faithful. How so? Because when the Church, through the voice of the priest, calls back its dowry—which is the Body and the shedding of the blood of my Son—so that it may be made fit for the blessed birth in the salvation of souls, and because it also received an increase in the shedding of this precious blood among a great multitude of peoples, then I, who am the unfailing light, shine my holiness upon that place of sanctification for the honor of the Body and Blood of that same only-begotten Son of mine. For when the priest begins to call upon me over the sanctification of the altar, so that I might look upon what my Son offered to me—the bread and wine at the supper of his death, when he was about to depart from the world—then I see that my Son himself showed this to me in the hour of his passion, when he was about to die on the wood of the cross, signaling that I should always keep that same passion of his in my sight and never erase it from my most acute vision, as often as the happy offering of the most holy sacrifice is offered to me through the priestly office. For in the shedding of his blood, he also offered the bread and the chalice to me, casting down death and raising up humanity.
The Restoration of Humanity
God restores the fallen human race through the fruits of the earth, grain and wine, which represent the flesh and blood of Christ given for salvation.
But because the dignity of the one who entered and left the enclosure of virginal purity was not of human nature, but of divine power, it is also possible for the flesh of my only Son to be renewed in the sanctification of the grain bread, and his blood in the wine of the grape mixed with water, just as I showed through my faithful servant, the prophet Joel, saying: "The threshing floors will be filled with grain, and the vats will overflow with wine and oil." And I will restore to you the years that the locust, the grasshopper, the rust, and the caterpillar have eaten. My great strength that I have sent among you. You will eat and be satisfied, and you will praise the name of your God who has worked wonders among you, and my people will never again be put to shame. What does this mean? Through the wondrous arrangement of God, the threshing floors of the faith of the believing Church will be filled with every good thing. For I give the fruit of the grain into the flesh of my Son, so that even in the true salvation by which my faithful ones will be called back to their homeland, those acts of compunction will abound in which they crush the desires of their flesh for the sake of my name. I also lead the liquid of the grape for them into the blood of that same only Son of mine, giving them also the oil of mercy. How? Because in another way—specifically, in your salvation—I will restore to you the cycles of those vanities which the locust of forgetfulness ate away through the infidelity of ignorance, namely, where wickedness first arose in the children of Adam. They held the fruitfulness of my justice in such oblivion that, just as a person forgets the food they needed once they’ve swallowed it into their stomach, they tore apart my justice in their wickedness, just as a locust gnaws away at fruit. How? Because where the locust of negligence takes away the usefulness of good fruits through the laziness of the mind, there the caterpillar of filth also wraps itself in the mire of impurity. For people of this kind wrap themselves in the filth of the infidelity of idols and other similar schisms, and in diabolical inquiries, and in magic arts, and in the inspection of the Creator’s creatures in the random accidents of human affairs, and in the vilest filth of murders and fornications; they feed themselves on these things just as a caterpillar is nourished by mud. How? Because where the caterpillar of depravity loves the stench of filth, there the rust of bitterness also consumes the metals of faithful splendor, since those people, being contrary to the justice of God, labor to obscure it just as rust is accustomed to take away the beauty of metals. How? Because where the rust of bitterness infects the brightness of good deeds, the caterpillar of harmful action also ruins the green herbs of great utility. For such people, through the malice of their own wickedness, cast away from themselves the most brilliant virtues—like simplicity, chastity, and strong constancy, which the Holy Spirit radiates in all the greenness of blessedness—and they try to destroy them just as a caterpillar diminishes the usefulness of herbs. In all these things, my greatest strength is declared; that strength, by the magnitude of its own virtue, overcame diabolical adversities when I sent it into you for your salvation. How? I, the Father, sent my Son into the world, born bodily of a Virgin, so that through him I might redeem you from the perdition of death. This was so that I might dwell in you, and you in me, since my Son, even as he went to his passion, handed over his own flesh for you to eat and his own blood for you to drink. Therefore, you will devoutly eat this Sacrament for your salvation, feeding yourselves happily through it; and for this reason, through the oil of my mercy, you will be satisfied from the hunger of the soul's perdition. Because my Son also brought the medicine for your wounds in repentance, and because the bride of my Son is adorned with all justice and truth, you will faithfully praise my name—I who, existing as one God in the true Trinity, govern you and show my wonders in you, specifically by steadfastly rescuing you from the power of the devil. And so, my people won't be confounded in the coming eternity by the confusion of death, for I have willed to lead them so miraculously from the jaws of the underworld. You see that the aforementioned serenity remains at the altar until the priest departs from it after the Sacrament is completed; for that serenity—that is, the serenity of the eternal vision—is shown most clearly in those wonders for as long as it takes for the one who is the dispenser of those sacraments, having withdrawn from that sanctification, to complete the secret mysteries after the mysteries of that same holy office have been performed. What is this? Because it is fitting that the divine majesty should most fully manifest its power in these same most blessed sacraments, and because God’s help does not desert the person who remains in those things that pertain to God.
The Sacramental Reality
The divine presence in the Eucharist is described as a fiery radiance that lifts the offering to heaven and returns it as the true Body and Blood of Christ.
But there, too, once the Gospel of peace has been read and the offering to be consecrated has been placed upon the altar, when the priest chants the praise of the almighty God—'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts'—and thus begins the mysteries of the ineffable Sacraments, suddenly a fiery flash of incomparable brightness, with heaven opened, descends upon that same offering; for it is brought forth by the power of the living breath in the kiss of the King, and by the fruit of the brightness of life which, in sanctification, is to be whitened for the building of the wall of God, having been imposed; when the same messenger of truth sends forth the sweetest sound in the praise of the Creator of all things through the triple invocation of the anointing of that same Lord of Hosts, and thus begins the hidden brightness of the dawn—that is, of the incarnate Son of God from the Virgin—suddenly an impenetrable serenity of incomprehensible height, with the most brilliant tabernacle opened, bows itself over the mysteries of the most holy Sacrament, and so drenches it entirely with its own brightness that the light of the sun illuminates that thing, which it pierces through with its rays; because the most holy heat, in the power of the Father, so drenches the same glowing circle of that same offering that a radiant brightness enters the thing upon which it casts itself by spreading out. What is this? The Bride of my Son offers the offering of bread and wine upon my altar with the most devout intention. How? Namely, by the hand of the priest, reminding me with faithful remembrance, so that in that same offering I may deliver to him the Body and Blood of my Son. How? Because the passions of that same only-begotten Son of mine always appear in the heavenly secrets; therefore, that offering is also so united to my Son in my burning heat with the deepest admiration, that it is made his Body and Blood with the most truthful certainty, from which the Church is strengthened with the most blessed life. For while that brightness irradiates the offering as described, it invisibly lifts it upward to the secrets of heaven; because that fiery flash, while it drenches the Sacrament with its illumination, draws it upward by an invisible power to those hidden things that the mortal eye cannot see. It lowers it back onto the altar, placing it gently upon the table of sanctification out of a sense of condescension. It is like when a person draws breath in and lets it out again, sending the breath of life by which they live inward through God's marvelous arrangement, then drawing it back out so they can continue to live. Thus, it makes that offering true flesh and true blood, even though to human eyes it appears as bread and wine. Just as God is true and without illusion, so too is the depth of the Sacrament a firm reality that no one can cast down, existing as true flesh and blood without any deception. For just as the soul truly thrives in flesh and blood while a person lives in the body, so too is this mystery present in the bread and wine where it is honored in a true celebration. It appears to people this way because, just as a person's blind eye cannot see God perfectly, they are unable to look upon these mysteries in a bodily way. Just as a person sees another's body but not their spirit, so too can a person see the appearance of bread and wine, but not perceive these sacraments. What is this? The brightness that appeared over the body of the Son of God when it was buried in the tomb, raising it from the sleep of death, shines also upon the altar over the Sacrament of the body and blood of my Only-Begotten. It veils it from human sight so that people cannot see its holiness except in the form of bread and wine, according to how that offering is placed upon the altar. It is just as the divinity within the Son of God was so veiled to people by his humanity that they could see him only as a man when he lived among them, yet he was without sin. What does this mean? I, who created everything, kindly accept this offering when the Church presents it to me through the hands of the priest. For just as the Divinity revealed its wonders in the Virgin’s womb, so too does it show its secrets in this offering. How so? Because the Body and Blood of the Son of God are made manifest. How so? For while that offering is invisibly drawn upward—as if in an instant—by the power of God, and then returned, it is so warmed in the heat of the divine majesty that it becomes the Body and Blood of the only-begotten Son of God. This same mystery is like someone wrapping the most precious ointment in simple bread and placing a sapphire in wine, for those who cannot perceive it with their carnal senses; and I turn it into such a sweet flavor that in your mouth, O human, you wouldn't be able to distinguish the bread from the ointment or the wine from the sapphire, but would only taste the sweetness, since my Son is also sweet and gentle. What does this mean? By this ointment, my Son is understood, born of the Virgin, who was anointed with the most precious ointment. How? Because He is clothed in a holy humanity, which is such a precious ointment that it so drenches the deadly wounds of humanity with its sweetness that, when they turn to Him, they no longer rot or stink in the ruin of Adam. In this sapphire, however, the divinity is noted which is in that same Son of mine, who is the cornerstone, being meek and humble, because He did not take root from the root of human flesh that comes from man and woman, but was miraculously incarnate of the most sweet Virgin in my warmth. Therefore, His flesh and blood are also to be believed as sweet and pleasant to receive. But you, O human, cannot receive this spiritual gift as visibly as you eat visible bread or drink visible wine, because you are but the rot of the earth; yet, just as your living spirit within you is invisible, so too this living Sacrament in this offering is invisible, and must be received by you invisibly. For just as the body of my Son rose up in the womb of the Virgin, so too does the flesh of that same only-begotten Son of mine rise up now in the sanctification of the altar. What does this mean? For the spirit of a human, which exists invisibly, receives this invisible Sacrament in this obligation invisibly, while the human body, which is visible, receives this offering—which exists visibly in the Sacrament—visibly; yet they are one Sacrament, just as God and man are one Christ, and as a rational soul and mortal flesh exist as one human in a person. For when a person looks upon me with true faith and receives this Sacrament, they receive it faithfully for their own sanctification. What does this mean? My Son was born miraculously of the most pure Virgin, whose flesh never burned with the pleasure of lust, but remained always intact; for the vessel of that Virgin was most clean, in which He willed my only-begotten Son to be incarnate. Therefore, I did not permit the very vessel of that most sweet Virgin to dissolve in the heat of passion, because in it my Son miraculously took on a human body. But the fact that the most blessed Virgin herself heard the true message in that same secret place through the angel's words, and from then on, having become a believer, held the sighs of her heart upward when she said, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word,' and immediately conceived the Only-Begotten of God as the Holy Spirit came upon her, signifies that Almighty God is to be invoked through the words of the priest in his priestly office. It is in this way that a priest who faithfully believes in God, and who offers a pure oblation to Him with the devotion of his heart, will speak the words of salvation in an attitude of humility; and there the supernal Majesty, receiving that same oblation, transforms it by a wondrous power into the flesh and blood of the loving Redeemer. How? Because just as my Son wondrously took on humanity in the Virgin, so too is this oblation now wondrously made His flesh and blood upon the altar. Hence, this Sacrament is whole and entire, existing as both invisible and visible, just as my Only-Begotten is whole and entire, remaining invisible in His divinity and visible in His humanity in the world. For just as a bird's chick emerges from an egg, and as a flying worm arises from a tiny grain—where, as the creature flies away, that from which it originated remains—so too must the truth of the flesh and blood of my Son be held by faith in this oblation, even though that same oblation appears to the eyes of men as bread and wine. Thus, you see the signs of the birth, passion, burial, resurrection, and ascension of the Savior, the Only-Begotten of God, appearing there as if in a mirror. It shows how these things were accomplished in Him even when the Son of God was in the world; for—so that you may consider this with true clarity—the mysteries of His birth from the Virgin, His suffering on the cross, His burial in the tomb, and His rising from the dead and ascension into heaven (that is, of Him who came to earth for the salvation of humanity) shine with the purest light in these same sacraments, just as He suffered these things in His own body when the same Only-Begotten of God lived temporally in the world among them by the will of the Father for the redemption of the human race. What does this mean?
Prayer and the Forgiveness of Debts
The Lord's Prayer is linked to the Eucharistic sacrifice, emphasizing the need for forgiveness and the imitation of Christ's humility.
The suffering my Son endured in the world for the love of humanity appears before my eyes; his birth, passion, burial, resurrection, and ascension have put to death the death of the human race. Therefore, these things shine in the heavens before me, because I have not forgotten them, but until the end of the world they will appear before me like the dawn in great brightness. What is this? Because in that passion I foresee until the end of the world all those who will believe in it and those who will reject it; for it will always shine before me as long as humanity must say what my Son taught his disciples to pray to God, as it is written: 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.' What is this? You, who have all things in your power, look upon the shedding of that blood poured out for the human race, and forgive us our debts—we who are children of transgression—which we ought to have paid to you, but because of the incarnation of our heart, we have not done so. What is this? Because we do not fulfill what we promised in baptism; since we have transgressed your commandments and cast away our innocence, just as Adam in paradise did not obey you and corrupted the garment of innocence. But you, who are merciful, don't punish us according to our wickedness; instead, release us from our transgression according to your compassion, just as we, who are lawbreakers, still—despite the great malice we hold within us—forgive from our hearts the injury our debtors have done to us, because of our fear and love for our Savior. How so? Because we don't pursue those who ought to love us—since we are human—even though they disturb us in many ways and, by doing so, don't love you but neglect your commandments. We don't seek vengeance against them for the malice they have exercised toward us; instead, looking to your just judgment, we don't retaliate against them as much as we could. So, too, O God, be merciful to us, for you are just and good. Listen, then, O human: as long as you need help, and as long as you can help other people, the Passion of my Son will appear before me in mercy, and his Body and Blood will continue to be consecrated on the altar to be received by faithful people for their salvation and the cleansing of their sins. For when my Only-Begotten was in the world in the flesh, his body was sustained by the nourishment of his own flesh and blood, from grain and wine. Therefore, even now, his Body and Blood are consecrated on the altar in the offering of grain and wine, so that faithful people may be refreshed in soul and body. For this same Son of mine miraculously redeemed humanity from the ruin of Adam, and even now he mercifully absolves people from the daily evil into which they frequently fall. In the consecration of this offering, everything that my Son suffered in the flesh for the redemption of humanity is made manifest, and I don't wish to hide this; for I draw his chosen ones upward to heavenly things, so that through them his Body may be brought to perfection in those aforementioned members. That is why I show all these mysteries in this offering in a miraculous way; for when they appear on the altar, the Body and Blood of my Son become that same offering, yet in the sight of people they appear as bread and wine, because human fragility is so delicate that it would recoil from receiving raw flesh and raw blood. For a mortal cannot look upon the Divinity as long as they are mortal. This is also why this mystery, which is entirely of the Divinity, is obscured to the human person: so that they will perceive it invisibly, because my only-begotten Son, now existing as immortal, does not die again. Therefore, I give you, O human, His Body and Blood in the offering of bread and wine, so that through what is visible you may perceive in true faith what is invisible. And you receive this same Sacrament in true certainty through divine power, yet it does not appear visible to you, just as it was sometimes shown to my chosen ones when they were placed in great affliction because of it. I do all these things for the sake of love and for the benefit of the human person. But every creature is subject to my commands; you, however, O human, are always rebellious toward me, which is why you are blind and deaf, yet you cannot rebel against me. Don't I do what is pleasing to me without you seeing it? You don't see with your eyes or hear with your ears in the flesh how I place a person's soul into their body, or how I take it away from their body; but your soul will understand me once it has left its mortal body. In the same way, I give you the flesh of my Son to eat and his blood to drink, and I bring this about by my own power, even though you, O human, cannot see it.
The Call to Faithful Communion
The faithful are invited to partake in the Body and Blood of Christ, with warnings against unworthiness and the importance of pure faith.
So, as you see, while the priest sings the song of the innocent Lamb—the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world—and prepares to receive Holy Communion, that fiery radiance mentioned earlier withdraws into the heavenly realm. This happens because, as the minister proclaims the praise of the One who, through the innocence of His own gentleness, bore the sins of humanity, and as he opens his heart with outward devotion to these same Sacraments, that invincible light showing its power there retreats into the heavenly mysteries. And so, with heaven closed—that is, with those heavenly mysteries withdrawing—you hear a voice from on high saying that faithful believers should eat and drink with true devotion the Body and Blood of their Savior, who suffered for them and endured a temporal death to wash away the contamination our first parents brought into the world when they transgressed God's command, so that, cleansed from this fall, they might be restored by faith to the rightful inheritance they lost through disobedience. For just as the only-begotten Son of God gave His Body and Blood to His disciples at the Last Supper, He now gives His Body and Blood to His faithful on the altar. It is like a person who, having finished a work of their own will, gives it to others to use. For the Son of God Himself, fulfilling the commands of His Father, offered Himself for the salvation of humanity and gave His Body and Blood for their sanctification to be eaten and drunk, just as the Bridegroom speaks to His friends in the Song of Songs: 'Eat, my friends; drink and be drunk, my beloved.' What does this mean? Eat in faith, you who have come to my friendship through holy baptism, for the shed blood of my Son has washed away the fall of Adam for you. Ruminate on this true medicine in the Body of my only-begotten Son, so that your repeated sins—when you frequently commit injustice in your works—may be mercifully wiped away. Therefore, drink also in hope from this life that led you out of eternal punishment; take the cup of salvation, so that you may believe strongly and manfully in the grace by which you have been redeemed. For you will also be washed by that blood which was shed for you. And so, you who are most dear to me, be inebriated in love, abounding in the streams of the Scriptures, so that you may withdraw yourselves with the utmost diligence from carnal desires; that I, too, may awaken in you those noble virtues that are so dear to me, handing over to you the Body and Blood of my only-begotten Son, just as He himself gave this same Sacrament to his disciples, as it is written in the Gospel: "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said: Take and eat; this is my body." And taking the cup, he gave thanks and gave it to his disciples, saying: "Drink from it, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, which will be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." I tell you, I won't drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. What does this mean? When the Son of God was celebrating that final meal with his disciples, at the time he was about to pass from this world—when he no longer had to dwell in earthly affairs as he had done before, but was enduring in the will of the Father toward the passion of the cross—he received the bread with the highest devotion for the salvation of humanity, moving his Father with his whole desire, so that just as he had come forth from Him and wished to return to Him, so too he might look to see if it were possible for that cup he was about to drink to pass from the fragility of his flesh, even though it was not meant to be. Hence, he also blessed that bread in remembrance of the sweat of his body, and as he submitted himself to the Father's command—willing to die on the cross in the anguish of that same passion—he handed over his Body and Blood to his disciples. He did this so that they, too, wouldn't forget the example he had given them. And he broke it for them, because although that passion was hard for his body, yet, obedient to his Father, he conquered the most cruel death through the death of his own body, signifying also that his flesh and blood were to be handed over in the Sacrament of the offering for those who believe in him. He gave this to those same disciples for their true salvation, so that they might do these things in his name, just as he did them out of love for them, saying in the gentlest voice: "You who wish to follow me humbly, accept with burning love this example that I leave you—namely, my passion and my works, which I completed in accordance with my Father's command; for he sent me to teach and to show you his kingdom." And eat faithfully what I give you, for it is my body. What does this mean? Eat my body; for you must imitate my works in your spirit and in your flesh, just as the Holy Spirit inspires them in your heart. It is like a person swallowing food that he sends into his body; for just as you must follow me in my works, so too will you eat my body, you and all who wish to keep my commandments. And then the Son of God, taking the cup of salvation in salvation, gave thanks to his Father; for when his blood was poured out from his side, this grace was given to believers: it was so powerful that it overcame the ancient serpent, freed the lost human, and faithfully strengthened the whole Church. How? Because the same Savior gave his most precious example to his faithful ones in the sweetness of his love, saying to them with a gentle inspiration of admonition: "Drink faithfully from this saving cup, all of you who wish to follow me faithfully, so that you may discipline your body in distress and restrain your blood in sweat for the sake of my love, to strengthen the Church, denying yourselves just as I submitted myself to the passion and shed my blood for your redemption, not considering the tenderness of my flesh in this, but working for your salvation." For this blood, which has been poured out for you, is not the blood that was sprinkled under a shadow in the Old Testament, but my blood of the New Testament, which has been given for the salvation of the peoples. How? I, the only Son of my mother—the most pure Virgin—poured out my blood on the cross to redeem those who look to me through faith. And just as I gave him then to liberate the human race, I continue to offer him now on the altar for humanity, specifically to cleanse those who receive him faithfully. At the supper of my passion, I gave you my body and blood to eat and drink, so that you might now do the same on the altar in my memory. Therefore, I also tell you in the revelation of truth, you who have faithfully followed me: I will no longer drink this cup of anguish in the heavy way I now suffer from the Jews, until that day when, rising from death and having trampled death down, I bring the day of salvation. Then I will drink this same cup of your redemption with you who are mine, showing you the newness of joy; for the destruction of the old sin will be cast away, and that kingdom which my Father prepared for those who love him will be opened to you. What does this mean? Because you will perceive the salvation of souls through my death, which I suffered on the cross, and when, even after my resurrection and in my ascension, you receive the Holy Spirit the Paraclete and take on the newness of a new teaching: so too will you endure many tribulations for my name, which I will also endure with you. It is not that I will suffer any miseries in the body from now on as I did before, when I was in the world in the body, but because you endure them in my name, where I also endure them with you; for you are in me, and I am in you. And so, as has been said, you who have faithfully believed in me will receive the Body and Blood of my Son to wash away your sins, so that, gladdened by this Sacrament, you may gain the strength of heavenly comfort, just as my servant David cries out in the fervor of my love: "The earth will be satisfied by the fruit of your works, producing hay for the cattle and herbs for the service of man, that you may bring forth bread from the earth and wine to gladden the heart of man." That it may gladden the face with oil, and that bread may strengthen the heart of man. What is this? O God, whose greatness is above all things, man will be satisfied by that faith through which you are known in truth—in such a way that it is itself the fruit of virtues in your wisdom—namely, the man who, clinging to faith, casts off the hunger of infidelity along the path of justice, whereas before, ignorant of the truth, he had failed in his hunger, far from righteousness. But now, producing the contrition of his own soul in the fullness of good works, he faithfully provides an example of humility to those who are in simplicity, considering his own fragility; where, rising even with the sprout of virtues in the abundance of that same security, he shows the greenness of true righteousness to the service of those who crave earthly things; for he labors for their benefit in those acts which, by the service of his own protection and defense, lead faithful souls to heavenly joys. So that those who most strongly defend with the militia of their fortitude and protection those whom they ought to guard. And these things in men are by your will, O God! Therefore they go before, so that, adorned with those virtues, you may miraculously bring forth from them the Body of your Son from that fruit which the earth brings forth in the purity of greenness, just as your only-begotten Son, coming bodily from the womb of virginal modesty, mercifully gave himself as the bread of life to those who believe. But you will also perform this miracle so that the blood of your same Only-Begotten, which is poured out for the salvation of souls, may gladden the inner strength of men—that is, their souls—for the forgiveness of their sins. How? Because just as the Body of your Son was offered on the cross for the redemption of the human race, so too are his flesh and blood now consecrated on the altar for the salvation of believers. Therefore, since this has been done miraculously by your will, it will also come to pass that the Sacrament itself gladdens the face—that is, the Church, bathed in the oil of mercy—because believers, embracing mercy with the joy of faith, appear beautiful in the eyes of the Lord. For when the salvation of the world, hanging on the cross, mercifully freed man from the devil's snare, it also kindly absolved men from the bond of sins, so that they, faithfully believing in God with the joy of a simple heart, might not cease to help those suffering misery with the ardor of devotion. And the faithful ought to burn with this love, so that that Bread, which offers life to those who taste it, may strengthen their senses—which always waver in instability—so that the intention of their heart doesn't decline into evil, but rather ascends strongly toward that which is life. This bread, however, is the flesh of my Son, which no darkness of sin obscures and no stain of iniquity clouds; so that those who receive it worthily are bathed in heavenly light in both soul and body, and are faithfully cleansed from the stains of their inner filth. And therefore, let there be no doubt about this most sacred flesh; for it is possible for Him who formed the first human without flesh or bone to make this Sacrament work in this way. From this, O virginal origin, you rise, grow, and expand, and you produce a great branch with many shoots, through which the heavenly Jerusalem will be built—coming not from human seed, but from a mystical breath. For in your origin you aren't bound by any stain of sin, but you've flourished in the miracle of virtues; you've risen as such a flower from an unplowed field that will never wither from any mortal decay, but will endure forever in the fullness of its own vitality. Therefore, this Sacrament of my Body and Blood must be honored in the Church in the office of truth until the last human comes at the end of the world, who is to be truly saved through this same mystery; for it comes from the secret of God and brings salvation to those who believe, as David himself testifies, saying: 'He commanded the clouds from above and opened the doors of heaven.' And He rained down manna upon them to eat, and gave them the bread of heaven. Humanity ate the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance. What is this?
The Purity of the Priesthood
The purity of the priesthood is emphasized, reflecting the purity of Christ's own birth and the necessity of chastity in those who handle the holy mysteries.
The Heavenly Father, through the power of His glory, softened the minds of men from their lofty heights; through the patriarchs and prophets, in the secret of His mysteries, He demonstrated this, by which they truly predicted His Son in the Holy Spirit and miraculously signified Him to men in the legal precepts through the blood of goats and other manifestations. In this way, opening the sweetness and tenderness of His heart, He sent His Son to them in gentleness and in the ardor of charity, so that through Him they might be refreshed from the hunger of their infidelity. Thus, He gave them a refreshment of heavenly things, with which they might faithfully be satisfied and attain the full joy of all happiness and beatitude. Therefore, man received in the humanity of the Son of God that bread whose sweetness the heavenly angels cannot sufficiently be satisfied with, as they behold God, when the highest Father sent these refreshments of beatitude to men in an abundance of spiritual joy. And so, let the faithful man hear with faithful attention: O you faithful people, who are the ecclesiastical seed, hear and understand the protection of your soul, where you are not children of the devil, but heirs of the heavenly kingdom; and consider how I, the most mild and most benign Father, have surrounded you with the great happiness of your salvation. Therefore, attend to the goodness of your Father, and how it has been ordained through Me for your salvation; for although you are but vile ash, the humanity of My Son nonetheless demands your salvation. How? My Son was born of an incorrupt Virgin, who knew no pain, but who remained in the verdant purity of her integrity, just as grass flourishes in the glory of its greenness, upon which dew falls from heaven. And because that virgin was incorrupt, from whom my Son in this way took on flesh without sin, it is only right that his flesh should now be made from that fruit which is without the juice of bitterness. How so? A grain of wheat is the strongest and best fruit of all; it doesn't have juice or marrow in its stalk like other plants, but rises as grass into an ear, reaching toward its fruit and producing no bitter juice through heat or cold, but yielding dry flour. So too, the flesh of my Son was dry, without any filth of human pollution, through which the human race arises in the embraces of the lust of man and woman. My Only-Begotten was not born this way, but came forth in verdant virginal integrity, just as a grain produces an interwoven grain of wheat. For just as a wheat stalk, thriving without marrow, brings forth a dry grain in the purity of the ear, so too the blessed Virgin, giving birth without the strength of a man, brought forth her most holy Son in the simplicity of innocence. He drew no juice of sin from his mother, for she conceived him without the marrow of a man, just as a stalk does not give juice to the grain because it does not thrive from a marrow-filled stem, but from the sun, the rain, and the gentle breeze. Just so, that most integral Virgin, overshadowed not by a man but by the power of the Most High, and filled with the infusion of the Holy Spirit, gave birth to her Only-Begotten in the sweetness of chastity. Although that Virgin was born from the will of man and woman, she did not bring forth her Son in that way, but gave birth to him as he came from heaven, true God and man, without the will of man, in her own pure integrity. Since she brought him forth in her virginity, most pure and without stain, the bread that is truly consecrated as his flesh must also exist most pure in its integrity, and be received by the faithful in purity of heart and without any mixture of diversity, as I showed the children of Israel, just as it is written in my will: 'Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt and from the house of slavery, for the Lord brought you out of this place with a strong hand, so that you might not eat leavened bread.' What does this mean? You who want to be imitators of my Son, keep your eyes fixed on the transition from death to life. Specifically, keep in your memory the salvation of that day which is my Son, by whom he trampled down death and gave life, and in whom you have emerged from the miserable exile of perdition into your own salvation. Just as you have cast off the dense darkness of unbelief, so too you are being rescued from the dwelling of diabolical servitude to which you were consigned in the transgression of Adam. Now, therefore, look away from earthly actions toward heavenly things. For it is I, the Lord, who have led you out of evil by my divine power—I who preside over all things with such strength that no obstacle of opposition can resist my power, but rather I penetrate all things most sharply. In this same way, I am rescuing you through my Son from this place where, through your unbelief, you served death and did not labor in good works, but instead lay wallowing in your perversity and persisted in it. But because you have now been freed from this oppression in my only-begotten Son, run from virtue to virtue, taking care not to let into your conscience that unbelief which does not comfort your heart when you receive it, but rather weighs it down with its bitterness. What does this mean? Do not follow diabolical arts, nor the other fabrications that people have invented for themselves amidst the human contagions of philosophers, pagans, and heretics; instead, imitate my Son in the mirror of faith, who freed you from the prisons of hell when he offered himself for you to the passion of the cross. But so that you may be able to follow his footsteps with greater caution, strengthen your hearts with the heavenly bread and receive his Body with faithful devotion. For he himself, coming from heaven, born of a sweet and pure Virgin, and having suffered on the wood for your salvation, has given himself to you. Therefore, you too should receive the sweet and pure bread—his Body consecrated on the altar by divine invocation—with a sincere heart, free from the admixture of that bitterness, so that by this you may escape the hunger of the inner man and be able to reach the feast of eternal beatitude. And so, through that same invocation and the Sacrament of His Blood, I also wish to show wonders in the wine that flows from the vine. What does this mean? The Blood of my Son flowed from His side, just as the grape sweats from the vine. But just as a grape is trampled by feet and pressed in a winepress, with the sweetest and strongest wine flowing out to strengthen the blood in a person, so too, when my only Son was worn down by the sweat of agony, by blows and scourges, and crushed on the wood of the Cross, the best and most precious blood flowed from His wounds, bathing the believing peoples in a most saving liberation. Just as a grape is unlike other fruits that have hard skins and can be eaten, since people are more accustomed to sucking on a grape than eating it, so too my Son was unlike other men in terms of sin; for they are weighed down by the burden of wickedness and subject to various passions, whereas my only Son, born miraculously of the most chaste Virgin, was free from every contagion of sin. Therefore, and because the grape is of a tender nature, I also wish for wine to be consecrated into the Blood of this same Son of mine. For just as wine sweats from the vine, so my Son came forth from my heart, with my same only Son being the true vine, and various branches growing out from Him; for the faithful are planted in Him, and through His incarnation they become fruitful in good works. And just as this liquor flows from the sweetest and strongest fruit of the vine, so too all justice appears in mercy and truth through the incarnation of this same Son of mine, which virtues all who seek Him faithfully find in Him. How so? Because those who faithfully cling to Him are made green and fruitful by Him, so that they bring forth the best fruits in virtues; just as He Himself, being sweet and gentle, brought forth most precious buds in holiness and justice, and cleansed those who believe in Him from every filth of infidelity, as it is written of Him in the Song of Songs: 'My beloved is to me a cluster of henna in the vineyards of Engedi.' What is this? The Son of God, who saves me, an exiled soul, in His Passion, also mercifully gives me the cup of life in His Resurrection. How so? Just as a cluster of henna contains within itself the strongest fullness of drink, so the Son of God Himself will never be exhausted in this way, but can always give the drink of life to those who thirst, since He Himself is the salvation of life. For we who were previously in a state of deficiency, now strengthened in the manifestation and knowledge of the true sanctification of good works, eat through that food of life, in which, knowing God, we journey toward life. Since in the Old Testament, which as if through a shadow did not have the full meaning but held in itself a great diversity in the manifestation of signification, we endured a great hunger and were unable to rise to salvation: now, therefore, satisfied in Him, we also drink the saving cup in Him—that is, by faithfully tasting in true faith who God is, whom we cannot see with the exterior eyes of mortal flesh, but whom we have within through spiritual intelligence; just as wine shows its strongest power in the veins of men, though men do not feel this, but only know it to be so within themselves. And so, the Bridegroom of souls is the cluster of Cyprus, whose fruit will never fail. How so? A blind person entering a gate needs the sight of their guide. How so? Because someone lacking the clarity of faith, once they have come to believe, enters into the dew of Christ’s blood through the pressure of the winepress. How so? Just as we have life in our soul through His precepts, so too have we received cleansing in our flesh through His gift; for we are born unclean in the transgression of Adam, but we are sanctified in His blood. Hence, the betrothal of souls says of Him in the Holy Spirit: 'My Beloved, who is sweet and lovable to my heart, is for me the strongest wine through His blood in full sanctification.' For while I am unclean in the planting of the flesh, like a vine that still lies uncultivated among thorns, He—being the fountain of salvation—mercifully washes sinners from their filth and most gloriously sanctifies them in the mystery of His secrets. Just as He went forth sweetly from the heart of the Father, so too does He sweetly show His blood in the wine; and just as He was born miraculously of the Virgin, so too is His Body declared miraculously in the bread, for He is the cluster that will never suffer any loss or defect. That is why He is crushed upon the altar, as if in a winepress, by the will of the Father: so that humanity, which cannot stand on its own because of its inherent weakness, might not fail. For just as human blood gains strength from drink, so too does humanity receive sanctification from the blood of the Son of God. And so that human blood does not turn to dryness for lack of the irrigation of drink—since it must be refreshed by drink—the wine in the consecration of the blood of the Son of God will not fail, but will always be present upon the altar in the Sacrament of His mystery. But you, too, O human, must know with the utmost attention that in this consecration, water must be mixed with the wine, because blood and water flowed from the side of my Son, so that in the wine his divinity is understood, and in the water his humanity is felt. And because divinity and humanity are in him, water is likewise added to the wine in this consecration; for while the wine signifies his divinity, the water also shows his humanity, which exists pure and clean without the mixing of human blood. For my only-begotten Son, being the fountain of living water, cleansed humanity in the regeneration of spirit and water from the old guilt of Adam, and brought them to heavenly things when he came into the world for their salvation, just as it is written: 'I went out like the river Diorix, and like a water-channel out of paradise.' What does this mean? God, establishing man with rationality, gave him many mystical gifts when, breathing the breath of life into him, he exalted him with rationality. When he was seduced and fell into death, I, the Son of God, who came to set him free, flowing in the beauty of all the streams of fixed charity and emanating in the diffusion of true and unfailing purity, went out from the secret of heavenly delight, so that man, who had perished through his own guilt, might be mercifully snatched from destruction. How? So that the harmless blood of innocent innocence might be poured out for him in the anguish of a passion endured for his sake. How so? In the transgression of Adam, when he was cast out of paradise, his blood flowed out entirely because of the anguish of his expulsion, for he was guilty; and having been liquefied in that anguish, he was drenched in a sweat of water. Thus, water is recognized as being mixed into human blood through that sweat. Therefore, O human, when the Only-Begotten of God began to be in anguish in the flesh—namely, when He willed to suffer for the human race—His blood sent forth drops of sweat; and then, when He was suspended on the cross, water flowed out from the wound in His side along with the blood. And for this reason, in that Sacrament where the mystery of His passion is to be celebrated, water must be mixed with wine, because water and blood also flowed from the wound in the side of the Son of God. But in that same sacrifice, the wine will superabound over the water, because the blood also overcomes corruption, just as milk exceeds its own juice, which is the whey. Those, however, who celebrate this mystery should perform it in the way it has been shown to them, and as people are exhorted where they hear through my inspiration by way of wisdom, as it is written: 'Come, eat my bread, and drink the wine which I have mixed for you.' What is this? You who wish to set aside your foolishness, come out of that ignorance by which you do not know God, and out of that defilement through which you were sent into exile; return to your bright homeland, which has been shown to you through the mirror of faith in the fountain of living water, and with devout reverence eat my bread, which no man has sown in a field, and to which the earth has given no greenness, but which has come forth from God and remains in Him. For just as bread is eaten and the earth is trodden underfoot, so the Son of God, the living bread, surpasses the children of men; because the Son of God Himself is stable in the power of His divinity, while the children of men are unstable in the weakness of their flesh. For the Son of God, while remaining bodily in the world, had no softness of the liquid of sin in His flesh; because just as fire dries out the bread it bakes and leaves no soft moisture in it, so the Only-Begotten of God, conceived from the most powerful fire of the Holy Spirit and born of the most chaste Virgin, stood firm in His body without any contagion of sin. And just as bread restores a person, so the faithful are nourished in faith by this same Son of God; for He is the most powerful fruit that will never fail. Therefore, you faithful, as you eat this bread, drink also with a pure intention this wine which is entirely free of all filth, and which does not wander into this empty distraction where corruption, absorbing the innocence of the pure, turns it into poison. In that same way, the first man was pure when he was created; he existed without division, and was pure in his flesh and blood. Yet when he committed his transgression, he was deceived, so that afterward he always scattered his blood in the stench of the filth of adultery. For just as that same man had cast away the honor of innocence, so too did his blood lose its color, overturned in human conception into a fluid of pollution. In that fluid, it remains without fornication until the blood appears; and so that blood, taking on another form after its origin, lies in weakness until its marrow finds the fullness of its strength and until the senses within it rise up through the stirring of a hidden awakening. Then the flesh and the blood, cleansed of poison, appear pure until a harmful heat strikes them, which by its striking casts out the harmful foam of filth. But the Son of God remained pure from all these things; he had pure flesh and pure blood, so that the touch of any harmful heat never reached him. Remaining in the sanctification and honor of most verdant chastity, he could not be violated by any contagion. Yet when he was placed in the anguish of his passion, he poured out water into the blood of his side; for blood does not exist in its outpouring without water, but it exists so tempered that the blood strengthens the water, and the water softens the blood. Therefore, you who wish to worship God with devotion, because you love your own salvation, take this cup of sanctification, which I have tempered for you so that you don't feel the harshness of vengeance in the gentleness of forgiveness; for both divinity and humanity are in the exalted Son, through whose passion you have been freed from death, and through whose Body and Blood you are nourished, so that you may have fellowship in the eternal dwelling. But I, who am the beginning and the end, say to you again, O human, concerning my noble Son, who is the flower of the roses and the lily of the valleys, born of the most chaste Virgin, who gave birth to him in her integrity. Such was this birth, that through him I was appeased regarding the iniquity of the first parents of the human race, who had provoked me to indignation in their transgression. And so I always look upon this same birth, whenever I have the Body and Blood of my Son consecrated daily upon the altar to my name. It is so that through this Sacrament you, human, are sanctified, eating his flesh and drinking that same blood of his. For when the priest exercises his office there as it has been established for him, invoking me with the most sacred words, then I am present there in the same power in which I was present there where my Only-Begotten was incarnated without the stain of any contagion. Therefore, his most pure and most sweet Body was in all holiness, so that those who now faithfully receive his flesh and blood are vivified with such sweetness that they suffer no contempt of rejection, just as it is written in the Song of Songs: 'Who will give you to me as my brother, nursing at my mother's breasts, so that I may find you outside, and kiss you, and no one will despise me?' What does this mean? The groaning and devotion of those placed within the Church say with the most certain faith: "Who is this who, by a most gentle offering, gives you to me—a most wretched person placed in the midst of troubles—as the Bridegroom of the Church? I call you my brother because of your incarnation, sucking on the mercy and truth that are the nourishment by which the Divinity feeds humanity, which is my mother in my creation, namely, by giving me life through the education of growth." What does this mean? Because the nourishment of the Church is full of your grace, since you grant it full abundance in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, you who are the living bread and the fountain of living water. You do this so that I might find you outwardly with clear certainty: knowing you are the Son of God in heaven, I see you also as a man on earth—whom my mortal eyes cannot see in your divinity—so that I may also find you in the bread and wine of the divine mystery, a Sacrament that is free from the weight of deception or the ambiguity of falsehood. And then, in this way, I kiss you, because you were incarnate for my salvation, and because you make me a participant in your Body and Blood. Through this—that you came into the world for my sake and gave yourself to me—no creature may henceforth despise me, since it always follows your will, which is subject to you, while I, being rebellious against your commands, am found to be most often contrary to you.
The Discipline of the Altar
Instructions are given regarding the proper celebration of the Eucharist, the necessity of confession, and the gravity of the priestly office.
Now, human, as you can see, when the priest begins to call upon me with these words—which were established in the Holy Spirit—while offering the sacrifice at the altar, I tell you the truth: I am present there in my burning heat, and with full desire I bring the Sacrament itself to completion. How? Because in the effect of this same mystery, I pour out my burning love upon that very offering—specifically from the beginning of the words of the priest who calls upon me and makes this memorial: that my Son, in the anguish of his passion, blessed bread and wine and handed them to his disciples in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, so that they too might do the same for the salvation of the people. I tell you truly that this invocation over such an offering, made in remembrance of my only-begotten Son, will never occur without the mystery of his Body and Blood being brought to completion there; a mystery which the carnal eye, as long as it is but ash, won't be able to see, unless it perceives it in faith with humble devotion. How? When a bird sees an egg placed for it in its nest, it flies ardently over it, and by its own heat, warming it, brings forth the chick; so that the shell of the egg remains, and that chick flies away. What does this mean? I, the Almighty, when the offering of bread and wine has been presented upon the altar dedicated to my name in memory of my Son, illuminate it miraculously with my power and glory, and transform it into the Body and Blood of my only-begotten Son. How? By the same miracle through which my Son took flesh from the Virgin, this offering, in this consecration, is made His Body and Blood. The appearance of bread and wine is what is visibly perceived by the eyes, but within, the holiness of the Body and Blood of that same Son of mine remains invisibly. How? When my Son was among humans in the world, He was also with me in heaven; and now, while remaining with me in heaven, He also remains among humans on earth, though this is spiritual and not carnal. In the same way, I, the Father, am present to every creature, withdrawing from none; but you, human, withdraw yourself from me. It is like when you look into water: your face indeed appears in it, but you cannot exercise any of your strength there; yet when you turn away, you no longer appear in it. I, however, do not appear to the creature in such mutability, but I am present with a truthful manifestation, nor do I withdraw my power from it, but I exercise the strength of my will in it just as it pleases me. Therefore, I also truthfully demonstrate my majesty in the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of my Son; namely, from the beginning of the priest’s secret words until the mystery itself is received by the people, I work my miracles there in a wondrous way. But this priestly office may also be performed by the faithful from the first hour of the day until the ninth, as the necessity of the time and the customs of people require, since Adam was led astray rising in the morning until the ninth hour, and because the Passion of my Son is known to have begun at the twilight of the day and been completed at the ninth hour, in such a way that, dying on the cross, he breathed his last and by his death courageously overcame death. Where the Church, standing by my only-begotten Son, received her dowry; which is now to be celebrated by the children of that same Church. This office, however, is to be celebrated by priests in the sacrifice while fasting, and not when full, so that the heaviness of food does not drain away spiritual desire; for the spiritual feast ought to be taken first, and the bodily refreshment afterward, because both the spirit is to be honored and the flesh is to be refreshed. For this Sacrament is to be received with spiritual desire and not with carnal greed; and therefore it ought to be taken while fasting, and not after a feast, unless in that necessity where a person is in the state of mind of one about to depart from the world. My Son gave his body and blood to his disciples toward the end of the day, since he brought them the true morning of life. And because even at the end of the age, as death passes away for humanity, the elect will shine like the sun in my kingdom. And in this way my only-begotten Son showed by his resurrection that the souls of the just draw themselves away from hell, and that the human race restores itself to the restoration of eternal life, which the reprobate angels lost by desiring death, with no one else suggesting it to them, so that they were seduced by no other tempter than by themselves; whereas they did not have the taste of sin within themselves, as a human being has in the frailty of his body. Therefore, when a human being is seduced by a tempter, having the frailty of the body, he is also led back to life by the one who lifts him up; meanwhile, the devil, having no bodily heaviness, is left in his own perversity. Yet true and healthy nourishment has been given to humanity in the reception of the Body and Blood of my Son, so that through this Sacrament, a person may be invisibly refreshed in their soul, rise up, and courageously resist their invisible adversary. Those who receive the same Sacrament in larger or smaller amounts should understand this: both the one who receives more and the one who receives less receive one and the same power, since this Sacrament is not in quantity, but in holiness, and it saves those who receive it according to their faith, just as it is written of the manna: 'The children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less, and they measured it by the measure of an omer.' The one who gathered more didn't have anything extra, nor did the one who prepared less find any less; rather, everyone gathered according to what they were able to eat. What does this mean? The children of election, who ardently desire to see God, attend to this heavenly Sacrament as they have been commanded, gathering it into their hearts according to the teaching of their principal masters. According to what they've learned, they search for it in their souls, one having more devotion, and another less intention in the secret of his heart. Hence, they also measure it by their own estimation according to what they feel in their souls, discerning the faith they have in God—not dividing it, but holding it whole—and considering with how much and what kind of devotion they receive the Body and Blood of their redemption. But the same Sacrament won't be holier for the one who has received more of it, nor more restricted for the one who has taken less; rather, it will enlighten him according to the faith of the one who receives it. Therefore, O human, it's not to be received in terms of magnitude; because the most powerful God is present in both the small and the great offering of this mystery. Those who receive it should only attend to this: that they have the triune and one God in their heart with firm and whole faith. And so, every faithful person, with a sincere and upright heart, gathers the strength of his soul according to what the possibility of faith in him demands, taking care not to search into the divinity more highly or deeply than he can grasp by his sense or thought, but rather soberly, as he has been taught in the Holy Spirit; let him be subject to the fear of the Lord, since a human is but poor ash. But you, foolish people, don't doubt that this Sacrament, which has been shown to you in this way, is the Body and Blood of my Son. Remember, then, what I used to create Adam's flesh and blood—the mud of the earth. What, then, do you think? Is it more possible for me to make the flesh and blood of my Son from this offering, or to make a human being from the mud of the earth? But a man pours out seed from his own blood, and a woman receives it. And what more do they add then? Nothing at all, either in the creation or in the flesh of the infant. Who, then, forms a human being in flesh and bone, in marrow, and in their beautiful face, if not I, the Father of all? But a father and mother don't have the power to make or create a child; they only release their blood in the heat of passion, and afterward they have no power to form the child. Can you see how these things happen, except that you perceive them in their outward forms? But you, O human, say: 'I don't see this offering as flesh and blood, the way I see a person as flesh and blood.' To this I answer you: You saw my Son in body and blood, mortal on earth; but now He is immortal in heaven, and so you cannot see Him with your physical eyes, nor can you see how His flesh and blood are consecrated on the altar. This Sacrament is not performed there for the glory of the priest, but for the glory of my only-begotten Son, who carried out this office with His disciples at His supper. But just as you cannot see me in my glory while you are mortal, so too you don't see the flesh and blood of my Son with your physical eyes in a physical way, because you cannot perceive things that are invisible; you only see according to what your mortal sight is capable of grasping in a visible way. This Sacrament, however, must be offered to me in a threefold material. How? In bread, wine, and water, in honor of the Trinity. Therefore, if any of these three is missing, the Trinity is not truly honored there, because the Father is understood in the wine, the Son in the bread, and the Holy Spirit in the water. Thus, whoever offers wine without bread and without water honors the Father but denies the Son and the Holy Spirit; or whoever gives bread without wine and without water has the Son but rejects the Father and the Holy Spirit; or whoever uses water without wine and without bread attends to the Holy Spirit but refuses the Father and the Son; or whoever gives wine and bread without water has the Father and the Son but rejects the Holy Spirit; or whoever offers wine and water without bread honors the Father and the Holy Spirit but denies the Son; or whoever uses bread and water without wine attends to the Son and the Holy Spirit but refuses the Father. Therefore, let there be no division in this Sacrament, because I, remaining undivided, am one inseparable God in three Persons, just as thought, will, and action exist in one human being, without which a human is not. But if there is a defect in this sacrifice, such that bread, wine, or water is neglected, then truly the person through whose negligence this happens will be subject to severe punishment. For if this was done knowingly through the negligence of lukewarmness, or unfaithfully through the doubt of unbelief, I will cast out from my sight the one who is subject to this guilt, unless he returns to himself through deep repentance and punishes himself for this by repenting gravely; or if this happened unknowingly through the negligence of forgetfulness, then the one who is guilty of this must answer to me for his fault in the correction of penance, because he did not look carefully to see if all things were present that pertained to my sacrifice. For when my Son hung on the cross, nothing of salvation was missing there, because through his shed blood he brought the salvation of souls to humanity; therefore, nothing should be missing in this mystery. For this Sacrament is the most sacred sanctification in all holiness, and therefore this Body and this Blood must be received with every faith and devotion. Anyone who receives this most sacred Body and doesn't refuse to take the Blood of this same mystery—since my Son is pure above all things and a mirror of all virtues, and therefore His most noble Blood must be received—should do so, unless the priest, out of concern for the simplicity of the one receiving, fears the danger of spilling it. In that case, for the one about to receive, it should be done according to the simplicity of infants, to whom the food of bread is granted but the drink of wine is denied, so that this most holy Body is given to them, but the flowing Blood is withheld, lest a greater danger arise from it, and because that most holy Body is joined to His Blood, and that Blood to His Body, in one holiness. But if that person has the discernment to guard the mystery, then when that holy Body is given to him to eat, the Blood of that same Body is also given to him to drink. However, the priest who celebrates this Sacrament should be dressed diligently in those vestments that the ancient Fathers, taught by the Holy Spirit, established for this same office. He should pay the closest attention to the words that the Holy Spirit inspired those same Fathers to use for the celebration of this mystery, carefully avoiding any omission, and also looking with the deepest devotion to ensure he doesn't go beyond the example where my Son took the bread and the cup and gave them to His disciples to eat and drink. But anyone who, through the negligence of forgetfulness, has ignorantly failed in anything regarding the vestments or the words pertaining to this office must be corrected with a serious and wholesome penance. Yet, anyone seeking my mercy will find it, because they didn't commit this transgression out of willfulness or malice of heart. But whoever has knowingly transgressed in these same sacraments, either through an indevout will or through the malice of his heart, to him I will say in my displeasure: 'You wicked servant, why weren't you properly dressed in the priestly vestment, as your ancient masters, the elders, established for you in the Holy Spirit, in the meaning of the spiritual office, just as my angels always serve me?' And why did you also neglect the form of those words which those same Fathers of yours handed down to you in the Holy Spirit for the consecration of the Body and Blood of my Son, for the salvation and glory of the human race? Therefore, whoever is guilty of this offense will have to answer to me for it, unless he punishes himself through serious, penitent affliction. But the priest who offers these feasts at my altar must not leave them fasting; instead, he should receive the refreshment of his soul in the Body and Blood of my Son. If, however, he knows himself to be burdened by heavier loads and unworthy of these feasts, he must not presume to approach my table, nor, while unwashed from the stench of his sins, touch my Son—just as those who cruelly cut off the head of the shining lamp contaminated both the table and the glory of his birth. Therefore, anyone who is so contaminated must show the variety of his plague to the high priest, namely my Son, and also accuse himself before another mortal priest, who may show him the remedy of consolation along with penance, and only then, once purified, may he approach his office. But I, the Father of all, do not desire that the secret arrangement of the most holy conversation through which a priest must call upon me at the altar should consist of many and great speeches; rather, it should be in the right order of the earlier masters, whom the gift of the Holy Spirit taught to call upon me in right admonition. And this should not be in the multiplicity of foolish wisdom, but in the simplicity of heart, because I am not pleased by much speaking, but by the purity of heart of those who seek me with devotion and who kindly embrace me in the ardor of love. For at other times I bestow my grace upon my chosen ones when they seek me, according to the changing gifts of the Holy Spirit; but in this Sacrament, I show myself to them entirely, since my Son is in me and I in him, and the Holy Spirit is in us and we in him, and we are one in divinity, just as the body and other things and its powers are one living human being. Therefore, whoever approaches this Sacrament should take care not to come in a way that might offend the glory of the Divinity. But you, O human, while others approach the priest to receive this Sacrament, consider the five ways in them; for those who desire to receive the perception of the divine mystery from their priest should cleanse the five senses of their body from the filth of their sins, and guard them worthily and laudably from creeping impurity, so that they may receive it all the more healthfully. Therefore, even among those who, as you see, approach this Sacrament, some are bright in body and fiery in soul, because they have the clarity of faith for this Sacrament and don't doubt that it is the true Body and true Blood of my Son. And so, while they receive it with this faith, they are invigorated and sanctified in their flesh, so that, sanctified through this mystery, they may appear in heaven after the resurrection in that same body of theirs, and are infused and ignited in their soul by the fiery gift of the Holy Spirit, to the extent that, bathed in this illumination, they reject earthly things and desire heavenly ones. How? Because just as a fire's blaze is stirred up by the wind, so too are they imbued through this Sacrament so that they may burn in heavenly love. But others appear pale in body and dark in soul, because they are lukewarm in faith and don't have a firm faith in this Sacrament, but are dull to understand wisdom, like a child whose works are in foolishness. For they hear with their outward ears, but because of the sluggishness of their hearts, they don't grasp what is said to them about the Sacrament itself; they would gladly understand it perfectly in faith, but because of the doubt within them, they cannot see how great a holiness is in it. Consequently, they are surrounded by darkness in their inner selves, for they cannot lift their minds up to that perfection; because they were conceived in sin, they are weighed down by the pull of bodily frailty toward the perfection of that belief, yet they are more inclined toward the spirit, so that they would gladly understand the faith if they could overcome the coldness of their hearts. For those who are not yet burdened by greater loads of sin in their actions must, even if unwillingly, consent to the spirit, because the soul, still possessing greater power—since it has not yet been destroyed by sin—subjects the body to its own will. For these are the struggles that exist between body and soul; the soul wants to rule the body, because it is contrary to the soul that the flesh should have in its desire what is sin, and the body disdains the righteousness that is in the soul's desire, because the soul loves life. What does this mean? What is dead seeks what is dead, and what lives loves what is living. How so? The flesh loves sin, and the soul loves righteousness; in this they oppose each other, and they rarely agree. But just as a child is fed and satisfied without effort or intellectual understanding, so these people are brought to life by this Sacrament as if through ignorance, because they do not reject it out of childishness or stubbornness, but embrace it with a simple soul. Some, however, are coarse in body and steeped in the deep filth of human pollution in their souls; they are foul because they live in their flesh as shameless, impure people, wallowing in the dregs of vice like a pig in the mud, and in this way they infect and contaminate their souls with the varied filth of human sin and contagion. And when they, while still wallowing in these vices, don't fear to approach the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of my Son while so unclean, they must be cleansed through a severe examination for this presumption of theirs. Yet I don't deny them my mercy in this cleansing, because I foresee that worthy repentance will rise up in their hearts. Others, however, are hedged about in their bodies with sharp thorns and appear leprous in their souls; because they are surrounded in their hearts by anger, hatred, and envy, they drive out gentleness, sweetness, and love from themselves with these thorns of iniquity, and so, by craving evil and abandoning good, and by mocking and insulting other people, they render their souls unclean, like the worst kind of sores. When they approach the divine mystery in this way, they do themselves grave harm; yet I turn my eyes toward them when, punishing themselves in bitterness, they later seek my grace through repentance. Some, however, appear bloody in body and like a putrid, foul-smelling corpse in soul; for they use a bloodstained hand to cause division among people, rendering their souls foul with the rotting decay of the cruelest perversity, because they don't look to my fear, and by their cruelty, they abandon what I have established in man. Therefore, if they aren't afraid to receive the Body and Blood of my Son while stained with this contamination, they bring grave injury upon themselves, because they presume to touch this Sacrament while so unclean; yet the fountain of salvation will eventually pass them by, if they don't strive to wash themselves of this wickedness of theirs through worthy repentance. Yet among all these, while some receive the same Sacraments, others are bathed in fiery splendor, while others still are darkened by a gloomy cloud. For while those who believe strive to approach the mystery of the Body and Blood of my Son, those who receive it with a devout mind and pure faith, shining in good works, are enlightened by the gift of the Holy Spirit for the salvation of both their body and their soul. Conversely, those who take it with a contrary heart and a wavering spirit, sluggish in perverse acts, bring upon themselves the darkness of a presumptuous unhappiness to their own detriment, both outwardly and inwardly, because they have rashly presumed to join themselves to this holiness while unclean. A person who is so rebellious and stubborn that they don't fear polluting themselves—whether by simple fornication in the depths of their own body through touch and pleasure, or by contaminating themselves with double fornication by spilling their seed with a man or a woman, or by tearing themselves apart with anger, hatred, and envy toward others, or by staining themselves with murder against those they encounter—and who, being thus unclean and uncorrected, rashly presumes to approach the Body and Blood of my Son without the cleansing of confession and without the penance of correction, that person knowingly and intentionally enters into the judicial fire through their own guilt. How so? Because of this presumption and their sin, they will be tested like gold in a furnace, so that no dust of this presumption will remain in them, by which they approached the Communion of the innocent Lamb while polluted and uncorrected. For whoever approaches the sanctification of the Body and Blood of my Son while so unclean, as has been said, and takes the Sacrament in that state, takes it to their own judgment. How so? As Paul, my most beloved one, says: So whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord.✦ But let a person examine themselves, and so let them eat of that bread and drink of that cup.✦ For whoever eats and drinks unworthily eats and drinks judgment upon himself, not discerning the Body of the Lord. That is why many among you are weak and sickly, and many are asleep. What does this mean? I tell you the truth: whoever eats the Bread of Life, or whoever receives the Cup of Salvation—which is the Sacrament of Him who is the Lord of heaven and earth—while treating it unworthily, that is, while wallowing in sin, will feel his own guilt in this very act. How so? Because he receives the Body and Blood of his Lord—the Savior of the world—in a biting and death-dealing way, since he approaches the palace of life-giving redemption while prone to evil, polluted by filth, and forgetful of the fear of the Lord, and thus contaminated. And so he commits homicide there. How so? He wounds himself with many injuries when he treats this Sacrament recklessly, hiding his sins without the cleansing and washing of penance. And so I say to him: O most miserable and bitter man, how could you dare to bring your Lord into a pit of such misery, when the citizens of heaven always long to look upon Him? Therefore, you will be examined through bitter penance in your body and soul; so that if you haven't corrected your guilt, this correction will be found in you after the resurrection of the dead. Therefore, let the person who wishes to be cleansed here examine himself with faithful scrutiny, and in this way, with the devotion of his own reflection, let him receive from that bread of holiness and taste from that cup of sweetness, so that by arriving at this unfailing refreshment, he may escape the hunger of a weakened soul. For whoever handles this Sacrament poorly, and receives it unworthily without cleansing himself from the filth of iniquity, brings the judgment of vengeance upon himself, because he eats and drinks it while still unclean; he does not, however, have the power to harm or obscure the mystery by his presumption, but only condemns himself. And because you presume to approach this Sacrament while still filthy with vices, there are many infirm people in your company—namely, those who do not wish to seek the medicine of the soul through this holiness, but who instead inflict a most bitter infirmity upon themselves in these same sacraments, because they take them to their own judgment. And there are also many who are weak—those, clearly, who are so feeble in the law of God that they refuse in any way to look at who He is, whom they receive so unworthily. Why is this? Because they refuse to consider how they ought to fear and venerate their Lord, or how they should punish their flesh with bitter penance—flesh they have so indulged in vices. But because they are so negligent, they fall asleep in the oblivion of this very negligence, many of them not knowing and not wanting to know how they ought to weep for their sins, just as a person in the sleep of slumber does not know or understand what is happening in his body or how it is. Therefore, you human, since you receive the Body and Blood of my Son while unwashed—not having been cleansed by yourself through confession or penance—you will then be examined in such a fearful inquiry regarding this presumption of the filth of your sins, just as new wine is purged of the impurity it holds within itself when it casts it out during its own fermentation. Both priest and people must handle and guard this Sacrament with such diligence and care that no one ever neglects it to the point of letting it fall to the ground. For if it falls to the ground through neglect or apathy, I will avenge that defiance through my own zeal—either in the earth itself or in the person—unless that person punishes themselves through penance and bitter scourging; for flesh and blood must make restitution for flesh and blood. How so? Human flesh and blood will mourn for the flesh and blood of my Son, which have been handled negligently by man, just as the earth trembled and people were struck with fear when my Son, hanging on the cross, gave up his spirit. But if you, O human, in the instability of your heart say to yourself, 'How can this offering on the altar become the Body and Blood of my Son?' then I will answer you: 'Why do you ask this, O human, and why do you pry into these things?' Do I require this of you? Why do you search out my secrets regarding the Body and Blood of my Son? These things are not for you to investigate; rather, receive them with great fear and reverence, guard them diligently, and don't hesitate any further regarding this mystery. You shouldn't test me so recklessly. And what is that to you? Instead, seek me with absolute faith. For when I have looked upon the fullness of your faith, I don't ask you what the Body and Blood of my Son are, or how this mystery is consecrated on the altar. And who asks you, human, whether you fail to feel the heat of fire while you're in it? No one. In the same way, don't recklessly probe my secrets, lest you be harmed by it. But if you wish to seek these things with the devotion of your soul, then you must seek them diligently in prayer, weeping, and fasting, just as your ancient Fathers sought them most certainly, and they were frequently revealed to them. Once you have examined these things in this way and found them, leave the rest to the Holy Spirit. But those who approach these Sacraments must come by the straight path, not by devious ways, so they don't get cast aside and suffer a great fall of the soul. How so? For the worst deceiver—who falsely usurps the seat of pastoral office without election or the consecration of the primary anointing—and the most wicked plunderer—who drives out his shepherd and violently seizes his seat through the whispers of those who agree with him—these men will either be subject to heavy retribution by their own will, or they will suffer a grave sentence from my zeal; for in their bitterest state, they are imitating the one who, wanting to hold the greatest honor in himself, was cast down from all the glory of happiness into death; and because they also follow Baal, who so deceived himself that, by falsely calling himself God, he was given over to destruction. And if they pretend to give my sacred things in this perversity of deceit and their own presumption, then those who are infected rather than comforted by them in this way are counted in my sight just like those whom people hold up to ridicule, whom children make into play-figures in their games and sports. But just as this is vanity among men, it's also a mockery before me that such invaders pretend to be doing this in their deception. Therefore, because their building is proven to be corrupt, it cannot stand, for it's destined to fall. And so, if they're seen to build anything in my temple within the sacred orders, it must be destroyed; because, lacking justice, it's recognized as frivolous. So let them repent of this recklessness of theirs, so they don't end up sharing in the punishments of the one who, because he sought more than he should have, was cast down from the heights into the abyss of the depths. And that butcher, too—who, lacking the anointing of the priestly office, approaches my altar in the madness of his own mind as furiously as if I were a fraud or a jester, rashly touching the table consecrated to my name and wanting to offer the sacred oblation when it isn't his office to do so—he doesn't fear to wound my Son with cruel torture. How? Just as the unbeliever invades God with his unbelief, and as the madman runs into the fire in his insanity, so this man, not knowing me as God and not feeling me as the burning fire, casts aside my fear and does not love my gentleness; instead, he wounds my Son when, with unanointed lips, he tears apart that word which my only-begotten Son himself bestowed upon his bride when he gave her his Body and Blood as her dowry. Hence, to the one who invades him so rashly, it is said: 'Who touches my Son, so defiant and unanointed?' But this man who approaches my altar in this way, as often as he presumes to invoke my Son with the aforementioned secret word, he strives to wound him just as often—not that he tortures him with any physical pain, but because he does not fear to touch him so presumptuously. If he remains in this contempt without repentance, he will stand in punishment among those who wounded my Son without cause. Therefore, so that he does not experience these torments, let him take up the lamentation of affliction for himself, yet in such a way that he does not presume to approach the ministry of my altar from now on. As for the others who strive to serve in the ecclesiastical office under a priest, they must be careful not to presume to approach that ministry without the proper measure of justice, lest, if they falsely usurp that rectitude for themselves, they be found unformed and unpolished and be cast out from the construction of the ecclesiastical building by a just judgment. For I want my ministers to appear pure in my sight, without deceit and without filth. How? So that they may approach my altar with the right choice, and then, even there, stand before me without impurity. How? They must not look toward secular union, because they have chosen a spiritual one. How? Because they have entered into my service. But if any of them are stirred by the burning lust of their own flesh, let them wear down their bodies with abstinence and fasting, and discipline themselves with cold and scourges. But if they eventually fall into the pollution of a woman, then they must flee from that contamination as they would from a burning fire or deadly poison, and wash away their wounds with bitter penance; for I desire that they serve Me in chastity. How? Because My Son was most chaste, and He demonstrated all these ecclesiastical orders within Himself. How? By serving, by praying, and by offering. How? Because circumcision touched Him with its service, and prophecy pointed Him out with its cry, and He Himself preached to humanity through His own person, and finally offered Himself as a living sacrifice on the altar of the Cross. And because He offered Himself as a sacrifice in chastity, those who intend to offer a sacrifice to Him at the altar should likewise imitate His chastity; they must maintain this chastity not only in others, but also preserve it within themselves. How is that? Just as a priest must guard himself against the contagion of a woman, he must also restrain himself from within—carefully avoiding any pollution brought about by the touch of his own hands and ensuring that the clamor of lust doesn't stir up trouble inside him. For the sin of Adam, which brought death to mankind, stirred up the senses of fornication within them; therefore, people must restrain their own flesh so they do not shamefully fall into the traps of death. How is that? Because My Son overcame death and gave them life. Since He took on flesh in the integrity of virginal purity, those who desire to serve Him must also be chaste, as it is written in the divine precept: 'Be ready for the third day, and do not approach your wives.' What does this mean? You who wish to serve God in a singular way, be ready with the desire of your heart for the day of that serenity where the holy and ineffable Trinity, truly appearing, demonstrates its wonders in a great miracle. And therefore, if you wish to approach God worthily there, take care not to join yourselves in carnal affection—that is, in carnal unions—so that you do not mix your own blood with the blood of a more fragile estimation. You must be careful about this, O priests and other ministers of mine who serve under a spiritual name; for even the apostles you have followed didn't divide themselves into different ways, nor did they leave you such an example. For I do not want there to be two bonds in priests—namely, of spiritual and carnal pursuit; since a priest will join the justice of God to himself, so that it is his wife, with whom he will nourish and teach other peoples, just as a father is accustomed to raise and teach his children. And how would it be fitting for a priest to exercise two bonds in the right measure, which are contrary to each other in their diversity? How? One is carnal, and the other is spiritual. Since a priest is the shepherd and father to those joined in marriage, if he were to live that same way, who would be expected to be his priest? He could have no other priest to preside over him than the devil, who would have to be his priest, since he would have imitated the one who hides poison under honey. How so? Because just as the devil hides evil under the guise of good, so too do these kinds of priests—who follow their own filth more than they love chastity—strive to hide their carnal union under the cover of a spiritual marriage, like poison hidden under honey. But because my Son is entirely in chastity, those who touch his Body and Blood on the altar must also love chastity; just as it is written: 'A priest shall not take a wife who is a prostitute or a vile harlot, nor one who has been divorced by her husband, because he is consecrated to his God and offers the bread of the presence.' What does this mean? The one appointed to offer sacrifice to God must not love the injustice of the devil, who is the common author of all the filth of every iniquity. Nor should he so basely cast down his own senses that, when he wishes to bear my yoke, he shamefully embraces and follows the will of his own flesh against the justice of God and against the examples of the ancient saints, lest he carry out in shameful acts that very impurity which was rejected by those same ancient Fathers of his, since they knew it to be from the breath of the ancient serpent. Therefore, let him abandon these stains and be a lover of God’s justice; for he is consecrated to his God in holiness, having been withdrawn from the carnal desires found in the lives of those born of the flesh. And so, being sober and unstained, he is able to offer that Bread which is placed on the table of consecration for the salvation of humanity. What does this mean? It means that this sacrifice—which is the life of the living, the refreshment of souls, and the mirror of all virtues that are made clear through holy innocence in the form of purity—is most clean from every stain. Therefore, those who are to offer this same sacrifice must be free from the filth of pollution, keeping themselves also from gluttony and drunkenness, from jesting, from laughter, and from light and disordered behavior; rather, they should be in that reverence which befits the successors of the ancient fathers by whom they were planted, and in that dignity which becomes honorable patrons. And they must also live in such a way that they aren't double-minded in two roles—that is, they must not walk simultaneously in the secular and the spiritual path—because it's difficult to serve two masters at once, as my Son also testifies in the Gospel, saying: "No one can serve two masters." What does this mean? No one clothed in a mortal tunic is able, because of the fragility of his senses and his body, to serve two masters equally and with the same devotion. What does this mean? You can't serve the master of righteousness and the master of injustice at the same time. Why is that? Because righteousness rejects injustice, and injustice attacks righteousness. Likewise, a priest cannot serve with equal devotion both a servant and a mistress—that is, both a carnal union and a spiritual fellowship—because these two cannot exist together in perfection. For that which is carnal attacks that which is spiritual, and the spiritual suppresses that which is carnal. My friend Paul, knowing this, demonstrates that it is so by my will when he says: 'A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one wife.' Why is that? It's necessary that anyone who stands above other people in the office of spiritual leadership should conduct their life in such a way that no scandal of offense or reproach is found in them. How so? Because a priest shouldn't hold two roles, acting as both the carnal husband of a wife and the spiritual husband of a spouse. Instead, he must be the husband of one wife—the Church in holiness—who is unique in my Son, because one Church has risen in Him. But although she is one, she still has many husbands. She celebrates nuptials with the priests of my Son who serve Him daily, yet she remains a virgin in her integrity, because the faith within her is incorrupt. Therefore, even Paul, my vessel, did not say that this wife should have one husband, because she is joined to those priests who rise in my same only-begotten Son until the last day, until those nuptials come which never fail through any instability of mortality; but those also who serve closely under the priests in the service of my altar are husbands of the same wife, just as the same Paul spoke, offering faithful doctrine to men through me, saying: 'Deacons must be husbands of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.' What does this mean? Those who assist priests by the service of their help should be husbands of one wife through a faithful union. And what is that wife? It is the most chaste spouse who can be harmed by no corruption, unlike a woman who is corrupted when she loses the flower of virginity and the innocence she had at the beginning of her betrothal, even while she remains incorrupt with her spouse. Therefore, let these betrothers live so faithfully with this bride of justice that they provide good examples of virtue to those who have been reborn in spirit and water through their help, and let them apply themselves with faithful care to their office, which pertains to the protection of the ecclesiastical dwelling, just as a secular man directs all the devotion of his stewardship toward his children and his household. For Paul, my friend, showed this bride to priests and other ministers of my altar, so that they might choose her as their wife and not crave a carnal spouse. Neither Paul himself, nor the other disciples who are my children, nor the remaining Fathers—that is, their followers—gave them the example of taking a carnal spouse and abandoning the one they had previously chosen for themselves as a spiritual wife. For a priest who is so stubborn in sin that he illicitly takes a woman according to the desire of his flesh commits adultery; because he abandons his rightful wife—that is, the Church, who was betrothed to him by a spiritual office—and shamelessly takes another according to the whim of his own mind. Although it may be difficult for him to restrain himself in this heat, he should nevertheless contain himself from these desires for the sake of a higher love, just as my Son encourages in the Gospel: 'There are eunuchs who were born so from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made so by men, and there are eunuchs who have castrated themselves for the sake of the kingdom of heaven; let anyone who can accept this, accept it.' What does this mean? Because there are some people who have come from their mother's womb in such a way that, due to the coldness or weakness of their own bodies, they cannot have spouses. Therefore, because of this continence of theirs, they will not receive the benefit of a reward, except that they will not suffer the punishments for the act of that sin; because they will not have punishments for a sin they did not commit. Then there are other people who, through the will of others, have been so weakened in their bodies that they are unable to engage in the pleasure of the flesh through this marital act; yet, even though they restrain themselves in this way, they don't earn the glory of praise for it, because although they cannot carry out this act of fire, they still feel the heat of impurity in their will many times over. There are also other people, specifically those entering the spiritual life, who deny themselves this, even though they could easily perform it with their bodies; because they despise fleshly union for the sake of the glory of the heavenly inheritance and do not wish to have it, they will therefore have the greatest praise along with the reward of blessed recompense. For this reason, my priests and everyone belonging to the service of my altar ought to imitate them with their whole heart, so that they may receive the crown of continence with the greatest joy of heavenly gladness. And so, whoever can take up this example in their heart—in such a way that they are able to overcome their body with a full desire for blessedness and cast off fleshly desires—let that person take up this heavenly fellowship with the most ardent devotion, faithfully leaving behind fleshly union in the restraint of their own flesh. Anyone who cannot control himself and burns with the desires of the flesh should not become a priest or hold any other priestly office—not for the sake of pride or wealth—so that if he later falls into the pleasure of his flesh, he doesn't suffer a great loss of his own soul. For those who are accustomed to approach the ministry of my altar must keep their bodies free from the contagion of women; they must not, for any reason, bind themselves in marriage, but must keep themselves chaste by their own will and by the integrity of my service. Otherwise, they should avoid performing holy service at my altar. Although it may be found that this service was once permitted to certain men who had previously subjected themselves to the world, it is clear that this appeared only in those who had taken on the yoke of the flesh before, and not after, they had accepted my service. Even then, once that yoke was later cut away from them, the Holy Spirit worked praises of glory in them through His wonders. This was permitted as a miracle in the beginning of the rising Church because of the scarcity of priests. But now that the Church has matured and grown strong, and its ministers have multiplied, one must be cautious according to what ecclesiastical law shows regarding this same matter, following this example: just as from the beginning of the world it was permitted for men to take wives from their own close kin because of the scarcity of people, yet this is not to be permitted now that they have multiplied. For just as rough and unpolished stones are often used for the foundation of a building, even though later on beautiful and well-fitted stones are sought for the walls of its structure, so too in the infancy of the Church, priests were placed in that office according to who could be found at the time. But now, among the spiritual people, a full number of those who are fit for the priestly office is found, such that they are not occupied by the worldly burden of earthly marriage. For it is not fitting that a head of a household who takes on the obligations of secular marriage should be called my messenger in the priesthood. Therefore, listen to this parable: A certain king, possessing great strength, had gathered a small army. When he had examined it carefully and saw that it was too inexperienced for the labor of war, he took a man from it, along with some others from the common people whom he saw were fit for the task, and placed them in charge of that army, because the excellent seed of this nobility was not yet mature. But when that same army had later begun to grow, and when noble and mature men were already among them, that king arranged everything in that army well and in order, and appointed leaders and governors from among those more noble men, according to what was just. What does this mean? The heavenly King, whose strength is above all, had gathered a small band of believers at the planting of the Church. Searching with the sharpest scrutiny, He considered that group—still weak and fragile for bearing bodily passions for His name—and so He chose Peter, who was one of them and had previously lived in worldly pursuits, and after him some others who had also at times tasted the juice of the earth, cleansing them from the filth of temporal things; for He knew them to be wise and faithful, and that they would be fit for the care of souls and the support of bodies in His planting, and He set them, as they embraced the Catholic faith, in the office of strictness and relaxation; because the dawning aurora, burning away human contagions in the heat of chastity, had not yet spread the flowers of its sweetness widely among men. But now that the multitude of the ecclesiastical seed has been widely scattered through the circuits of the whole world, and the glory of ecclesiastical honor has been nobly strengthened, the same heavenly King has inspired men with the most benign and fitting arrangement for both secular and spiritual gifts, and has established priests and other ministers of divine offices who most honestly preserve their sobriety and chastity according to the ecclesiastical law and the justice of God. Therefore, O man, because many have now arisen among spiritual people who labor to serve as soldiers against the world and against the devil, and who hasten to approach My altar in the chastity and restraint of their own bodies, I desire that My priests appear in My sight without the contagion of earthly union. For although in the Old Testament it was commanded to the priests that they should keep themselves from the contagion of women when they approached My altar, this has been brought to full perfection for My priests in the New Testament, so that what those ancients guarded for only a short time in chastity, these new ones should fulfill from the beginning of their childhood until the end of their old age. And since I would not accept a sacrifice from the ancients that was polluted by union with a woman, I desire all the more that My Son be handled by new priests in the office of chastity. No one who is immature and unconsecrated should take on a church, nor should anyone presume to seek after multiple churches. If someone presumes to take on a church while still a child or without the consecration of the priestly office, or if they hold one and attempt to subjugate others to themselves, they are a violator of justice. In this state, they will be judged by the most severe standard of discipline, just like someone who doesn't fear committing fornication before the proper time or without a lawful betrothal, or who, while having a lawful wife, hastens to pollute themselves with others in adultery. Furthermore, priests of wise intellect and manly spirit are to be chosen from every people who are under the Christian name, yet in such a way that they come to my service in the right order, with the proper anointing, and with a willing heart. However, those who limp due to some weakness in their limbs should not approach the office of my altar; for not even in the kingdom of heaven will any stain of various wounds appear in the souls of men. For this reason, I do not want those who are missing any of their limbs to assist at my altar. Although they may be weak in their bodies, they won't be separated from the kingdom of heaven because of this loss of limbs, provided they have the health of their souls and seek me in the purity of good works. I do not, however, want them to perform the ministry of my altar, but rather to humbly perform the effectiveness of good works. Likewise, women should not approach the same office of my altar, since they are a weak and fragile vessel, placed here to bear children and to diligently nurture them as they bring them forth. But a woman conceives a child not by herself, but from a man, just as the earth is not plowed by itself, but by the farmer. Therefore, just as the earth cannot plow itself, so a woman is not to be compared to a priest in the office of the consecration of the Body and Blood of my Son, although she can sound forth in the praise of her Creator, just as the earth receives rain for the irrigation of its fruits. And just as the earth brings forth every fruit, so too is every fruit of good work brought to completion in a woman. How is that? Because she can receive the High Priest as her spouse. How is that? A virgin betrothed to my Son receives Him as her spouse, because she has closed her body to a carnal man; and therefore, in my Son as her spouse, she possesses the priesthood and every ministry of my altar, and shares in all His riches with Him. But a widow, too, may be called a spouse of this same Son of mine, if she rejects a carnal husband and flees under the wings of His protection. And just as a husband loves his wife deeply, so too does my Son most sweetly embrace His spouses who run to Him eagerly with the love of chastity. But a man must in no way be dressed in women's clothing, nor may a woman use a man's attire, so that in this way each person may be distinguished; that is, so that a man may demonstrate manly strength in himself, and a woman may show her feminine weakness in herself. For this has been in my plan from the beginning of the human race, unless a man is in danger of death or a woman is in danger regarding her chastity. Then, if at that hour a man has humbly changed his clothing to that of a woman, or a woman to that of a man, out of fear of death, and they seek my mercy for this act of theirs, they will find it; because they did not do it out of recklessness, but in danger to their own salvation. And because a woman ought not to be dressed in a man's clothing, for that reason she will not approach the service of my altar; because she will not demonstrate a masculine person, neither in her hair nor in her clothing. Those who approach my altar must appear before me in chastity. And not only them, but also the others who desire to receive the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of my Son, lest they cast themselves into the pit of ruin. But many are found, both among the spiritual and the secular, who not only pollute themselves with the fornication of women, but also, by contaminating themselves in the contrariety of fornication, impose upon themselves the most heavy burden of strict judgment. How so? A man who sins with another man in the manner of a woman sins bitterly against God, and against the union by which God joined male and female. Therefore, both appear before God as polluted, dark, and lustful; they are horrible and burdensome to God and to men, and guilty of death, because they destroy the creature within them against their Creator. How so? God joined man and woman—that is, He coupled together the strong and the weak—so that one might be sustained by the other. But these adulterers, when they trade their masculine strength for the softness of perversion and reject the right order of man and woman, are shamefully following Satan in his own perversity, for he wants to tear apart and divide what is meant to be whole in his pride. For they establish an alien and contrary adultery within themselves through their perverse practices, and so they appear polluted and shameful in my sight. Whoever sins in this same way with a woman through this contrary fornication is a ravenous wolf in his own perversity. How so? Just as that man would be contrary and troublesome to others if he had the most beautiful and clean food but threw it away to eat the waste that comes out of a human body, so too are these people unworthy and unclean in my sight; for they abandon the right order of union with a woman and seek out a strange perversion in her. But the woman who seizes these diabolical arts by pretending to join herself to another woman in a masculine role also appears most vile in my sight, as does the one who submits herself to this shameful act. For when they ought to have shown modesty regarding their own passion, they impudently usurped a right that wasn't theirs. And because they have transformed themselves in an alien way, they are therefore displaced and contemptible to me. Those men, too, who bring their seed forth by the touch of their own flesh, inflict a great fall upon their own soul; for in this restlessness they completely shake themselves, and so they appear before me like unclean animals that devour their own young. For by perversely shaking out their seed, they lead it to shameful pollution. Women who imitate them with an impure touch, and who exhaust themselves in the constriction of their own bodies while burning with the incentive of ardent lust, are likewise very guilty; for when they ought to keep themselves in chastity, they pollute themselves in uncleanness. Consequently, both women and men who bring their seed forth by the touch of their own bodies infect their souls with ulcers and wounds in this filth, since they would not restrain themselves in the duty of chastity for the sake of my love. What does this mean? Because when a person feels the sting of their flesh pricking them, they should run into the cavern of continence, take up the shield of chastity, and thus defend themselves from uncleanness. How? They should cast the weeds out from the wheat—that is, they should separate the clamor of lust from the sweetness of chastity.✦ Therefore, anyone who casts off the taste for lust in this way is very sweet and lovable to me. But you, O humans, cast away chastity and love lust, since you are not only fornicators of humans but also fornicators of beasts, in that you spill your seed not into that which lives, but into that which is dead, and you desert your partner, and you crave that which is subject to you in servitude. For this reason, the elements cry out against you, saying, 'Alas!' Alas! Our masters mingle themselves with us in the commingling of their seed. And so, they demonstrate that they have sorrow over my indignation in your works. Why, therefore, do you turn your intelligible intellect into beastly stupidity, when you know that you are humans? Did I create you for the joining of beasts? Not at all. And because you join yourselves to them, bitter associations of wicked crimes will fall upon you, for you despise my instruction regarding the union of man and woman. For anyone who changes his actions to do whatever he desires—namely, by abandoning himself to the point of spilling his seed with a beast—brings upon himself the greatest ruin, just as Satan cast himself down through his own rebellion when he wanted to be like God on his own terms. Therefore, all of you who contaminate yourselves through perverse use in various pollutions of this kind: resist your lust, and by punishing your bodies, perform a bitter and true penance with great weeping, fasting, and the maceration of your flesh, and with harsh scourging, so that you do not send yourselves, unrepentant, into a heap of most cruel guilt. It isn't just that I want people to cleanse themselves of the impurity they are awake to; I want them to also purify themselves worthily of the pollution that occurs while they are asleep. For if a man is asleep and a discharge of seed happens to him in a dream, I do not want him to approach the Sacrament of the altar of my office while he is still in that burning heat, until that heat has subsided in him, as it is written: 'If there is a man among you who has been defiled by a nocturnal emission, he shall go outside the camp, and he shall not return until he has washed with water in the evening, and after the sun has set, he shall return to the camp.' What does this mean? If anyone among you who labors in my service is defiled by a nocturnal emission during sleep, let him separate himself from the holy congregation that belongs to my altar, so he doesn't presume to join that mystery until, once the harmful heat has passed, he is cleansed by the bath of penance through confession and the compunction of his heart regarding the fire of his lust. Then, once the penance that has enlightened his heart is complete, let him return in the love of chastity to those who faithfully defend themselves against the impurity of pollution, and let him approach that Sacrament, which is entirely holy, worthily and with honor. But the man who burns strongly with lust, whether sleeping or waking, must be careful not to feed the fire of his own heat. How? He should not inflame himself with those foods that offer him the juice of lust, but should humbly abstain from those meats that come forth naked from their mothers—that is, from cattle—because in them there is a fervor of heat that is not as great in the flesh of birds, which do not come forth without a shell, but are born with a shell once the egg is broken. And so, the fire within it is less intense. But one should also abstain from immoderate wine, so that by drinking to excess, one's veins don't become filled with harmful blood and grow hot with the shameful fire of lust. If, however, someone struggles with an excess of these things and can't resist on their own, let them seek me with the most devout intention and reveal the wounds of their heart to me with the deepest humility. How? By opening them to me through a humble confession before a priest. And why this? Because a true confession is a second resurrection. How? When the old Adam fell, the human race was struck down, but the new Adam brought it back to life through his death. The resurrection of souls has risen from the death of this new Adam, which means a person must confess their sins—something the old Adam didn't do, as he covered up his transgression instead of confessing it. How? Because he didn't confess with repentance, but instead covered it up by blaming the woman. That is why confession was established: so that after people fall, they might be raised up from their downfall through it. Therefore, whoever confesses their sins to a priest in my love with a pure confession rises from death to life, just as she was snatched from death who, at the banquet before my Son, purged herself of her filth with tearful repentance. This remedy of purification was also long prefigured in the ancient fathers. How? Before the law of grace, the patriarchs and prophets were the consolation of men, and under the law, the high priests and priests were their instruction, until the apostles came and brought true justice in my Son, so that many people, running to them, devoutly implored their help. From Adam down to the apostolic age, there have always been those who, through heavenly inspiration, brought relief to human misery through their comfort and instruction. The apostles also showed people through their preaching and many miracles that humanity, having fallen into death through the devil’s persuasion and being unable to rise on its own, has been rescued from death through my Son. How? Because while He was in the world, He endured many labors in His own body, and finally, for the redemption of the world, He was placed upon the cross. Faithful people, along with their priests, ought to imitate this for their own salvation. How? They seek the help of my Son, because once they have fallen back into the old sin of Adam after baptism, they are unable to rise from their fall by themselves. For that reason, they will seek counsel from the patriarchs and prophets, and they will receive help from the apostles, where they will faithfully demonstrate their sins by laying bare their wounds in a true and pure confession. How? They will confess their sins with a truly devout heart and mouth to the priest, who is the minister of my Son. And then that priest, by offering them a remedy in their penance, will bury their sins in the death of my Only-Begotten. But by rising to life in this way, they will also glorify the resurrection of my Son. But anyone who refuses to lay bare the wounds of their sins, and instead tries to heal them in silence, on their own, without the help of another—just as their own heart happens to want—is deceiving themselves, because they want to be their own priest. That’s why they can’t rise without the help of another; for no one was raised up to salvation by themselves, but rather, they are saved through my Son. Therefore, anyone who longs to be saved shouldn’t despair of confessing their sins, even at the end of their life. If someone is at the hour of their death and seeks a remedy for the wounds of their sins, but can’t find a priest to whom they can confess, they should reveal them to any other person who happens to be available at that time. Or, if they are so suddenly in need that they can’t find anyone, they should open their heart to me, in the presence of the very elements with which they committed those sins, with the deepest affection of their heart; and seeing the devotion of their heart, I won’t reject their repentance. Therefore, let no one despair because of the weight of their own wickedness, for if they despair of my mercy, they won’t rise to life. But anyone who has struggled with despair and finally brought it to nothing has set themselves free, because they were strong and fought like a man. However, anyone who doesn’t seek the remedy for their salvation because of the pride in their own mind isn’t to be helped; for while they could have found me, they refused to seek me. Therefore, while a person has time, they shouldn't neglect themselves, but seek the refuge of a pure confession, just as my Son commanded in the Gospel, saying: "Go and show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded as a testimony to them." What does this mean? You who are stained by sins and desire to be cleansed of them: go with a good intention and show them in a pure confession to the priest who is my minister, and offer with a devout heart the gift of true repentance—the gift that, by the will of God, was prefigured by the one who was washed by divine power from the many floods of earthly iniquity, so that those who had previously seen you stained by evil acts might testify that you have now been purged of them in the bitterness of repentance, as if in a furnace of examination. Therefore, O human, if a sinner were to hide their deeds in the secret place of their heart, who then would stand as a witness to their repentance against the accuser? No one. That is why a person should manifest their sins, so that they may have a witness to their repentance. But whoever desires to complete the repentance for their sins should take up almsgiving as a help. How? Because when a person's body fails through its own weakness in the labor of penance, almsgiving should come to its aid. And since it's difficult for a person to perform penance as strictly and justly as they should, they ought to embrace almsgiving as a mother to help them, so that through it they may accomplish what is burdensome for their body. For just as a mother never stops providing for her child's needs, even when that child seems fully grown, so too does almsgiving support the frailty of the body in a person's penance, even when that same person appears strong in the bodily mortification of their penance. Nevertheless, a person should also punish in themselves the evil deeds they committed in their body through the desires of their flesh, so that the work which was once dear and sweet to their flesh may be faithfully wiped away through the bitterness of penance; for the bitterness of penance, along with the help of almsgiving, ought to heal the deadly wounds of sin in people. How so? Because when a person constrains themselves through self-discipline, they also expand themselves through almsgiving. How so? Because almsgiving signifies my mercy. How so? When a faithful person helps the poor with their own resources for the sake of my love, they are keeping my commandments, because they are spending their own mercy on those in need for the honor of my name, just as I don't withhold my grace from those who seek me in the purity of their heart. But whoever helps the poor in this way, by providing alms out of a movement of mercy, is very dear to me, because they possess the bowels of mercy, fulfilling what is written: 'Store up your treasure in the commandments of the Most High, and alms will profit you more than gold.' What does this mean? With just and right consideration, take from the substance of your money—that which is in your pocket and in the embrace of your heart—and divide it according to the commandments of Him who is above all, because God has commanded that you turn away from evil and do good. Therefore, you ought to abound in this way within your own heart through your good will, so that you aren't among the lost sheep; rather, sanctify yourself before God by giving to those in need from your own substance, because then God won't withhold his mercy from you in your own miseries. If you do this, the compassion you have for the one who possesses no treasure will bring you greater benefit than if you were to climb a high mountain and possess much gold in your pride. How so? It's better for you to give a little to the needy in humility than to possess the kingdom of the world with great pleasure; for then, because of the weight of your pride, you would lack mercy in God's reward, since you would have no heart of compassion for the poor. From this, the elements of the pool of human pleasures are formed, and their ways show it. How so? Because they bring God's judgment upon those who sin. And so, O human, abandon the emptiness of shipwrecking greed; for your most just inheritance is in eternal life, and by leaving behind evil, do good, so that you may let go of the malice of hardness. And to obtain mercy, give to the needy from your own substance, in this imitating God, who is merciful. Therefore, O human, no liar can contradict this: when you help the poor in this way, you are fulfilling my will. How so? Just as I bestow my grace upon you, so you ought to give your alms to the poor. But those who receive alms shouldn't take them in vanity or out of greed. Why is that? Because many people, loving their own laziness, refuse to work physically to feed themselves and don't strive to perform good works spiritually to help their own souls; instead, they are like beasts, possessing no understanding of justice in either their soul or their body. Hence, they appear unworthy before my eyes if they persist in this way, without correction and without repentance, in the lukewarmness of such depravity. But there are also many who, while suffering physical need, receive alms with humility and in fear, and who pray and work for those who show them mercy, while also avoiding the wicked works of the foulest filth. Among these, many are found from whom I take away earthly riches, because I want to give them heavenly riches. Those who willingly endure poverty for the sake of my name are very dear to me; but those who would gladly have worldly riches for the sake of their own greed, yet cannot have them, lose the reward for this labor. But whoever seeks riches for this reason—so that they may fulfill my will in them and not their own greed—will receive from me a reward of honor for their good will. Likewise, anyone who seeks the power of honor out of the boastfulness of their own pride, and not for the glory of my name, is to me like a rotting corpse; but whoever seeks it so that they may defend not their own pride but my honor, will appear glorious in my kingdom for that very reason. Therefore, priests must also take up the authority of their spiritual office not for their own sake, but for mine, so that they may be able to lead my people with greater security and devotion. How? Because they must teach, admonish, urge, and restrain my people, so that they may keep the law of God worthily and laudably. And pastors will always ruminate on this: while they move the people by exhorting them, so that they do not persist in their sins without confession and without penance, but rather trample down evil deeds and perform good ones. If the people don't listen to their priests when they give this warning, the people will bear their own guilt, and the priests will have cleared themselves of blame for this negligence. But if the priests fail to show the people the authority of their office, they aren't really priests but ravenous wolves, treating their office as plunder. Just as a wolf cruelly tears apart a sheep, they follow their own will more than they love the care of their sheep. And because they live perversely, they are afraid to sow true doctrine among the people, consenting to iniquity as if it were their master, because they are carnal desires, and they close the door of their heart to fairness as if it were some servant of theirs, because that is the justice of God. Therefore, you shepherds, wail and lament your crimes, which in your iniquity send forth a dire cry, so that even the elements take up their clamor and echo them back before me. For how do you dare, in your office, to touch your Lord with blood-stained hands and in such foul corruption and adulterous iniquity? Truly, in your uncleanness, you stir up the very foundations of the earth. How? Because when you are filthy with such great crimes and don't fear to touch your God, I oppress the earth in great sorrow, thus avenging the Body and Blood of my Son. You not only cruelly stir up the earth in this horror, but you also foully contaminate heaven with your uncleanness. How? When you touch your Lord God in the stench of your uncleanness, just as a pig contaminates pearls in the mud, the heavens receive your iniquity and send down the vengeance of my judgment upon the earth according to my will. For you ought to have gone before my people in good works, shining with true justice and divine law, so that my people, following in your footsteps, would not stumble; yet you sometimes contaminate my people with greater iniquity than they would ever bring upon themselves, finding in you a wicked and most wretched example. You should have been such bright gems that believers could recognize the path of righteousness by walking in your light; instead, you offer them an example of death, so that because of your iniquity, they cannot find the way. And how can you be their shepherds when you lead them astray like this? How, then, will you answer for them when you can't even answer for yourselves? Therefore, weep and wail before the time of death takes you away. And why don't you consider the honor that has been given to you above all other people? What does this mean? It is because you have received the keys of heaven in my Son, which are found in the knowledge of the Scriptures through the judgment of right reason and just discernment, provided you correctly consider what it is that you ought to bind. What is this? When people stubbornly set themselves against my law, you must strike fear of my judgment into them. And if they still don't correct their guilt, extend your binding over them. How? Because they are rebels, you must bind them openly in my words and declare that binding to them; for they are bound before me because of their stubbornness, just as my Son showed the first pastor of the Church when he said: 'I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.' And whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. What is this? I, who hold the power of heaven and earth, will give to you—who have followed me with devotion through my grace—those judgments that touch upon the dignity of the kingdom of heaven. It would be wrong for you to bind something on earth by a just judgment, according to how you see people sinning on earth; for after I have drawn a person's soul from their body, you will not extend your judgment over them, since that judgment is mine. They are bound in their own wickedness, and in the heavenly realms—that is, separated and cast out from heaven—because in that high dwelling place, no iniquity is permitted to have freedom or a place. And this bond, which you previously tied in rebellion, will be loosened on earth and in the heavenly secrets once you have marked it in the repentance of those who have sinned. Then, after a person has died, you will pray for their soul; and you'll be able to release them from the ties of that bond, because God doesn't reject the groans of a devout heart. But you, priests, who have received this power through my Son: you must not bind anyone without a culpable cause, driven by the rage of your own hearts, but you must consider most carefully whom you are to bind in this way. For if someone cannot be restrained by the shame of other people, nor by fear of me, nor by your prayers or commands, but insists on persisting in their wickedness, you are to remove that person from my Church by ecclesiastical censure in my name. But you must not bind the innocent; for if you do bind them, you are casting yourselves into a knot of dire guilt. Yet if someone has been bound improperly, even if they are innocent, they must still seek release through humble obedience and submission for the honor of my name, lest by becoming a scorner, they contract the guilt of pride. Let such a binding be of this nature. A person who refuses to obey me or the commands of their superiors in their perversity must be separated from heavenly things in my name, just as Adam, being disobedient to my command, was cast out of paradise and will not be received into the fellowship of the faithful except through the penance of obedience; just as the human race itself was recalled to the heavenly homeland through the martyrdom of my obedient Son. But whoever is so rebellious that they refuse to return to the duty of humility, then, if they persist in their stubbornness, they will have the fellowship of those who, refusing to cast off their heart of stone and remaining in their infidelity, have refused the glory of ecclesiastical blessedness. For whoever is so hardened that they do not care to seek any mercy for their wickedness imitates the ancient serpent who spurned mercy and who, while deceiving the first man in paradise, spoke in this way within himself. Even though I was cast out of heaven when I fought against the army of the Most High with my angels and couldn't resist, because I was defeated by Him, I have now found a man on earth in whom I will exercise my wrath and take my revenge with force. For on earth, in man, I will complete what I wanted to do in heaven: namely, to be like the Most High. And if God is just, this power won't be taken from me, because man will agree with me and won't obey God. Thinking these things to himself, the devil used all his cunning against man so that he would turn away from God—and man did follow the devil. Because of this, the devil bound man to himself so firmly that man worshipped him as God and denied God, his own Creator. But when humanity lay in such deep darkness of unbelief and couldn't lift itself up, I sent my Son for its salvation, incarnate in a miraculous way from a virgin, existing as true God and true man. Why is this? Because he truly came forth from me, the Father, in his divinity, and because he truly took on flesh from the Virgin Mother in his humanity. Why is this? O human, you are soft and tender in your body, yet you remain hard and inflexible in your unbelief; for a stone can be polished for a building, but you don't want to be softened toward faith. Pay attention, however. Just as a person who has a beautiful gem in their chest puts it in a metal setting so that it might appear to others, so too did I, having my Son in my heart, will for him to be incarnate from a Virgin so that he might confer the salvation of life upon those who believe. For if I had given him a carnal father, who would he then be? To be clear, not a son, but my servant; yet that could not be. He, however, was born of the Virgin, ate, drank, slept, rested, and endured other human miseries; yet he felt no taste of sin in his own flesh, because he took on flesh not in falsehood, but in truth. What does this mean? Because all other humans are born into the transgression of Adam and Eve through the taste of pleasure, which exists in falsehood and not in truth. My Son was not born this way; rather, he was born in holiness from the most chaste Virgin for the redemption of humanity. For one who is similar could not free another who is similar from his chains, unless someone greater came who could rescue him. What does this mean? Because a human born in sins could not free a sinful human from the ruin of death; therefore, my Son came without sin, because he mercifully rescued humanity from death by conquering death himself. But whoever sees with watchful eyes and listens with attentive ears, let him offer the kiss of an embrace to these mystical words of mine, which flow from me as I live.
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Et post haec vidi cum Filius Dei in cruce pependit, quod praedicta muliebris imago veluti lucidus splendor ex antiquo consilio propere progrediens per divinam potentiam ad ipsum adducta est, et sanguine qui de latere ejus fluxit se sursum elevante perfusa; ipsi per voluntatem superni Patris felici desponsatione associata est, atque carne et sanguine ejus nobiliter dotata. Et audivi vocem de coelo illi dicentem: Haec, fili, sit tibi sponsa in restaurationem populi mei; cui ipsa mater sit, animas per salvationem spiritus et aquae regenerans. Et cum eadem imago jam hoc modo in viribus suis proficeret, vidi quasi quoddam altare ad quod ipsa frequenter accedens dotem suam devote revisebat, eam superno Patri et angelis ejus humiliter ostendens. Unde etiam cum sacerdos sacris vestibus indutus ad celebranda divina sacramenta ad altare illud accederet, vidi quod subito magna serenitas lucis cum obsequio angelorum de coelo veniens, totum altare illud circumfulsit, et ibi tandiu permansit, quousque completo sacramento sacerdos ab altari secederet. Sed et ibi evangelio pacis recitato, et oblatione quae consecranda erat altari superposita cum sacerdos laudem omnipotentis Dei quae est: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth, decantaret, et sic mysteria ineffabilium sacramentorum inchoaret, repente ignea coruscatio inaestimabilis claritatis, aperto coelo, super eamdem oblationem descendit, et eam totam sua claritate ita perfudit, ut solaris lux rem illam illustrat quam radiis suis transfigit. Et dum eam hoc modo irradiaret, sursum illam ad secreta coeli invisibiliter sustulit, et iterum eam deorsum super ipsum altare remisit, velut cum homo anhelitum suum introrsum trahit, et iterum eum extrorsum emittit, ita veram carnem et verum sanguinem effectam quamvis in conspectu hominum, velut panis et velut vinum apparerent. Cumque haec aspicerem, statim etiam signa nativitatis, passionis et sepulturae, necnon resurrectionis et ascensionis Salvatoris nostri Unigeniti Dei velut in speculo apparuerunt, quomodo etiam cum Filius Dei in saeculo esset in ipso patrata sunt. Sed dum sacerdos canticum innocentis Agni quod est Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi decantaret, et ad percipiendum sanctam communionem se exhiberet, praedicta ignea coruscatio ad coelestia se recepit, et ita clauso coelo audivi vocem ex eo dicentem: Manducate et bibite corpus et sanguinem Filii mei ad abolendam praevaricationem Evae, ut in rectam haereditatem restauremini.
Et dum etiam caeteri hominum ad percipiendum ipsum sacramentum ad sacerdotem accederent, quinque modos in eis considerabam. Nam alii in corpore lucidi et in anima ignei erant; alii autem in corpore pallidi et in anima tenebrosi videbantur. Quidam vero in corpore hirsuti et in anima multa immunditia humanae pollutionis perfusi sordebant. Quidam autem in corpore acutissimis spinis septi erant et in anima leprosi apparebant. Alii vero in corpore sanguinei, et in anima velut putridum cadaver foetidi videbantur. Sed ex his omnibus dum quidam eadem sacramenta perciperent, alii velut igneo splendore perfundebantur, alii vero velut obscura nube obtenebrabantur. Post completionem autem sacramentorum, dum sacerdos ab altari recederet, praedicta serenitas quae de coelo veniens totum illud altare, (ut dictum est), circumfulserat, sursum ad superna secreta subtracta est. Et iterum audivi vocem de supernis coelorum dicentem mihi: Christo Jesu vero Filio Dei in ligno passionis suae pendente; Ecclesia in secreto supernorum mysteriorum ipsi associata, purpureo sanguine ejus dotata est.
Sicut et ipsa demonstrat; cum frequenter ad altare accedens dotem suam reposcit, et quanta devotione filii ejus ad divina mysteria accedentes ea percipiant, attentissime considerat. Quapropter vides cum idem Filius Dei in cruce pependit, quod praedicta muliebris imago velut lucidus splendor ex antiquo consilio propere progrediens per divinam potentiam ad ipsum adducta est; quia eodem innocente Agno in aram crucis pro salute hominum elevato, Ecclesia in puritate candoris fidei et caeterarum virtutum ex divino secreto repente per profundissimum mysterium apparens in coelo, per summam majestatem eidem Unigenito Dei adjuncta est. Quid est hoc? Quia cum de vulnerato latere Filii mei cruor exivit, mox salvatio animarum exorta est. Quoniam gloria illa de qua diabolus cum sequacibus suis expulsus est, homini data est, cum Unigenitus meus mortem in cruce temporaliter subiens, inferno spoliato fideles animas ad coelestia duxit, ita etiam quod in discipulis suis et in iis qui eos sincere subsecuti sunt, fides jam augmentari et corroborari coepit; ut haeredes coelestis regni fierent. Unde sanguine qui de latere ejus fluxit se sursum elevante illa imago perfusa, ipsi per voluntatem superni Patris felici desponsatione associata est; quoniam fortitudine passionis Flii Dei ardenter inundante et ad altitudinem coelestium mysteriorum se mirabiliter tollente, quemadmodum odor bonorum aromatum in sublime diffundit, ex ea in candidis haeredibus aeterni regni Ecclesia roborata eidem Unigenito Dei per ordinationem superni Patris fideliter conjuncta est. Quomodo? Ut sponsa sponso suo in subjectionis et obedientiae obsequio subjecta fertilitatis donum cum foederis amore ab eo in procreatione filiorum accipiens, ut eos ad haereditatem suam adducat; ita etiam Ecclesia Filia Dei in humilitatis et charitatis officio conjuncta, regenerationem spiritus et aquae cum salvatione animarum ab eo ad restaurationem vitae suscipiens eas ad superna transmittit.
Unde etiam carne et sanguine ejus nobiliter dotata est; quia ipse Unigenitus Dei corpus et sanguinem suum in praecellentissima gloria fidelibus suis qui et Ecclesia et filii Ecclesiae sunt, ita contulit, ut vitam in superna civitate per ipsum possideant. Quomodo?
Quia ipse carnem et sanguinem suum in sanctificationem credentium dedit, ut etiam coelestis Pater ipsum pro redemptione populorum ad passionem tradidit, ita serpentem antiquum in humilitate et justitia per eum devincens, nec illum potestate et fortitudine sua superare volens, quoniam Deus justus nolens iniquitatem, quemadmodum psalmista loquitur, dicens: Beatus vir qui non abiit in consilio impiorum, et in via peccatorum non stetit, et in cathedra pestilentiae non sedit . Quid hoc? Quoniam Deus est auctor omnium beatitudinum et felicitatum creaturarum suarum; in ipsis creaturis suis multa et diversa signa ostendens. Sicut etiam incarnatio filii ejus suavissimum gustum in multa dulcedine stillabat, cum coelestes virtutes, plurimas aedificationes in ipso aedificarent, per quas homo ad supernum regnum rediret, quod nulla umbra mortis obscuratum est. Et ita etiam ipso superno Patre validissimae vires omnium virtutum esse manifestatae sunt. Quoniam per Unigenitum suum mortem viriliter occidit, et infernum fregit; atque in novissimo die orbem terrarum in aliam et meliorem novitatem convertit. Unde etiam per diffusionem cordis sui non abiit in vacillantia itinera malignorum spirituum, qui veritatem reliquerunt et mendacium arripucrunt. Quomodo?
Quia veritatem per mendacium dividere voluerunt. Quomodo? Antiquum dierum qui ante tempus dierum et horarum erat, opprimere volebant; et antiquum serpentem qui ante tempus temporum non fuit illi consortem facere inhiabant. Sed hoc esse non potuit nec debuit, quoniam unus Deus est. Quapropter et diabolus mendax est. Nam a Deo recessit vitam deserens et mortem inveniens. Et ita etiam Deus in via illa qua peccatores gressum figunt non stetit, quia viam Adae abjiciens peccatum illius non amavit; sed illum a diabolo seductum de paradiso projecit. Nec etiam in potestate illius iniquitatis regnavit, quemadmodum omne genus humanum in mortem implicatur in umbra mortis sedens, cum genus humanum veritatem superbe deserit.
Quid hoc? Nam Deus nec diabolicae praesumptioni nec humanae negligentiae ita potestate sua restitit, ut eas per fortitudinem suam dejiceret. Quomodo? Velut si duo pugnatores essent et alter alterum fortioribus viribus praecelleret; certe fortior ille majores pugnas in sua possibilitate illi infirmiori demonstraret, ut confusum illum sibi subjiceret, nec in aliquo illi cedere vellet. Sed ita Deus non fecit, quia operi iniquitatis per summam bonitatem restitit, videlicet Filium suum mittens in mundum; qui in corpore suo cum maxima humilitate perditam ovem suam ad coelos reduxit. Quomodo? Quoniam sanguis qui de corpore ejus exivit, mox ut apertis vulneribus emanavit in coelestibus secretis apparens: ut salvatio animarum emitteretur petivit. Quomodo?
Quia omnis creatura in Filio Dei ostendit; quod per passionem et mortem ejus perditio hominis ad vitam restaurata est. Quomodo: Quoniam Unigenitus Dei vita existens, semetipsum pro redemptione humani generis ad passionem in ara crucis obtulit. Ubi etiam ut veraci auditione vocem de supernis secretis resonantem percepisti, sponsam sibi Ecclesiam ut ad restitutionem salutis credentium populorum mater existeret elegit. Videlicet ut sine macula spirituali regeneratione ad coelestia eos transmitteret.
Sed praefata imagine jam hoc modo in viribus suis proficiente vides quasi quoddam altare ad quod ipsa frequenter accedit et ibi dotem suam devote revisens eam superno Patri et angelis ejus humiliter ostendit; quia Ecclesia, ut dictum est, in beatis et fortissimis virtutibus augmentum capiente mox velut tibi manifesta demonstratione ostenditur. Spiritu sancto inspirante sanctificatio mysticorum altarium in profunditate fidelium suspiriorum exorta est. Ubi eadem Ecclesia continua intentione vestigia exemplorum suorum ponens dotem suam, videlicet corpus et sanguinem Filii Dei profundissima devotione considerando: Creatori omnium in conspectu viventium et ardentium luminum scilicet supernorum civium in subjectione humillimae obedientiae offert. Quid hoc? Quoniam ut caro Unigeniti mei in incontaminato utero Mariae virginis orta est, et postea pro salute hominum tradita: ita etiam et nunc caro ejus frequenter in incorrupta integritate Ecclesiae augmentata ad sanctificationem fidelium datur. Quia, sicut faber aurum suum per ignem modo liquefaciens unit, et modo unitum dividit, ita etiam et ego Pater carnem, et sanguinem Filii mei, per sanctificationem Spiritus sancti, in oblatione nunc glorifico, et nunc glorificatum fidelibus hominibus ad salutem ipsorum distribuo.
Unde etiam cum sacerdos sacris vestibus indutus ad celebranda divina sacramenta ad altare accedit, vides quod subito magna serenitas lucis cum obsequio angelorum de coelo veniens, totum altare illud circumfulget; quoniam procuratore animarum sacrata cinctione circumamicto, et ad immolationem innocentis Agni vivificam mensam adeunte, repente magna claritas supernae haereditatis densitatem tenebrarum pellentis, cum immissione supernorum spirituum de secreto coelorum effulgens ubique illam compositionem sanctificationis irradiat. Quia ibi refectio animarum ad salutem credentium exercetur. Quomodo? Quia cum Ecclesia per vocem sacerdotis reposcit dotem suam quae corpus et effusio sanguinis Filii mei est, ut ipsa in salvatione animarum beato partui apta sit, quia etiam in effusione hujus pretiosi sanguinis in magna multitudine populorum augmentum accepit; tunc ego qui indeficiens lumen sum, locum sanctificationis illius ad honorem corporis et sanguinis ejusdem Unigeniti mei, in sanctitate mea irradio. Nam cum sacerdos super sanctificationem altaris me invocare coeperit ut inspiciam quod Filius meus panem et vinum in coena mortis suae mihi obtulit cum de mundo transiturus esset, tunc video quod ipse Filius meus in hora passionis suae hoc mihi ostendit, cum in ligno crucis moriturus esset, illud designans ut eamdem passionem suam in conspectu meo semper haberem, nec illam ab acutissima visione mea delerem quoties felix oblatio sacrosancti sacrificii per sacerdotale officium mihi offerretur. Quoniam et ipse in effusione sanguinis sui panem et calicem mihi obtulit, mortem dejiciens et hominem erigens.
Sed et quia dignitas ingredientis et egredientis clausuram virginalis pudicitiae, non fuit humanae naturae, sed divinae potentiae: ideo et hoc esse potest, quod caro ipsius Unigeniti mei de pane frumenti, et sanguis ejus de vino uvae cum aqua in sanctificatione iteretur, quemadmodum per fidelem servum meum Joelem prophetam ostendi, dicens: Et implebuntur areae frumento et redundabunt torcularia vino et oleo. Et reddam vobis annos, quos comedit locusta et brucus, et rubigo et eruca. Fortitudo mea magna quam misi in vos. Et comedetis vescentes et saturabimini: et laudabitis nomen Dei vestri qui fecit vobiscum mirabilia, et non confundetur populus meus in sempiternum . Quid est hoc? Per mirabilem dispositionem Dei implebuntur omni bono areae fidei credentis Ecclesiae. Quoniam fructum frumenti trado in carnem Filii mei, ita quod etiam in vera salvatione qua fideles mei ad patriam revocabuntur: abundabunt contritiones illae in quibus ipsi concupiscentias carnis suae propter nomen meum conterunt. Ubi et eis liquorem uvae duco in sanguinem ejusdem Unigeniti mei; dans eis etiam oleum misericordiae.
Quomodo? Quoniam per alium modum scilicet in salute vestra restituam vobis circuitus vanitatum illarum; quos per infidelitatem ignorantiae comedit locusta oblivionis, videlicet ubi primum in filiis Adae nequitiae exortae sunt. Ita quod ipsi fructuositatem justitiae meae hoc modo in oblivione habebant; ut homo escam necessitatis suae obliviscitur postquam in stomachum suum illam transfuderit, in impietate sua ita justitiam meam discerpentes, ut et locusta fructus corrodit. Quomodo? Quia ubi locusta negligentiae per desidiam mentis utilitatem bonorum fructuum aufert, ibi et brucus foeditatis in faece immunditiae se involvit. Quoniam hujusmodi homines se involventes in sorde infidelitatis idolorum, et aliorum similium schismatum, et in diabolicis sciscitationibus atque in magicis artibus, et inspectione creaturarum Creatoris, in fortuitis casibus humanarum rerum atque in vilissima foeditate homicidiorum et fornicationum; ita se in his pascunt, quemadmodum brucus luto nutritur. Quomodo? Quoniam ubi brucus turpitudinis fetorem sordium diligit, ibi etiam rubigo amaritudinis metalla fidelis splendoris consumit, quia illi homines justitiae Dei contrarii existentes ita eam offuscare laborant, ut et rubigo decorem metallorum auferre solet.
Quomodo? Quia ubi rubigo mordacitatis fulgorem bonorum actuum inficit, ibi etiam eruca nocivae actionis virentes herbas multae utilitatis depravat. Quoniam tales homines clarissimas virtutes, veluti est simplicitas, castitas ac fortis constantia, quas Spiritus sanctus in omni viriditate beatitudinis irradiat; per malitiam nequitiae suae de se abjicientes, ita illas delere conantur, quemadmodum et eruca utilitatem herbarum imminuit. Et in his omnibus declaratur maxima fortitudo mea quae magnitudine virtutis suae diabolicas adversitates superavit, cum eam ad salutem vestram misi in vos. Quomodo? Ego Pater misi Filium meum in mundum de Virgine corporaliter natum, ut per eum de perditione mortis vos redimerem. Ita ut ego in vobis, et vos in me habitaretis, cum etiam Filius meus ad passionem vadens carnem suam vobis ad manducandum et sanguinem suum vobis ad bibendum tradidit. Unde sacramentum hoc ad salutem vestram devote comedetis, per illud vos feliciter pascentes: ac propterea per oleum misericordiae meae de fame perditionis animae saturabimini.
Quoniam etiam Filius meus medicinam vulnerum vestrorum in poenitentia attulit, et quia etiam sponsa Filii mei omni justitia et veritate exornata est: idcirco nomen meum (qui in vera Trinitate Deus unus existens vos guberno ostendens in vobis mirabilia mea, vos scilicet immobiliter de diabolica potestate eripiens) fideliter laudabitis. Et ideo per confusionem mortis non confundetur populus meus in futura aeternitate, quem tam mirabiliter de faucibus inferorum volui educere. Et vides quod praedicta serenitas in altari tandiu permanet quousque completo sacramento sacerdos ab altari secedat; quia illa serenitas scilicet aeternae visionis in mirabilibus illis tam diu clarissime ostenditur usque dum, peractis ejusdem sacrosancti officii mysteriis ille qui dispensator illorum sacramentorum est, a sanctificatione illa se recipiens secreta mysteria compleat. Quid hoc? Quoniam dignum est ut divina majestas virtutem suam in eisdem felicissimis sacramentis plenissime manifestet, et qui etiam dum homo manet in iis quae ad Deum pertinent, auxilium Dei illum non deserit.
Sed et ibi Evangelio pacis recitato, et oblatione quae consecranda est altari superposita cum sacerdos laudem omnipotentis Dei quae est: Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth, decantat, et sic mysteria ineffabilium sacramentorum inchoat, repente ignea coruscatio inaestimabilis claritatis, aperto coelo, super eamdem oblationem descendit; quoniam virtute viventis spirationis in osculo regis prolata, et fructu claritatis vitae qui in sanctificatione candidandus est aedificationi parietis Dei, imposito, cum idem nuntius veritatis dulcissimum sonum in laude Creatoris omnium trina invocatione unctionis ejusdem dominatoris exercituum emittit, et sic absconsa fulgoris aurorae, scilicet incarnati Filii Dei ex Virgine inchoat, subito impervia serenitas incomprehensibilis altitudinis, aperto clarissimo tabernaculo, super mysteria sacrosancti sacramenti se inclinat, et eam totam sua claritate ita perfundit ut solaris lux rem illam illustrat, quam radiis suis transfigit; quia eumdem rutilantem circulum ejusdem oblationis sanctissimus calor in virtute Patris ita perfundit, ut radians fulgor rem illam intrat super quam se diffundendo jacit. Quid hoc? Sponsa Filii mei, oblationem panis et vini super altare meum devotissima intentione offert. Quomodo? Videlicet per manum sacerdotis fideli recordatione monens me, ut in eadem oblatione carnem et sanguinem Filii mei ipsi tradam. Quomodo? Quia passiones ejusdem Unigeniti mei in coelestibus secretis semper apparent: ideo et illa oblatio Filio meo in ardente calore meo profundissima admiratione ita coadunatur, ut caro et sanguis ejus veracissima certitudine efficiatur, unde Ecclesia felicissima vegetatione roboratur. Nam dum praefata claritas oblationem illam ita, ut dictum est, irradiat, sursum eam ad secreta coeli invisibiliter sustollit; quia eadem ignea coruscatio, dum ipsum sacramentum sua illustratione perfundit, sursum illud ad illa occulta quae mortalis oculus videre non valet, invisibili virtute trahit.
Et iterum illud deorsum super idem altare remittit, quoniam ipsum condescensionis respectu super mensam sanctificationis suavissime deponit; veluti cum homo anhelitum suum introrsum trahit et iterum eum extrorsum emittit; dum ipse spiraculum viventis vegetationis quo vivit per mirabilem dispositionem Dei sibi introrsum mittit et rursum, ut vivere possit, extra se deducit. Ita eam oblationem veram carnem et verum sanguinem effectam, quamvis in conspectu hominum velut panis et vinum appareat: quia ut Deus verax est sine illusione, ita etiam et illa altitudo sacramenti firma altitudo est quam nullus dejicere potest, vera caro et sanguis existens absque deceptione. Quoniam ut anima veraciter viget in carne et sanguine dum homo vivit in corpore, ita est etiam hoc mysterium in pane et vino ubi colitur veraci celebratione. Sic etiam apparens hominibus: quia ut caecus oculus hominis Deum perfecte videre non potest, ita etiam homo mysteria ista corporaliter intueri non valet. Quoniam, ut homo corpus hominis et non spiritum ejus videt, sic etiam homo panis et vini speciem et non haec sacramenta perspicere potest. Quid hoc? Claritas quae super corpus Filii Dei in sepulcro sepultum apparuit ipsum a sopore mortis resuscitans, haec etiam in altari super sacramentum corporis et sanguinis ejusdem Unigeniti mei resplendet, illud ita in conspectu hominum tegens, quod sanctitatem ejus videre non possunt nisi in specie panis et vini secundum quod illa oblatio altari superposita est. Sicut etiam humanitate Filii Dei divinitas quae in ipso erat ita hominibus obtecta fuit: quod eum non nisi ut hominem videre potuerunt, cum ipsis ut hominem, sed tamen sine peccato, conversantem.
Quid hoc? Ego qui omnia creavi: cum ab Ecclesia per sacerdotalem manum praedicta oblatio mihi offertur, eam benigne suscipio. Quoniam ut Divinitas mirabilia sua in utero Virginis ostendit, etiam in hac oblatione secreta sua demonstrat. Quomodo? Quia caro et sanguis Filii Dei manifestatur. Quomodo? Quoniam dum oblatio illa sursum invisibiliter velut in puncto per virtutem Dei trahitur et iterum remittitur, ita in calore divinae majestatis fovetur, quod caro et sanguis Unigeniti Dei efficitur
Idem mysterium hominibus carnali sensu non cernentibus quasi aliquis pretiosissimum unguentum simplici pani involverit, et sapphirum vino imponet, et ego illud in tam dulcem saporem convertere ut in ore tuo, o homo, nec panem illum cum unguento nec vinum illud cum sapphiro discernere posses, sed tantum suavem saporem sentires; quoniam et Filius meus suavis et lenis est. Quidhoc? In unguento hoc intelligitur Filius meus ex Virgine natus qui pretiosissimo unguento unctus est. Quomodo? Quia sancta humanitate indutus est, quae tam pretiosum unguentum est, quod suavitate sua mortifera vulnera hominum ita perfundit, ut ultra in perditione Adae nec putrescant, nec feteant, cum se ad illum convertunt. In sapphiro autem isto divinitas notatur quae in eodem Filio meo est, qui lapis angularis existens mitis et humilis est, quoniam de radice humanae carnis qui de viro et muliere est non radicavit, sed in calore meo mirabiliter ex suavissima Virgine incarnatus est. Unde etiam caro et sanguis ejus dulcis et suavis ad sumendum credendus est.
Sed tu, o homo, hoc spirituale donum ita visibiliter sumere non potes velut visibilem carnem comedas, et velut visibilem sanguinem bibas, quoniam putredo limi es; sed, ut vivens spiritus tuus in te invisibilis est: ita etiam hoc vivens sacramentum in oblatione ista invisibile existens, a te invisibiliter suscipiendum est. Quia quemadmodum corpus Filii mei in utero Virginis surrexit, sic etiam et nunc caro ejusdem Unigeniti mei in sanctificatione altaris ascendit. Quid hoc? Nam spiritus hominis qui invisibilis existit sacramentum hoc quod in obligatione hac invisibile est invisibiter suscipit, corpore hominis quod visibile est oblationem istam quae in sacramento visibilis existit visibiliter accipiente, ita tamen unum sacramentum existentibus, sicut Deus et homo unus Christus est, et ut anima rationalis et caro mortalis in homine unus homo existit; quoniam homo qui recta fide me inspicit, cum sacramentum istud accipit, ad sanctificationem sui illud fideliter suscipit. Quid hoc? Filius meus mirabiliter natus est ex integerrima Virgine, cujus caro in delectatione libidinis nunquam efferbuit semper intacta manens; quia vas ipsius Virginis mundissimum fuit: in quo ipsum Unigenitum meum incarnari voluit. Unde non permisi ut vas ipsum ipsius suavissimae Virginis in calore ardoris difflueret: quoniam in eo Filius meus humanum corpus mirabiliter suscepit.
Sed quod ipsa beatissima Virgo per angelicum sermonem in eodem secreto veram allocutionem audivit et exinde credula effecta suspiria mentis suae sursum tenuit, cum diceret: Ecce ancilla Domini, fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum , mox Unigenitum Dei Spiritu sancto superveniente, concipiens, designat quod omnipotens Deus per verba sacerdotis in officio sacerdotali invocandus est. Ita quod sacerdos fideliter in Deum credens et cum devotione cordis sui puram oblationem ipsi offerens verba salutis in obsequio humilitatis dabit, ubi et superna majestas eamdem oblationem suscipiens, in carnem et sanguinem pii Redemptoris mirabili virtute transfundit. Quomodo? Quia Filius meus mirabiliter prius humanitatem in Virgine suscepit, ita etiam et nunc oblatio haec mirabiliter caro et sanguis ejus in altari efficitur. Unde et hoc sacramentum totum et integrum est, invisibile et visibile existens: ut etiam Unigenitus meus totus integer est secundum divinitatem invisibilis, et secundum humanitatem visibilis in saeculo manens. Nam ut pullus avium de ovo egreditur, et ut volatilis vermiculus de exiguo grano oritur, quo animali avolante illud remanet de quo ipsum ortum est: ita etiam in oblatione ista veritas carnis et sanguinis Filii mei per fidem tenenda est, quamvis eadem oblatio in conspectu hominum velut panis et ut vinum apparet. Unde etiam ut aspicis signa nativitatis, passionis et sepulturae, necnon resurrectionis et ascensionis Salvatoris Unigeniti Dei velut in speculo ibi apparent, quomodo etiam cum Filius Dei in saeculo esset, in ipso patrata sunt; quoniam (ut vera manifestatione consideres) mysteria nascentis ex Virgine et patientis in cruce, ac sepulti in sepulcro, nec non resurgentis a mortuis, et ascendentis ad coelos, videlicet illius qui pro salute hominum ad terras venit, purissima claritate in eisdem sacramentis fulgent ut etiam cum idem Unigenitus Dei temporaliter in mundo cum eisdem conversaretur per voluntatem Patris pro redemptione humani generis ea in suo corpore passus est. Quid hoc?
Quia ante oculos meos apparet quid Filius meus propter amorem hominis in mundo passus sit; quoniam nativitas, passio et sepultura, resurrectio et ascensio Unigeniti mei, mortem humani generis occiderunt. Unde et ea in coelestibus coram me fulgent, quia eorum non sum oblitus, sed usque ad consummationem saeculi quasi aurora ante me in multa claritate apparebunt. Quid hoc? Quoniam in illa passione usque ad finem mundi omnes illos praevideo qui eam credituri sunt et qui eam abjecturi; quia ipsa coram me semper fulgebit, quandiu homo id dicere debet quod Filius meus discipulos suos docuit ut Deum orarent, sicut scriptum est: Et dimitte nobis debita nostra, sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris . Quid hoc? Tu, quod omnia in potestate tua habes, inspice effusionem illius sanguinis qui pro humano genere effusus est, et dimitte nobis qui Filii transgressionis sumus debita nostra quae tibi persolvere debuimus, sed propter incarnationem cordis nostri non fecimus. Quid hoc? Quia quod in baptismo promisimus non adimplemus; quoniam praecepta tua transgressi sumus et innocentiam abjecimus, sicut et Adam in paradiso tibi non obedivit et vestem innocentiae corrupit.
Sed tu qui pius es noli punire nos secundum nequitiam nostram, sed relaxa nobis transgressionem nostram secundum pietatem tuam; sicut et nos qui praevaricatores sumus, quamvis multam malitiam in nobis habeamus, tamen propter timorem et amorem Salvatoris nostri dimittimus ex corde nostro debitoribus nostris injuriam illam, quam nobis intulerunt. Quomodo? Quoniam illos qui nos diligere deberent quia homines sumus, in multis nos conturbantes et per hoc te non amantes sed praecepta tua negligentes, non persequimur secundum malitiam illam quam in nos exercuerunt, sed justum judicium tuum inspicientes non vindicamus nos in eis quantum possumus; ita et tu, o Deus, nobis sis propitius: quoniam justus et bonus es. Tu ergo audi, o homo, quia quandiu tibi subveniendum est, et quandiu tu aliis hominibus succurrere potes, tandiu passio Filii mei coram me in misericordia apparebit, et tandiu etiam caro et sanguis ejus in altari consecrabitur ad percipiendum, credulis hominibus ad salvationem et ad purgationem criminum eorum. Nam cum Unigenitus meus in mundo corporaliter esset, corpus ejus in nutrimento carnis et sanguinis sui de frumento et vino sustentatum est; unde etiam et nunc in altari caro et sanguis ejus in oblatione frumenti et vini consecratur, quatenus inde fideles homines in anima et corpore reficiantur. Quoniam idem Filius meus hominem de perditione Adae mirabiliter redemit, et nunc etiam homines de quotidiano malo in quo frequenter prolabuntur misericorditer absolvit. In consecratione enim praedictae oblationis apparet quidquid Filius meus in carne sua pro redemptione hominis corporaliter passus est, et hoc nolo abscondere; quia electos ejus sursum ad coelestia traho, ut per ipsos corpus ejus in praedictis membris perficiatur.
Quapropter et ego omnia sacramenta haec in oblatione ista mirabiliter demonstro, quoniam, cum ea super altare apparuerint, tunc etiam caro et sanguis Filii mei eadem oblatio fit, tamen in conspectu hominum panis et vinum apparens; quia tam tenera est fragilitas hominis, quod crudam carnem et crudum sanguinem percipere abhorreret. Nam mortalis homo Divinitatem non potest inspicere quandiu mortalis est. Unde etiam mysterium hoc quod totum est Divinitatis, ipsi homini obscuratum est: ita quod illud invisibiliter percipiet, quia et idem Unigenitus meus nunc immortalis existens ultra non moritur. Quapropter et ego, o homo, carnem et sanguinem ejus in oblatione panis et vini tibi trado; quatenus per illud quod visibile est illud quod invisibile est in vera fide percipias. Et idem sacramentum in vera certitudine per divinam potentiam suscipis: ita tamen quod tibi visibile non apparet, ut etiam in magna necessitate illud electis meis cum per hoc in magna afflictione positi essent, aliquando demonstratum est. Haec autem omnia propter amorem et propter utilitatem hominis facio. Sed omnis creatura praeceptis meis subjecta est; tu vero, o homo, mihi semper rebellis existis; unde caecus et surdus es, sed tamen mihi rebellare non potes. Nonne facio te non vidente quod mihi placitum est?
Tu autem non vides oculis tuis nec audis auribus tuis in carne, quomodo animam hominis in corpus ejus immittam, et quomodo illam de corpore ejus auferam; sed anima tua intelliget me, cum mortale corpus suum reliquerit. Sic etiam carnem Filii mei trado tibi ad manducandum et sanguinem ejus ad bibendum, et hoc in potestate mea, te, o homo, non vidente, efficio.
Quapropter ut vides dum idem sacerdos canticum innocentis Agni, quod est Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, decantat, et ad percipiendam sanctam communionem se exhibet, praedicta ignea coruscatio ad coelestia se recipit; quia eodem ministro laudem illius qui innocentia mansuetudinis suae tulit piacula hominum denuntiante, et interiora pectoris sui cum exteriore devotione ad eadem sacramenta aperiente, illa invicta claritas quae ibi virtutem suam ostendit, ad superna secreta se subtrahit et ita, clauso coelo, id est se subtrahentibus eisdem coelestibus mysteriis, audis vocem ex alto dicentem, ut credentes et fideles homines manducent et bibant cum vera devotione carnem et sanguinem Salvatoris sui, qui pro ipsis passus, mortem temporalem subiit, ad abluendam contaminationem illam quam primi parentes praeceptum Dei transgressis mundo intulerant; quatenus ipsi ab hac praevaricatione emundati, rectae haereditati quam inobedientia perdiderant fide restaurentur. Nam sicut Unigenitus Dei in coena corpus et sanguinem suum discipulis suis tradidit, ita etiam et nunc in altari carnem suam et sanguinem suum dat fidelibus suis. Quemadmodum homo, cum opus voluntatis suae perfecerit, illud ad utendum hominibus tribuit. Quia ipse Filius Dei praecepta Patris sui peragens, semetipsum pro salute hominum obtulit, et corpus et sanguinem suum ad sanctificationem eorum ad manducandum et ad bibendum dedit, ut etiam in Cantico canticorum sponsus amicis suis loquitur dicens: Comedite, amici mei, bibite et inebriamini, charissimi . Quid hoc? Comedite in fide vos qui per sanctum baptisma ad amicitiam meam venistis, quoniam effusus sanguis Filii mei lapsum Adae vobis abstersit, ruminantes veram medicinam in corpore Unigeniti mei, ut iterata crimina vestra, cum frequenter injustitiam in operibus vestris operamini, vobis misericorditer abstergantur. Unde etiam bibite in spe ex hac vite quae vos de aeterna poena eduxit; sumentes poculum salutis videlicet, ut fortiter et viriliter in illa gratia credatis qua redempti estis. Quoniam et sanguine illo perfundemini qui pro vobis effusus est.
Et ita inebriamini in charitate qui mihi charissimi estis, abundantes in rivulis Scripturarum, quatenus cum summo studio a carnalibus desideriis vos subtrahatis; ut et ego praeclaras virtutes valde mihi amabiles in vobis exsuscitem, tradens etiam vobis corpus et sanguinem Unigeniti mei, sicut et ipse discipulis suis idem sacramentum dedit, ut in Evangelio scriptum est: Coenantibus autem eis, accipiens Jesus panem, benedixit ac fregit deditque discipulis suis et ait: Accipite et comedite, hoc est corpus meum. Et accipiens calicem gratias egit et dedit discipulis suis, dicens: Bibite ex hoc omnes; hic est sanguis meus Novi Testamenti, qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. Dico autem vobis, non bibam amodo de hoc genimine vitis usque in diem illum cum illud bibam vobiscum novum in regno Patris mei . Quid hoc? Filio Dei una cum discipulis suis consummationem illam celebrante, qua ipse transiturus erat de mundo, videlicet cum in terrenis causis diutius conversari non debuit ut prius fecerat, sed in voluntate Patris ad passionem crucis perdurans, summa devotione accepit pro salute hominum panem in recordatione corporis sui toto desiderio Patrem suum movens ut, quomodo de eo exivit ad eum redire voluit, ita etiam ipse inspiceret si possibile esset, ut a fragilitate carnis suae calix ille, quem erat bibiturus transiret, quamvis hoc fieri non deberet. Unde et panem illum benedixit in recordatione sudoris corporis sui, cum praecepto Patris se subdens scilicet in cruce mori volens in angustia ejusdem passionis corpus et sanguinem suum discipulis suis tradidit. Ita etiam, ne et ipsi obliviscerentur, quod eis hoc exemplum dedisset. Ac fregit eis, quia quamvis passio illa corpori suo dura esset, tamen Patri suo obediens crudelissimam mortem in morte corporis sui vicit, designans etiam quod in eum credentibus caro sua et sanguis in sacramento oblationis esset tradenda.
Deditque ad veram salutem eisdem discipulis suis: ita ut et ipsi haec in nomine ejus facerent, sicut et ipse ea propter amorem eorum faciebat, mitissima voce dicens: Vos, qui humiliter me sequi vultis, ardenti amore accipite hoc exemplum quod relinquo vobis, videlicet passionem meam et opera mea, quae in praecepto Patris mei complevi; quoniam ipse misit me docere et ostendere regnum ejus. Et comedite fideliter hoc quod vobis do; quia corpus meum est. Quid hoc? Comedite corpus meum; quoniam in spiritu et in carne vestra debetis opera mea imitari, cum ea Spiritus sanctus cordi vestro inspirat, velut homo escam glutit quam in corpus suum mittit, quia ut me in operibus meis sequi debetis, ita etiam et corpus meum manducabitis vos et omnes qui praecepta mea servare voluerint. Et deinde Filius Dei accipiens in salvatione poculum salutis Patri suo gratias egit; quoniam, cum de latere ejus sanguis effusus est, haec gratia credentibus data est: quae tam fortis fuit quod et antiquum serpentem superavit, et perditum hominem liberavit, et totam Ecclesiam fideliter corroboravit. Quomodo? Quia idem Salvator pretiosissimum exemplum suum in suavitate amoris sui tradidit fidelibus suis, dicens eis leni inspiratione admonitionis: Bibite fiducialiter ex hoc salutari poculo vos omnes, qui me fideliter sequi desideratis, ita ut corpus vestrum in angustia castigetis, et sanguinem vestrum in sudore arceatis propter amorem meum ad roborandam Ecclesiam, vosmetipsos abnegantes, sicut et ego passioni me subjeci, et sanguinem meum pro redemptione vestra fudi, teneritudinem carnis meae in hoc non considerans, sed salutem vestram faciens. Nam hic sanguis, qui vobis effusus est, non est sanguis ille qui in veteri Testamento sub umbra spargebatur, sed sanguis meus novi Testamenti qui ad salutem populorum datus est.
Quomodo? Ego qui sum unicus matris meae videlicet integerrimae Virginis Filius, sanguinem meum in cruce pro redemptione hominum fudi qui me per fidem inspiciunt. Et ut eum tunc pro liberatione humani generis dedi, ita eum etiam et nunc in altari pro hominibus trado, scilicet pro purgatione illorum qui eum fideliter suscipiunt. In coena enim passionis meae corpus et sanguinem meum vobis ad manducandum et ad bibendum dedi: quatenus et vos nunc in altari idem in memoria mea faciatis. Unde etiam in apertione veritatis dico vobis qui me fideliter subsecuti estis: Non bibam amodo hoc poculum angustiae in gravedine illa, quam nunc de Judaeis patior, usque in diem illum cum de morte resurgens, morte prostrata diem salvationis afferam, ubi idem poculum redemptionis vestrae bibam vobiscum qui mei estis, novitatem exsultationis vobis ostendens; quia perditio veteris criminis abjicietur, aperto vobis regno illo: quod Pater meus diligentibus se praeparavit. Quid hoc? Quoniam morte mea quam in cruce passus sum salvationem animarum sentietis, cum etiam post resurrectionem meam, in ascensione mea Spiritum paracletum accipientes, novitatem novae doctrinae suscipietis: ita et propter nomen meum multas tribulationes sustinebitis, quas et ego vobiscum sustinebo; non quod amodo ullas miserias corporaliter patiar ut prius, cum in mundo corporaliter essem, passus sum; sed quia vos eas nomine meo sustinetis, ubi et ego illas vobiscum sustineo; quoniam vos in me estis et ego in vobis.
Et ita, ut dictum est, corpus et sanguinem Filii mei vos qui in me fideliter credidistis, ad abolitionem criminum vestrorum percipietis, ut per hoc sacramentum exhilarati virtutem supernae confortationis adipiscamini, sicut et David servus meus in voluntate ardoris mei clamat dicens: De fructu operum tuorum satiabitur terra, producens fenum jumentis, et herbam servituti hominum; ut educas panem de terra et vinum laetificet cor hominis. Ut exhilaret faciem in oleo: et panis cor hominis confirmet . Quid hoc? O Deus, cujus magnificentia super omnes est, de fide illa qua tu in veritate cognosceris (ita quod ipsa fructus virtutum in sapientia tua est) satiabitur homo, videlicet qui fidei adhaerens esuriem infidelitatis in via justitiae abjicit, cum prius veritatem ignorans jejunus a rectitudine defecerat. Sed nunc in saturitate bonorum operum producens contritionem animi sui, illis qui in simplicitate sunt, fragilitatem suam considerans exemplum humilitatis fideliter praebet, ubi etiam cum germine virtutum surgens in abundantia ejusdem securitatis viriditatem verae rectitudinis servituti illorum qui terrenis inhiant exhibet; quoniam ad utilitatem ipsorum iis actibus insudat, qui obsequio munitionis et defensionis suae fideles animos ad superna gaudia perducunt. Ut et illi qui militia fortitudinis et protectionis suae hos quos tueri debent fortissime defendunt. Et haec in hominibus per voluntatem tuam, o Deus! idcirco praecedunt, quatenus illis virtutibus adornatis mirabiliter ipsis educas corpus Filii tui de fructu illo, quem terra in puritate viriditatis profert, sicut etiam Unigenitus tuus ex utero virginalis pudicitiae corporaliter veniens, panem vitae credentibus in semetipso misericorditer dedit.
Sed et hoc miraculum ideo facies, ut etiam sanguis ejusdem Unigeniti tui qui ad salvationem animarum effunditur, laetificet interiorem vim hominum, id est animas eorum in remissionem peccatorum ipsorum. Quomodo? Quia ut prius Filii tui corpus pro redemptione humani generis in cruce oblatum est: ita etiam et nunc caro et sanguis ejus ad salutem credentium in altari consecrantur. Quapropter cum hoc in voluntate tua mirabiliter factum fuerit, tunc et illud erit ut ipsum sacramentum exhilaret faciem, id est Ecclesiam oleo misericordiae perfusam, quia cum gaudio fidei credentes, misericordiam amplectentes, oculis Domini pulchri apparent; quoniam cum salus mundi in cruce pendens hominem de laqueo diaboli misericorditer liberavit, tunc etiam homines a vinculo peccatorum benigne absolvit, ut et ipsi in laetitia simplicis cordis sui fideliter in Deum credentes miseriam patientibus cum ardore devotionis subvenire non desinant. Et in hoc amore fideles ardere debent, ut panis ille qui vitam se gustantibus praebet, sensus ipsorum qui semper in instabilitate vacillant confirmet, ne intentio cordis eorum in malum declinet, sed ut ad hoc quod vita est fortiter ascendat.
Panis autem iste caro Filii mei est, quam nulla obscuritas in peccatis obfuscat, nec ulla macula in iniquitatibus obnubilat: ita ut qui eam digne susceperint, in anima et corpore coelesti lumine perfundantur, et a maculis interioris sordis suae fideliter emundentur. Et ideo nulla dubitatio in ista sacratissima carne sit; quoniam qui primum hominem nec de carne nec de osse formavit, huic possibile est sacramentum istud hoc modo operari. Unde, o virginalis ortus, tu surgis, crescis, dilataris, ac magnum ramum in multis germinibus producis, per quem coelestis Jerusalem aedificabitur, non ex virili semine, sed ex mystico spiramine veniens. Nam in ortu tuo non es ligatus ulla maculositate criminum, sed floruisti in mirificatione virtutum, qui ex inarato agro talis flos surrexisti qui nunquam ullo casu mortalitatis marcescet, sed qui in plenitudine viriditatis suae semper durabit. Quapropter et hoc sacramentum corporis et sanguinis tui tandiu in officio veritatis in Ecclesia colendum est, quousque in fine mundi novissimus homo veniat, qui per idem mysterium veraciter salvandus est, quoniam illud de secreto Dei veniens salutem credentibus eo fert, ut idem David testatur dicens: Et mandavit nubibus desuper, et januas coeli aperuit. Et pluit illis manna ad manducandum, et panem coeli dedit eis. Panem angelorum manducavit homo, cibaria misit eis in abundantia . Quid hoc?
Coelestis Pater per potentiam gloriae suae emollivit mentes hominum a superna celsitudine, cum patriarchis et prophetis in secreto mysteriorum suorum hoc demonstravit per quod et Filium suum in Spiritu sancto veraciter predixerunt, et eum in legalibus praeceptis per sanguinem hircorum et per alias ostensiones hominibus mirabiliter designaverunt. Et hoc modo suavitatem et dulcedinem cordis sui aperiens, in lenitate et in ardore charitatis misit eis Filium suum, ut per eum a fame infidelitatis suae reficerentur: ita refectionem coelestium dans eis, cum qua plenum gaudium omnium felicitatum ac beatitudinum fideliter satiati adipiscerentur. Ergo panem illum cujus dulcedine superni angeli non satis possunt satiari, Deum videlicet inspicientes, ita suscepit homo in humanitate Filii Dei, cum has refectiones beatitudinis summus Pater misit hominibus in abundantiam spiritualis gaudii. Ac ideo fidelis homo fideli auditione audiat: O vos fideles homines, qui ecclesiasticum germen estis, audite et intelligite praesidium animae vestrae, ubi non estis filii diaboli, sed haeredes coelestis regni, et considerate quomodo ego mitissimus ac benignissimus Pater, magnis felicitatibus salutis vestrae circumdedi vos. Ergo attendite bonitatem Patris vestri, quomodo per me ordinatum est, quod in salute vestra est; quoniam quamvis vilis cinis sitis, tamen salutem vestram humanitas Filii mei exposcit. Quomodo? Filius meus natus est de incorrupta virgine, quae ignara illius doloris fuit, sed quae in virenti puritate integritatis suae permansit: ut gramen in gloria viriditatis suae viget, super quod ros de coelo cadit.
Et quia virgo illa incorrupta fuit de qua Filius meus hoc modo carnem sine peccato assumpsit: ideo et justum est ut caro ejus nunc de fructu illo fiat, qui sine succo amaritudinis est. Quomodo? Granum frumenti fortissimus et optimus fructus aliorum fructuum est, nec in culmo suo succum aut medullam ut caeterae arbores habens sed in gramine suo in spicam surgens, ita ad fructum suum tendit, nec per calorem nec per frigus amarum succum producit, sed siccam farinam tribuit. Ut etiam caro Filii mei sicca fuit, sine omni foeditate humanae pollutionis per quam humanum genus in amplexibus libidinis viri ac mulieris surgit. Non sic Unigenitus meus natus est, sed in virenti integritate virginea exivit, ut etiam granum intextum granum frumenti gignit. Nam ut culmus frumenti sine medulla vigens siccum granum in puritate spicae profert, ita etiam beata Virgo sine virili fortitudine gignens sanctissimum Filium suum in simplicitate innocentiae edidit, qui de eadem matre sua nullum succum peccati traxit; quoniam et ipsa eum sine medulla viri concepit, ut etiam culmus succum grano non tribuit quoniam illud non de medullato stipite viret: sed de sole et pluvia ac de blanda aura viget, sicut et praedicta integerrima Virgo, non de viro, sed virtute Altissimi obumbrata et infusione Spiritus sancti perfusa, in suavitate castitatis Unigenitum suum genuit. Quamvis autem illa Virgo de voluntate viri ac mulieris orta esset, tamen eumdem Filium suum non ita protulit, sed eum de coelo venientem verum Deum et hominem sine voluntate viri in integritate sua purissimum genuit. Quae quoniam eum in virginitate sua sine sorde purissimum peperit, ideo et nunc panis qui caro illius veraciter consecratur, purissimus in integritate sua existens; a fidelibus in puritate cordis et sine admistione diversitatis suscipi debet, ut filiis Israel praemonstravi, quemadmodum in voluntate mea scriptum est: Mementote diei hujus in qua egressi estis de Aegypto et de domo servitutis: quoniam in manu forti eduxit vos Dominus de loco isto, ut non comedatis fermentatum panem .
Quid hoc? Vos qui imitatores Filii mei esse vultis, estote respicientes de morte ad vitam, videlicet in memoria vestra habentes salvationem diei illius qui Filius meus est, quo mortem conculcavit et vitam dedit, in quo in salute vestra egressi estis miserabile exsilium perditionis; cum scilicet abjecistis densissimas tenebras infidelitatis, ita etiam vos eripientes de mansione diabolicae servitutis, cui in transgressione Adae dati fuistis. Nunc ergo de terrenis actibus ad coelestia respicite; quoniam in divina potentia de malis eduxi vos ego Dominus, qui cunctis tanta fortitudine praesum, quod virtuti meae nullum obstaculum contrarietatis obsistit quin omnia acutissime penetrem: ita per Filium meum eripiens vos de loco isto, in quo per infidelitatem vestram morti famulantes in bonis operibus non laborastis, sed in perversitate vestra jacentes turpiter in eo perstitistis. Sed quia nunc in Unigenito meo ab oppressione ista liberati estis, currite de virtute in virtutem, caventes ne in conscientiam vestram mittatis infidelitatem illam, quae cor vestrum in sua receptione non confortat, sed potius sua amaritudine gravat. Quid hoc? Nolite diabolicas artes sectari; nec caetera figmenta quae homines in humanis contagiis philosophorum, paganorum, ac haereticorum sibimetipsis adinvenerunt; sed Filium meum in speculo fidei imitamini, qui vos de carceribus inferni liberavit, cum semetipsum pro vobis ad passionem crucis obtulit. Sed ut vestigia ejus tanto cautius sequi valeatis; corda vestra coelesti pane confortate, et corpus ejus fideli devotione sumite, quoniam ipse de coelo veniens, de suavi et de pura Virgine natus, et in ligno pro salute vestra passus, semetipsum vobis contulit: ita ut et vos sine admistione illius amaritudinis, suavem et purum panem divina invocatione corpus ejus in altari consecratum sincero affectu suscipiatis, quatenus per hoc esuriem interioris hominis effugientes, et epulas aeternae beatitudinis pervenire valeatis.
Unde etiam in vino quod de vite defluit eadem invocatione per sacramentum sanguinis ejus volo mirabilia demonstrare. Quid hoc? Sanguis Filii mei de latere suo fluxit, ut et uva de vite sudat. Sed ut uva pedibus conculcatur et in torculari premitur, ita dulcissimo ac fortissimo vino effluente ad roborandum sanguinem in homine: sic etiam Unigenito meo in sudore angustiae, verberibus et flagellis macerato et ligno crucis oppresso, optimus et pretiosissimus sanguis de vulneribus ejus emanavit, saluberrima liberatione credentes populos perfundens. Quemadmodum etiam uva dissimilis est aliis pomis quae duros cortices habentia comedi possunt, cum homines uvam magis soleant sugere quam comedere: ita etiam Filius meus dissimilis erat in peccatis caeteris hominibus; quia ipsi sub pondere nequitiae gravati diversis passionibus subjacent, cum ipse Unigenitus meus de castissima Virgine mirabiliter natus, omni contagione peccati careret. Quapropter et quoniam uvam tenerae materiae est, idcirco et vinum in sanguinem ejusdem Filii mei volo consecrari. Nam, ut vinum de vite sudat, ita et Filius meus de corde meo exivit, etiam eodem Unigenito meo vera vite existente, et diversis palmitibus ex eo exeuntibus; quia fideles in ipso plantati sunt, qui per incarnationem ejus in bonis operibus fructuosi existunt. Et ut iste liquor de dulcissimo ac fortissimo fructu vitis emanat, sic etiam omnis justitia in misericordia et veritate per incarnationem ejusdem Filii mei apparet, quas virtutes in ipso inveniunt omnes qui cum fideliter quaerunt.
Quomodo? Quoniam qui ipsi fideliter adhaerent, ii virides et fructuosi ab ipso efficiunt, ita quod optimos fructus in virtutibus afferunt; sicut et ipse suavis et mitis existens, pretiosissima germina in sanctitate et justitia attulit, et sibi credentes ab omni sorde infidelitatis emundavit, ut in Canticis canticorum de eo scriptum est: Botrus cypri dilectus meus mihi in vineis Engaddi . Quid hoc? Filius Dei qui me exsulem animam in passione sua salvat, in resurrectione etiam sua mihi misericorditer poculum vitae dat. Quomodo? Sicut botrus Cypri fortissimam plenitudinem potionis in se continet: ita quod ipse Filius Dei nunquam hoc modo exhaurietur, quin semper potum vitae sitientibus dare possit, quoniam ipse salus vitae est. Nos enim qui prius in defectu fuimus, nunc in ostensione et in scientia verae sanctificationis bonorum operum confortati, per illum cibum vitae manducamus, in quo etiam Deum scientes ad vitam pergimus. Cum in Veteri Testamento quod quasi per umbram plenum sensum non habuit, sed in ostensione significationis multam diversitatem in se tenuit, magnam famem sustinentes, ad salvationem surgere non valuimus: nunc ergo in ipso saturati, etiam in illo salutare poculum bibimus, scilicet in vera fide fideliter gustando quis Deus sit, quem exterioribus oculis mortalis carnis videre non possumus, sed quem spirituali intelligentia intus habemus; sicut et vinum fortissimam vim suam in venis hominum ostendit: hoc tamen hominibus non sentientibus, sed tantum ita esse intra se scientibus.
Et ideo sponsus animarum botrus Cypri est, cujus fructus non deficiet. Quomodo? Caecus ingressus portam exigit sui ductoris visum. Quomodo? Quia homo claritatem fidei non habens, cum ad fidem pervenerit, per pressuram torcularis in rorem sanguinis Christi intrat. Quomodo? Sicut per praecepta illius vitam in anima nostra habemus: ita etiam in donatione illius emundationem in carne nostra recepimus; quoniam nos nati in praevaricatione Adae immundi existimus, sed in sanguine ipsius sanctificamur. Unde desponsatio animarum, de ipso in Spiritu sancto dicit: Dilectus meus qui cordi meo dulcis et amabilis existit, fortissimum vinum per sanguinem suum in plena sanctificatione mihi est; quia dum sum immunda in plantatione carnis, sicut vinea quae adhuc inculta jacet in spinis: ipse fons salvationis existens, peccatores a sordibus suis misericorditer abluit, et in mysterio secretorum suorum gloriosissime sanctificat; quoniam ut de corde Patris suaviter exivit, sic etiam in vino sanguinem suum suaviter ostendit, et ut ex Virgine mirabiliter natus est, ita etiam et in pane corpus ejus mirabiliter declaratur; quia ipse botrus est, qui nunquam defectum ullo detrimento patietur.
Quapropter et super altare velut in torculari per voluntatem Patris calcatur: quatenus homo qui per semetipsum nullatenus subsistere potest, ob fragilitatem debilitatis suae non deficiat. Quoniam et sicut sanguis hominis augmentum ex potu accipit: ita etiam homo sanctificationem ex sanguine Filii Dei habet. Et ut ne sanguis hominis sine irrigatione potus in ariditatem vertatur, ex potu reficiendus est: sic etiam vinum in consecratione sanguinis Filii Dei non deficiet, sed super altare in sacramento mysterii ejus semper erit.
Sed et tu, o homo, attentissime scias quod in consecratione ista vino aqua immista esse debet, quia de latere Filii mei sanguis et aqua emanavit, ita quod et in vino divinitas ejus intelligitur, et in aqua humanitas ipsius sentitur. Et ideo quoniam in ipso divinitas et humanitas est, ita etiam in consecratione ista vino aqua adjungetur; quia cum vinum divinitatem ejus signet, aqua etiam humanitatem ipsius ostendit, quae sine commistione verilis sanguinis pura et munda existit. Quoniam etiam Unigenitus meus fons aquae vivae existens, homines in regeneratione spiritus et aquae de veteri culpa Adae emundavit, et eos ad coelestia transtulit, cum pro salute eorum in mundum venit, quemadmodum scriptum est: Ego quasi fluvius Diorix, et sicut ductus aquae exivi de paradiso . Quid hoc? Deus hominem rationalitate firmans, ei plurima mystica dedit, cum spiraculum vitae in eum emittens, illum rationalitate sublimavit. Qui dum seductus in mortem caderet, ego Filius Dei qui ipsum liberare veni, fluens in decore omnium rigationum infixae charitatis, et emanans in diffusione verae et indeficientis puritatis exivi de secreto supernae amoenitatis; quatenus homo, qui ex reatu suo perierat, misericorditer de perditione eriperetur. Quomodo? Ut innoxius sanguis innocentis innocentiae, in angustia desudantis passionis pro eo effunderetur.
Quomodo? In transgresione Adae, cum ipse de paradiso expulsus est; sanguis ejus ob expulsionis angustiam, quia reus erat, totus inundavit, et sic in angustia illa liquefactus, cum sudore aquae perfusus est. Et ita sanguini hominis aqua per sudorem admista cognoscitur. Unde, o homo, cum Unigenitus Dei in carne angustiari coepit, videlicet quando pro humano genere pati voluit, sanguis ejus guttas sudoris emisit, ac deinde, ipso in cruce suspenso, de vulnere lateris ejus aqua cum sanguine emanavit. Et ideo in sacramento illo ubi mysterium passionis ejus celebrandum est, aqua vino immisceri debet; quia et de vulnere lateris Filii Dei aqua et sanguis effluxit. Sed et in eodem sacrificio vinum aquae superabundabit; quia et sanguis tabem superat, sicut et lac succum suum quod serum est excedit. Qui autem mysterium hoc celebrant id ita perficiant, quemadmodum eis monstratum est, et ut etiam ibi homines exhortantur, ubi inspiratione mea per sapientiam audiunt, ut scriptum est: Venite, comedite panem meum, et bibite vinum quod miscui vobis . Quid hoc?
Vos qui stultitiam deponere vultis, venite de ignorantia illa qua Deum nescitis, et de stupro illo per quod in exsilium missi estis, et redite in candidam regionem vestram, quae per speculum fidei in fonte viventis aquae vobis praemonstrata est, et pia devotione comedite panem meum, quem vir in agro non seminavit, et cui terra viriditatem non dedit, sed qui de Deo exivit, atque in eo permanet. Nam ut panis manducatur, et ut terra conculcatur, sic et Filius Dei panis vivus filios hominum praecellit; quia ipse Filius Dei in virtute divinitatis suae stabilis est; et filii hominum in debilitate carnis suae labiles sunt; Filius enim Dei corporaliter manens in mundo, mollitiem liquoris peccati in carne sua non habuit, quoniam sicut ignis panem (excoquens) arefacit, nec ei ullum mollem humorem dimittit, ita et ipse Unigenitus Dei de fortissimo igne Spiritus sancti conceptus, et de castissima Virgine natus, sine ulla contagione peccati in corpore suo substitit. Et ita ut panis hominem reficit, sic etiam et fideles homines per eumdem Filium Dei in fide nutriuntur; quia ipse fortissimus fructus est, qui nunquam deficiet. Unde et vos, fideles, hunc panem comedentes, bibite etiam pura intentione vinum hoc quod omni prorsus sorde caret, et quod in hanc inanem vagationem non vadit, ubi corruptio immunditiam innocentiae absorbens eam in venenum convertit.
Nam et secundum modum illum primus homo mundus fuit quando creatus fuit; quoniam in nulla diversitate erat, sed mundus in carne et sanguine suo fuit. Qui, cum praevaricationem faceret, illusus est: ita quod postea semper sanguinem suum in fetore immunditiae moechiae sparsit. Quia, sicut idem homo honorem innocentiae abjecerat, ita etiam et sanguis ipsius sanguinum colorem suum perdidit, in humana conceptione in liquorem pollutionis subversus. In quo etiam liquore ita sine fornicatione est donec sanguis apparet: et ita sanguis ille formam aliam accipiens post ortum suum in debilitate jacet, donec medulla ejus plenitudinem fortitudinis suae inveniat et donec sensus in ipso per excitationem occultae suscitationis exsurgat. Et tunc ita munda caro et mundus sanguis de veneno expiatus apparet, donec eum noxius calor percutit, qui percussione sua noxiam spumam immunditiae ejicit. Sed ab his omnibus Filius Dei mundus exstitit; mundam videlicet carnem et mundum sanguinem habens, ita quod eum nunquam tactus ullius noxii caloris tetigit; sed in sanctificatione et honore virentissimae castitatis manens, nulla contagione violari potuit. Qui tamen in angustia passionis positus, aquam in sanguinem lateris sui effudit; quia sanguis sine aqua in effusione sua non est; sed ita temperatus existit, ut sanguis aquam confortet, et ut aqua sanguinem deliniat.
Quapropter et vos qui Deum devote colere vultis, ita quod vestram salutem amatis, sumite hoc poculum sanctificationis, quod ita temperavi vobis ut asperitatem ultionis in lenitate remissionis non sentiatis, quoniam et divinitas et humanitas in superno Filio est, per cujus passionem de morte liberati, et per cujus corpus et sanguinem vegetati, societatem in aeterna mansione habeatis. Sed ego qui sum initium et finis , iterum dico tibi, o homo, de nobili Filio meo, qui flos est rosarum et lilium convallium, natus de castissima Virgine, quae eum in integritate sua genuit. Qui partus talis exstitit, quod per eum de iniquitate priorum parentum humani generis placatus sum, qui me in transgressione sua ad indignationem provocaverunt. Unde et eumdem partum semper inspicio, cum corpus et sanguinem Filii mei quotidie super altare nomini meo consecratum habeo. Ita quod per ipsum sacramentum tu, homo, sanctificaris, carnem ejus manducans et eumdem sanguinem ejus bibens. Nam cum ibi sacerdos officium suum exercet sicut illi constitutum est, sacratissimis verbis me invocans, tunc in eadem potestate ibi adsum qua et ibi aderam, ubi Unigenitus meus sine schismate ullius contagionis incarnatus est. Unde et corpus ejus purissimum et suavissimum in omni sanctitate fuit: ita quod nunc carnem et sanguinem ipsius fideliter suscipientes, tanta dulcedine vivificentur, quod nullum despectum abjectionis patiantur, sicut et in Cantico canticorum scriptum est: Quis mihi det te fratrem meum sugentem ubera matris meae, ut inveniam te foris, et deosculer te et jam me nemo despiciat? Quid hoc?
Gemitus et devotio in Ecclesia positorum certissima fide dicit: Quis est ille qui mihi miserrimo homini in aerumnis posito, mitissima oblatione det te sponsum Ecclesiae: cum te fratrem meum propter incarnationem tuam nomino, sugentem misericordiam et veritatem quae sunt nutrimenta illa quibus divinitas homines nutrit, quae mihi mater in creatione mea est, scilicet cum educatione vegetationis vitam mihi dans. Quid hoc? Quia et nutrimenta Ecclesiae plena est gratia tua: cum ei plenam ubertatem in sacramento corporis et sanguinis tui tribuis, qui panis vivus et fons aquae vivae es. Et hoc ideo facis ut manifesta certitudine inveniam te foris: cum scilicet sciens te Filium Dei in coelis, videam te etiam hominem in terra, quem in divinitate mortales oculi mei cernere non valent, ita ut etiam inveniam te in pane et vino divini mysterii: quod sacramentum sine pondere deceptionis, et sine ambiguitate fallaciae est; ac deinde hoc modo deosculer te: quoniam pro salute mea incarnatus es, et quia etiam me participem corporis et sanguinis tui facis, quatenus per hoc quod in mundum propter me venisti, et quod temetipsum mihi tradidisti, jam nulla creatura deinceps me despiciat, cum ipsa voluntatem tuam tibi subjecta semper sequatur, et cum ego praeceptis tuis rebellis existens tibi creberrime contrarius inveniar.
Nunc ergo, ut vides, o homo, cum sacerdos his verbis quae in Spiritu sancto constituta sunt, oblato sacrificio ad altare me coeperit invocare: amen tibi dico, quod in ardente calore meo ibi adsum, et pleno desiderio ipsum sacramentum perficio. Quomodo? Quoniam in effectu ejusdem mysterii ardentem charitatem super eamdem oblationem expando, videlicet ab initio verborum sacerdotis me invocantis, et hanc memoriam facientis, quod Filius meus in angustia passionis suae panem et vinum benedicens, in sacramento corporis et sanguinis sui discipulis suis tradidit; ut et ipsi idem pro salute populi facerent. Vere dico vobis, quia nunquam invocatio ista super hujusmodi oblationem in recordatione Unigeniti mei erit quin mysterium corporis et sanguinis ibi perficiatur, quod carnalis oculus quandiu cinis est videre non poterit; nisi in fide illud humili devotione perspiciat. Quomodo? Cum ales ovum sibi in nidum suum poni viderit: ardenter super illud volat, et calore suo illud fovens pullum educit: ita quod testa ovi remanet, et quod pullus ille evolat. Quid hoc? Ego Omnipotens, cum oblatio panis et vini super altare nomini meo dedicatum in memoria Filii oblata fuerit, eam mirabiliter virtute et gloria mea illustrans, in corpus et sanguinem Unigeniti mei transfundo.
Quomodo? Ipso miraculo quo Filius meus carnem ex virgine suscepit: etiam oblatio haec in consecratione ista caro et sanguis ejus efficitur. Sed panis et vini species ibi exterioribus oculis visibile cernitur; intus autem sanctitas corporis et sanguinis ejusdem Filii mei invisibiliter manet. Quomodo? Cum Filius meus apud homines esset in mundo apud me etiam erat in coelo: et nunc apud me manens in coelo apud homines etiam manet in terra, sed hoc spirituale et non carnale est. Sic et ego Pater omni creaturae adsum a nulla abstrahens me; sed tu homo ab ea te subtrahis; ut cum in aquam vides, facies tua in ea quidem apparet, sed tamen ita ut nullas vires tuas in illa exercere vales, sed cum te ab ea avertis, amplius in illa non appares. Ego autem in hujusmodi mutabilitate non appareo creaturae, sed adsum veraci ostensione, nec ab ea potestatem meam subtraho, sed in ea fortitudinem voluntatis meae secundum quod mihi placuerit exerceo. Unde etiam in sacramento corporis et sanguinis Filii mei majestatem meam veraciter demonstro; videlicet ab initio secretorum verborum sacerdotis donec ipsum mysterium a populo percipiatur, miracula mea ibi mirabiliter exercens.
Sed et hoc sacerdotale officium, a prima hora diei usque ad nonam horam a fidelibus exerceri potest, secundum quod necessitas temporis in moribus hominum invenerit, quoniam et Adam in mane surgens ad horam nonam seductus est, et quia etiam passio Filii mei in crepusculo diei inchoata, ad horam nonam consummata dignoscitur: ita quod in cruce moriens exspiravit, et morte sua mortem viriliter superavit. Ubi et Ecclesia Unigenito meo assistens, dotem suam ibi suscepit; quod et nunc a filiis ejusdem Ecclesiae celebrandum est. Hoc autem officium a sacerdotibus in sacrificio in jejunio ventris et non in repletione ejus celebrandum est, ne coagulatio escarum spirituale desiderium evacuet; quoniam prius etiam sumi debet spiritualis epulatio, et postea carnalis refectio; et quia etiam spiritus honorandus est, et caro refocillanda. Nam hoc sacramentum spirituali desiderio et non carnali cupiditate accipiendum est: et ideo in jejunio, et non super epulis percipi debet, nisi in necessitate illa, si homo in hac opinione positus est, quod de mundo transiturus sit. Sed Filius meus circa finem diei corpus et sanguinem suum discipulis suis dedit; quoniam eis verum mane vitae attulit. Et quia etiam in consummatione saeculi, morte in hominibus temporaliter transeunte, electi sicut sol in regno meo fulgebunt . Et hoc modo ipse Unigenitus meus resurrectione sua demonstravit animas justorum ab inferno se abstrahere, et genus humanum in restaurationem aeternae vitae se reducere, quam reprobi angeli perdiderunt mortem, nullo alio eis suggerente, appetentes, ita quod a nullo alio insidiatore quam a seipsis seducti sunt; cum nec gustum peccati in seipsis haberet, velut homo in fragilitate corporis sui habet. Unde et homo quando ab insidiante seductus est fragilitatem corporis habens, a sublevante etiam ad vitam reductus est, et diabolus corporalem gravedinem non habens in perversitate sua relictus est.
Sed et homini vera et salubris refectio in perceptione corporis et sanguinis Filii mei data est, ut per hoc sacramentum invisibiliter in anima refocillatus surgat, et invisibili adversario suo viriliter resistat.
Qui autem idem sacramentum in majori aut minori quantitate percipiunt, sic intelligant; quia et ille qui plus et ille qui minus accipit unam eamdemque vim percipiunt, quoniam hoc sacramentum non in quantitate, sed in sanctitate est, ut percipientes secundum fidem ipsorum salvat, ut de manna sic scriptum est: Feceruntque ita filii Israel, et collegerunt, alius plus alius minus, et mensi sunt ad mensuram gomor. Nec qui plus collegerat habuit amplius: nec qui minus paraverat reperit minus, sed singuli juxta id quod edere poterant, congregaverunt . Quid hoc? Supernum sacramentum juxta id quod eis praeceptum est attendunt filii electionis; qui Deum ardenter videre desiderant, et colligunt illud in cordibus suis, secundum doctrinam principalium magistrorum suorum: et secundum id quod ab eis didicerunt scrutantur illud in animabus suis, alius plus devotionis; et alius minus intentionis in secreto cordis sui habens. Unde et cum aestimatione sua metiuntur: secundum id quod in animabus suis sentiunt, discernentes fidem quam in Deum habent, nec eam dividentes, sed ipsam integram habentes, et quanta et quali devotione corpus et sanguinem redemptionis sui percipiant considerantes. Sed idem sacramentum non erit huic sanctius qui plus ex eo perceperit, nec illi contractius qui minus ex eo sumpserit; sed secundum fidem ejus qui illud percipit, ita et eum illuminabit. Quapropter, o homo, in magnitudine percipiendum non est; quia fortissimus Deus tam in parva, quam in magna oblatione hujus mysterii est, et ideo qui illud percipiunt, solum hoc attendant, quod trinum et unum Deum firma et integra fide in corde suo habeant. Et sic quisque fidelis sincero et recto corde secundum id quod possibilitas fidei in ipso exposcit, vires animae suae congregat, cavens ne altius aut profundius divinitatem scrutetur quam sensu aut cogitatione sua capere potest, sed sobrie ut in Spiritu sancto edoctus est; timori Domini subjectus sit, quoniam homo pauper cinis est.
Sed vos, o stulti homines, nolite dubitare an sacramentum istud quod hoc modo vobis demonstratum est, corpus et sanguis Filii mei sit. Recordamini ergo unde Adae carnem et sanguinem creaverit, videlicet de limo terrae. Quid ergo vobis videtur? An possibilius est mihi de oblatione ista facere carnem et sanguinem Filii mei, an de limo terrae facere hominem? Sed vir semen de sanguine suo fundit, et femina suscipit illud. Et quid tunc amplius addunt? Nihil omnino aut in creatione aut in carne infantuli. Quis ergo format hominem in carne et in ossibus, ac in medullis, et in pulchra facie ejus, nisi ego Pater omnium?
Sed pater et mater non habent illam potestatem facere aut creare infantulum, nisi quod tantum in ardente libidine sanguinem suum excutiunt, et postea nullam potestatem in ea formandi habent. Nunquid videre potestis quomodo haec fiant, nisi quod ea cernitis in formis suis? Tu autem, o homo, dicis: Ego non video hanc oblationem carnem esse et sanguinem, ut hominem corpus et sanguinem esse cerno. Ad quod tibi respondeo: Vos vidistis Filium meum in corpore et in sanguine, mortalem in terra: qui nunc immortalis in coelo est, et ideo corporalibus oculis eum modo videre non potestis, nec etiam quomodo caro et sanguis ejus in altari consecretur; quod sacramentum, propter gloriam sacerdotis ibi non fit, sed propter gloriam Unigeniti mei, qui hoc officium cum discipulis suis in coena sua peregit. Sed ut me in claritate mea quandiu mortales estis videre non valetis: sic etiam nec carnem nec sanguinem Filii mei carnalibus oculis vestris carnaliter videtis, secundum quod ea quae invisibilia sunt perspicere non potestis, sed secundum hoc quod mortalis obtutus vester ea quam visibilia sunt visibiliter capere valet.
Hoc autem sacramentum in triplici materia mihi offerendum est. Quomodo? In pane, et vino, et aqua, ob honorem Trinitatis. Unde si de his tribus aliquid defuerit; tunc ibi Trinitas veraciter non colitur, quoniam in vino intelligitur Pater, in pane Filius, et in aqua Spiritus sanctus; ita qui vinum sine pane et sine aqua offert, Patrem colit, sed Filium et Spiritum sanctum negat; aut qui panem sine vino et sine aqua dat, Filium habet, sed Patrem et Spiritum sanctum abjicit; aut qui aqua sine vino et sine pane utitur, Spiritum sanctum attendit, sed Patrem et Filium recusat; aut qui vinum et panem sine aqua dat, Patrem et Filium habet, sed Spiritum sanctum abnuit; aut qui vinum et aquam sine pane offert, Patrem et Spiritum sanctum colit, sed Filium negat; aut qui pane et aqua sine vino utitur, Filium et Spiritum sanctum attendit, sed Patrem recusat. Ergo in hoc sacramento divisio non fiat; quia et ego individuus manens, in tribus personis unus Deus inseparabilis sum, sicut et cogitatio, voluntas et opus in uno homine sunt: sine quibus homo non est. Quod si in isto sacrificio defectus fuerit, ita quod ibi aut panis, aut vinum aut aqua negligitur, vere tunc ille ex cujus negligentia hoc evenit, gravi vindictae subjacebit. Nam si hoc scienter per negligentiam teporis, seu infideliter per dubietatem incredulitatis actum est, illum qui huic reatui subjacet ab oculis meis ejiciam, nisi ipse gravi poenitentia ad se reversus, se ipsum pro hoc graviter poenitendo puniat; vel si hoc ignoranter per negligentiam oblivionis evenit, tunc ille qui in hoc reus est, de hac culpa sua in correctione poenitentiae mihi responsurus est; quoniam acute non pro pexit si haec omnia adessent quae ad sacrificium meum pertinebant. Cum enim Filius meus in cruce pependit, ibi nihil salvationis defuit, quia per effusum sanguinem suum salvationem animarum hominibus attulit, unde nec in hoc mysterio quidquam deesse debet.
Nam sacramentum hoc, sacratissima sanctificatio in omni sanctitate est, et propterea caro ista et sanguis iste omni fide et devotione accipiendus est.
Quicunque hanc sacratissimam carnem accipit, et sanguinem ejusdem mysterii sumere non recuset, quoniam Filius meus supra omnia est mundus, et speculum in virtutibus, ac ideo nobilissimus sanguis ejus est accipiendus, nisi prae simplicitate accipientis sacerdos timeat periculum effusionis, et tunc illo accepturo fiat secundum simplicitatem infantium, quibus esca panis conceditur, et potus vini denegatur, ita et isti haec sacrosancta caro tribuatur: et fluens sanguis subtrahatur, ne majus periculum inde oriatur, et quia etiam illa sacrosancta caro sanguini suo et sanguis ille carni suae in una sanctitate conjunctus est. Quod si homo ille hujus discretionis est, quod possit mysterium custodire, tunc cum ei illa sancta caro ad comedendum datur, tunc et sanguis ejusdem carnis ipsi ad potandum datur. Sacerdos autem qui hoc sacramentum celebrat, diligenter iis indumentis quibus antiqui Patres edocti per Spiritum sanctum ad idem officium indui constituerunt, vestitus sit, et accuratissime verba illa quae Spiritus sanctus eisdem Patribus ad celebrationem hujus mysterii inspiravit attendat: sollicite cavens ne quidquam in eis omittat, devotissime etiam inspiciens, ne exemplum hoc transcendat, ubi Filius meus panem et calicem accepit, et discipulis suis ad manducandum et ad bibendum dedit. Sed qui in indumentis aut in verbis ad hoc officium pertinentibus quidquam per negligentiam oblivionis ignoranter deliquerit, gravi et salubri poenitentia corripiendus est. Attamen misericordiam meam quaerens inveniet, quia transgressionem istam non in voluntate aut in malitia cordis sui perpetravit. Qui vero id scienter aut per indevotionem voluntatis suae, aut per nequitiam cordis sui in eisdem sacramentis transgressus fuerit, huic offensus dicam: Serve nequam, cur non eras sacerdotali veste recte indutus, ut in Spiritu sancto tibi instituerunt antiqui majores magistri tui, in significatione spiritualis officii ut mihi semper ministrant angeli mei? Et cur etiam neglexisti modum verborum illorum quae tibi in Spiritu sancto tradiderunt iidem Patres tui in consecratione corporis et sanguinis Filii mei, ad salutem et gloriam generis humani? Unde qui in hoc reatu culpabilis est, inde mihi responsurus est, si non gravi afflictione poenitendo seipsum punierit.
Sed sacerdos qui epulas istas ad altare meum offert, inde jejunus his epulis non recedat, sed refectionem animae suae in corpore et in sanguine Filii mei percipiat. Quod si novit gravioribus oneribus se gravatum et his epulis indignum, tunc non praesumat ad mensam meam accedere, nec illotus a fetore criminum suorum Filium meum tangere, ut illi et mensam et gloriam nativitatis suae contaminaverunt, qui caput lucentis lucernae crudeliter absciderunt. Quapropter et iste qui ita contaminatus est, varietatem pestis suae summo sacerdoti, scilicet Filio meo ostendat, et etiam coram alio mortali sacerdote se accuset, qui sibi remedium consolationis cum poenitentia demonstret, et sic demum ad officium suum purifactus accedat.
Sed ego Pater omnium, secretam dispositionem sacratissimi colloquii per quod me sacerdos ad altare invocare debet; in multis et in magnis sermonibus esse nolo, sed in recta ordinatione priorum magistrorum, quos donum sancti Spiritus in recta admonitione me invocare edocuit, et hoc in multiplicitate stultae sapientiae esse non debet, sed in simplicitate cordis; quia in multiloquio non delector, sed in puritate cordis illorum, qui me devote quaerunt, et qui me in ardore charitatis benigne amplectuntur. Alias enim electis meis cum me quaerunt gratiam meam secundum vicissitudinem donorum Spiritus sancti impendo: in hoc autem sacramento me totum ipsis ostendo, quoniam Filius meus in me et ego in ipso, et Spiritus sanctus in nobis et nos in ipso et unum in divinitate sumus, sicut et corpus et alia et vires illius unus vivens homo est. Unde qui ad hoc sacramentum accedit, caveat ne ita veniat ut gloriam Divinitatis offendere possit. Sed tu; o homo, dum caeteri homines ad percipiendum ipsum sacramentum ad sacerdotem accedunt, quinque modos in eis consideras, quia illi qui perceptionem divini mysterii a sacerdote suo accipere desiderant, quinque sensus corporis sui a faece peccatorum suorum emundet, et eos a subripiente immunditia, digne et laudabiliter custodiat, ut tanto salubrius idem percipiant. Quapropter etiam ex iis qui ad ipsum sacramentum ut vides accedunt, alii in corpore lucidi et in anima ignei sunt, quoniam ipsi claritatem fidei ad ipsum sacramentum habentes, non dubitant quin verum corpus et verus sanguis Filii mei sit, et ideo dum illud hac fide percipiunt in carne sua vegetantur et sanctificantur, ita ut per hoc mysterium sanctificati, post resurrectionem in eodem corpore suo appareant in coelo, atque in anima sua igneo dono Spiritus sancti transfunduntur et accenduntur; quatenus hac illustratione perfusi, terrena respuant et coelestia desiderent. Quomodo? Quia ut a vento ignis incendium excitatur, sic et isti per sacramentum hoc ut in superno amore ardeant, imbuuntur. Sed alii in corpore pallidi et in anima tenebrosi videntur, quia tepidi in fide, firmam fidem ad idem sacramentum non habent, sed duri sunt sapientiam intelligere, veluti puer cujus opera in stultitia sunt.
Nam foris in auditu auris audiunt, et in tarditate cordis sui ea quae ipsis de ipso sacramento dicuntur non sapiunt, ita quod illa libenter in fide perfecte comprehenderent, sed tamen prae dubietate quae in ipsis est non possunt intueri, quanta sanctitas in illo sit. Unde et in interiori homine tenebris circumdati sunt, quoniam mentem suam sursum ad perfectionem illam elevare non valent, quia in peccatis concepti, prae pendere corporalis fragilitatis ad perfectionem credulitatis illius graves sunt, spiritui tamen plus consentientes ita quod fidem libenter intelligerent si prae tepore cordis sui possent. Qui enim majoribus oneribus peccatorum in operibus suis nondum sunt gravati, hos quamvis veluti invitos spiritui consentire oportet, quoniam anima majorem potestatem adhuc habens, quia nondum in peccatis interempta est, corpus voluntati suae subjicit. Nam haec sunt certamina quae sunt inter corpus et animam; quia anima corpori vult dominari, quoniam ipsi contrarium est quod caro in concupiscentia sua habet quod peccatum est, et corpus dedignatur justitiam quae in desiderio animae est quia ipsa vitam diligit. Quid hoc? Quod mortuum est, mortuum appetit, et quod vivit, vivens diligit. Quomodo? Caro amat peccatum, et anima diligit justitiam, et in hoc sibi adversantur, et raro sibi consentiunt.
Sed ut puer sine labore et sine intellectu sensus sui pascitur et saturatur: ita et isti homines hoc sacramento quasi per ignorantiam vivificantur, quoniam illud nec per infantiam nec per contumaciam dedignantur; sed tantum simplici animo amplectuntur.
Quidam vero in corpore hirsuti in anima multa immunditia humanae pollutionis perfusi sordent, quoniam isti in carne sua turpes et impudici sine pudore existentes, et faece vitiorum se polluentes; ut porcus luto se involvit, hoc modo animam suam diversa sorde peccatorum humanae contagionis inficiendo contaminant. Et cum ipsi in his vitiis sordentes ad sacramentum corporis et sanguinis Filii mei ita illoti accedere non verentur, gravi examinatione pro hac praesumptione sua emundandi sunt. In qua tamen purgatione misericordiam meam eis non denego, quia in mentibus eorum dignam poenitentiam assurgere praevideo. Alii autem in corpore acutissimis spinis septi sunt, et in anima leprosi apparent; quia in corde suo ira, odio et invidia circumdati, lenitatem, dulcedinem, et charitatem his spinis iniquitatis a se expellunt, unde ita mala appetentes, et bona deserentes, atque in irrisione caeteros homines contumelia afficientes, animam suam velut pessimis ulceribus immundam reddunt. Qui cum hoc modo ad divinum mysterium accedunt, seipsos graviter laedunt, sed tamen oculos meos ad eos converto, cum se in amaritudine punientes, gratiam meam poenitendo postmodum requirunt. Quidam vero in corpore sanguinei et in anima velut putridum cadaver fetidi videntur; quoniam ipsi cruenta manu divisionem in hominibus facientes, animam suam quasi putrescente tabe crudelissimae perversitatis, fetidam reddunt, quia timorem meum non inspicientes, hoc quod in homine constitui sua crudelitate destituunt. Unde, si ipsi hac contaminatione coinquinati corpus et sanguinem Filii mei percipere non timent, seipsos gravi laesione dejiciunt, quoniam ita illoti sacramentum hoc contingere praesumunt, sed tamen fons salvationis eos postmodum pertransibit, si digna poenitentia seipsos ab hac nequitia sua lavare studuerint.
Sed ex his omnibus dum quidam eadem sacramenta percipiunt, alii velut igneo splendore perfundunt, alii vero obscura nube obtenebrantur, quia dum credentes ad mysterium corporis et sanguinis Filii mei accedere satagunt, tunc ii qui illud devota mente et pura fide in bonis operibus fulgentes percipiunt, dono Spiritus sancti tam ad salutem corporis quam animae suae illustrantur, et illi qui illud contrario corde et vacillante animo in perversis actibus torpentes sumunt, obscuritatem praesumptivae infelicitatis ad detrimentum sui, et exterius et interius sibi ipsis inducunt, quoniam huic sanctitati illoti temere se conjungere praesumpserunt. Nam homo qui tam rebellis et contumax est quod non timet se polluere, aut simplici fornicatione in visceribus proprii corporis sui tactu et delectatione, aut se contaminare duplici fornicatione educens semen suum cum viro aut cum muliere, aut se discerpere ira, odio et invidia cum caeteris hominibus, aut se cruentare homicidio in sibi occursantibus, et ita illotus et incorrectus temere praesumit accedere ad corpus et sanguinem Filii mei sine purgatione confessionis, et sine poenitentia correctionis, ille scienter et intelligenter judicialem ignem culpa sua ingreditur. Quomodo? De hac praesumptione et peccato suo ut aurum in fornace examinabitur, ita quod nullus pulvis hujus praesumptionis in eo relinquetur, qua pollutus et incorrectus ad communionem innocentis Agni accessit. Qui enim ita illotus ut dictum est ad sanctificationem corporis et sanguinis Filii mei accesserit, et ita sacramentum illud sumpserit, ad judicium sibi hoc sumit. Quomodo? Sicut Paulus amantissimus meus dicit: Ita quicunque manducaverit panem vel biberit calicem Domini indigne, reus erit corporis et sanguinis Domini. Probet autem se ipsum homo, et sic de pane illo edat et de calice bibat.
Qui enim manducat et bibit indigne judicium sibi manducat et bibit, non dijudicans corpus Domini. Ideo inter vos multi infirmi et imbecilles, et dormiunt multi . Quid hoc? Vere dico vobis: Qui comederit panem vitae, vel qui sumpserit poculum salutis quod sacramentum illius est qui Dominus coeli et terrae est, ita quod hoc indigne tractet sordens scilicet in peccatis, in hoc culpam suam sentiet. Quomodo? Quia corpus et sanguinem Domini sui id est Salvatoris mundi, mordaciter et moribunde accipit, cum pronus ad malum et pollutus immunditia, et oblitus timoris Domini, ita contaminatus palatium salutiferae redemptionis aggreditur. Unde et homicidium ibi facit. Quomodo?
Quoniam in multis vulneribus se ipsum confodit, cum sine detersione et sine lavatione poenitentiae crimina sua celans, sacramentum hoc temere tractat. Quapropter et ego illi dico: O miserrime et amarissime, quomodo audebas in lacum tantae miseriae Dominum tuum mittere, quem semper desiderant coelestes cives inspicere. Unde amara poenitentia in corpore et in anima tua examinaberis: ita ut si reatum tuum non correxeris, post resurrectionem mortuorum correptio ista in te inveniatur.
Et ideo fideli inspectione probet seipsum homo ille qui hic purgator sui esse voluerit, et sic hac devotione considerationis suae de pane illo sanctitatis accipiat, et de poculo illo suavitatis gustet, ut ita ad indeficientem refectionem perveniens esuriem debilitatis animae effugiat. Nam qui hoc sacramentum male tractaverit, et a sorde iniquitatis se non purgans illud indigne sumpserit, judicium ultionis sibi imponit, quia illud impurgatus manducat et bibit; non tamen in hac praesumptione sua laedere aut offuscare mysterium praevalens, sed seipsum condemnans. Et quia in vitiis sordentes ita ad sacramentum hoc accedere praesumitis, ideo sunt in vestro consortio multi infirmi, scilicet illi qui sanctitate ista medicinam animae quaerere nolunt, sed qui sibi ipsis amarissimam infirmitatem in eisdem sacramentis imponunt, quoniam ea sibi ad judicium sumunt. Et etiam multi imbecilles, videlicet illi qui in lege Dei ita debiles sunt, quae nullo modo inspicere volunt, quis ille sit quem tam indigne suscipiunt. Quid hoc? Quia nolunt considerare quomodo Dominum suum timere et venerari debeant, aut quomodo amara poenitentia carnem suam puniant, quam ita in vitiis enutrierunt. Sed quoniam ita negligentes sunt, idcirco etiam in oblivione hujus negligentiae obdormiunt multi nescientes nec scire volentes quomodo peccata sua deflere debeant, velut homo cum in dormitione somni est, nescit nec intelligit quid vel quomodo in corpore suo sit. Unde tu, homo, cum nec in confessionibus, nec in poenitentia per te purgatus, corpus et sanguinem Filii mei illotus accipis, tunc in tremenda exquisitione de hac praesumptione sordis peccatorum tuorum ita examinaberis, ut et mustum de immunditia illa quam in se habet purgatur, cum eam in fervore suo ab se ejicit.
Idem quoque sacramentum tanta diligentia et sollicitudine a sacerdote et a populo tractandum et custodiendum est: ne a quoquam ita negligatur, ut super terram neglectum projiciatur. Quia si per torporem neglectum super terram ceciderit, contumaciam illam per zelum meum, aut in terra, aut in homine ulciscor, nisi ipse homo poenitentia et amaris verberibus se puniat; quoniam caro et sanguis carnem et sanguinem restituere debet. Quomodo? Caro et sanguis hominis in homine lugebunt; quae caro et sanguis Filii mei negligenter ab homine tractata sunt, sicut et tunc terra contremuit, et ut homines in timore concussi sunt: cum Filius meus in cruce positus spiritum tradidit. Sed si tu, o homo, in instabilitate cordis tui in te ipso dixeris: Quomodo oblatio ista in altari corpus et sanguis Filii mei efficiatur, tunc et ego respondebo tibi: Cur hoc, o homo, interrogas, et quare haec sciscitaris? Num haec a te requiro? Quid scrutaris secreta mea de corpore et sanguine Filii mei? Nec ista a te requirenda sunt, sed tantum in magno timore et veneratione ea suscipiens, diligenter custodi, et amplius de hoc mysterio noli haesitare.
Nam me tam temere non debes tentare. Et quid haec ad te? Sed in certissima fide require me. Cum enim totam fidem tuam inspexero, tunc non quaero a te quid sit corpus et sanguis Filii mei, vel quomodo mysterium hoc in altari consecretur. Et quis quaerit a te, o homo, an in igne ardorem ignis non sentias? Nullus. Sic nec tu in secretis meis temere require me, ne inde laedaris. Quod, si ea cum devotione animi tui quaerere volueris, tunc ea in oratione, et fletu et jejunio diligenter quaerere, sicut et antiqui Patres tui illa certissime quaesierunt, et frequenter eis revelata sunt.
Cumque illa hoc modo scrutatus fueris, et inveneris, tunc quod reliquum est, Spiritui sancto relinques. Sed qui ad sacramenta haec accedunt, non per devia sed per rectam viam veniant; ne ab eis projecti, magnum casum animae patiantur. Quomodo? Nam pessimus deceptor, qui sine electione et sine consecratione principalis unctionis cathedram pastoralis officii fallaciter sibi usurpaverit, et nequissimus raptor qui pastorem suum expellens per sibyllos sibi consentientium cathedram ejus violenter invaserit: isti aut per seipsos sua voluntate gravi vindictae subjacebunt, aut per zelum meum gravem sententiam inde sustinebunt; quia in pessima amaritudine ipsi sunt illum imitantes, qui in seipso maximum honorem habere volens, ab omni gloria felicitatis in mortem dejectus est; et quia etiam Baal sequuntur, qui sibi ita illusit, quod se Deum fallaciter nominans, in dissipationem datus est. Et si in hac perversitate mendacii et praesumptionis suae sacros meos dare se simulaverint, tunc illi qui ab eis hoc modo potius inficiuntur quam deliniantur, ita in conspectu meo computantur, veluti ii a populo derisui habentur quos pueri in jocis et in ludis suis sibi jocularias personas constituunt. Sed ut hoc in hominibus vanum est, ita et istud apud me ludibrium est, quod hujusmodi invasores in deceptione sua se facere simulant. Unde, quia aedificatio eorum prava esse probatur, stare non potest, quoniam casura est. Et ideo si in templo meo quidquam in sacris ordinibus aedificare visi sunt, delendum est; quia justitiam non habens, frivolum esse dignoscitur.
Ergo ab hac temeritate sua resipiscant: ne in poenis consortes illius fiant, qui dum plus quaereret quam deberet, ab altitudine in profunditatis abyssum missus est. Sed et ille laniator, qui unctionem sacerdotalis officii non habens per insaniam mentis suae ita furiose ad altare meum accedit, tanquam illusor sim, aut joculator, hic mensam nomini meo consecratam temere tangens, sacram videlicet oblationem offerre volens, quod sui officii non est, Filium meum duro cruciatu vulnerare non timet. Quomodo? Ut incredulus sua incredulitate Deum invadit, et ut vesanus sua insania in ignem currit: sic iste me Deum nesciens, nec ardentem ignem me sentiens, timorem meum abjicit, nec mansuetudinem meam diligit; sed Filium meum vulnerat, cum non unctis labiis sermonem illum dilaniat, quem ipse Unigenitus meus sponsae suae contulit, cum ei corpus et sanguinem suum in dotem dedit. Unde huic tam temere eum invadenti dicitur: Quis tangit Filium meum tam contumax et non unctus? Sed iste qui hoc modo ad altare meum accedit, quoties Filium meum praedicto secreto sermone invocare praesumit, toties eum vulnerare contendit; non quod eum ita ullo dolore cruciet, sed quia eum tam praesumptuose tangere non timet. Qui, si in hoc contemptu sine poenitentia permanserit, inter illos in poenis stabit, qui Filium meum sine causa vulnerarunt. Quapropter ne haec tormenta sentiat, lamentationem afflictionis sibi assumat, ita tamen ne amodo ad ministerium altaris mei accedere praesumat.
Caeteri autem qui sub sacerdote in servitio ecclesiastici officii ministrare contendunt, caveant ne sine modo justitiae eidem ministerio appropiare praesumant, ne si rectitudinem illam sibi fallaciter usurpaverint, tunc informes et impoliti inventi a constructione ecclesiasticae aedificationis justo judicio ejiciantur. Volo enim ut ministri mei, sine dolo et sine sorde in conspectu meo mundi appareant. Quomodo? Ut recta electione ad altare meum accedant, et tunc etiam ibi sine immunditia mihi assistant. Quomodo? Ne ad saecularem copulationem respiciant, quia spiritualem elegerunt. Quomodo? Quia servitutem meam adierunt.
Sed si quis eorum ardenti libidine carnis suae utitur, corpus suum abstinentia et jejunio maceret, atque frigore se et flagellis castiget. Quod si tandem in pollutionem mulieris labitur, tunc contaminationem illam velut ardentem ignem et mortiferum venenum fugiat, atque amara poenitentia vulnera sua detergat; quoniam volo ut mihi in castitate serviatur. Quomodo? Quia et Filius meus castissimus erat, qui et hos omnes ecclesiasticos ordines in se ipso demonstrabat. Quomodo? Videlicet obsequendo, precando et offerendo. Quomodo? Quoniam et circumcisio eum suo obsequio tetigit, et prophetia eum suo clamore demonstravit, ac ipse per se ipsum hominibus praedicavit, et tandem vivum sacrificium in ara crucis se obtulit.
Et quia ipse se ipsum in castitate holocaustum dedit, sic et illi castitatem ejus imitentur qui ei ad altare holocaustum offerre conantur; qui tamen non solum castitatem in aliis tenebunt, sed et in se ipsis eam conservabunt. Quomodo? Ut sacerdos a contagione mulieris se custodire debet: sic etiam a seipso se contineat, scilicet cavens ne tactu manuum suarum pollutionem de se educat, ita ne strepitus libidinis in ipso aerumnose tumultuet. Nam crimen Adae hominibus mortem inferens, in ipsis sensus fornicationis excitavit, et ideo carnem suam homines constringant ne casibus mortis turpiter subjaceant. Quomodo? Quia Filius meus mortem superavit, et ipsis vitam dedit. Qui quoniam in integritate virginalis pudicitiae carnem assumpsit, idcirco etiam casti esse debent, qui ipsi famulari desiderant ut ex divino praecepto scriptum est: Estote parati in diem tertium, et ne appropinquetis uxoribus vestris . Quid hoc?
Qui Deo singulariter servire vultis, estote cum voluntate cordis vestri parati in diem serenitatis illius, ubi sancta et ineffabilis Trinitas veraciter apparens mirabilia sua in magno miraculo demonstrat. Et ideo, si ibi Deo digne appropiare vultis, cavete ne carnali affectu vos conjungatis, carnalibus copulis videlicet, ne sanguinem vestrum sanguini fragilioris aestimationis commisceatis. Quod vos, o sacerdotes et caeteri ministri mei, qui sub spirituali nomine militatis, cavere debetis; quia etiam nec apostoli quos subsecuti estis, se in diversa dividebant, nec vobis tale exemplum relinquebant. Nolo enim ut duae copulae scilicet spiritualis et carnalis studii in sacerdotibus sint; quoniam sacerdos justitiam Dei sibi copulabit, ita ut uxor ejus sit, cum qua caeteros populos enutriet et docebit, ut pater filios suos educare et docere solet. Et quomodo aptum esset ut sacerdos duas copulas in recta mensura exerceret: quae sibi in diversitate contrariae sunt. Quomodo? Una carnalis et alia spiritualis.
Et cum sacerdos pastor et pater illorum hominum sit qui carnale conjugium habent, si tunc ipse aequali modo possideret, quis tunc ipsius sacerdos esse deberet? Nullum alium sacerdotem habere posset qui ipsi praeesset, quam diabolum qui sacerdos illius esse deberet, quoniam et eum venenum sub melle abscondentem imitatus fuisset. Quomodo? Quoniam ut diabolus malum sub bono abscondit, ita etiam hujusmodi sacerdotes qui turpitudinem suam magis sequuntur quam castitatem diligant, carnalem copulationem sub spirituali conjugio, quasi venenum sub melle celare nituntur. Sed quia Filius meus totus in castitate est: ideo etiam et hi castitatem amare debent, qui corpus et sanguinem ejus in altari tangunt; quemadmodum scriptum est: Sacerdos, et scortum et vile prostibulum non ducet uxorem, nec eam quae repudiata est a marito, quia consecratus est Deo suo, et panes propositionis offert . Quid hoc? Ille qui ad hoc positus est, ut sacrificium Deo offerat, injustitiam diaboli qui in omni spurcitia totius iniquitatis communis auctor est non diligat, nec etiam sensus suos ita viliter dejiciat, ut cum jugum meum ferre vult, voluntatem carnis suae contra justitiam Dei et contra exempla antiquorum sanctorum turpiter amplectendo sequatur, ne ita immunditiam illam quae repudiata est ab eisdem antiquis Patribus suis (cum eam de flatu antiqui serpentis esse cognoscerent) in contumeliosis actibus perficiat. Has ergo sordes ipse deserens, amator justitiae Dei sit; quoniam in sanctitate consecratus Deo suo est, videlicet a carnalibus concupiscentiis in operibus nascentium filiorum abstractus.
Unde ita sobrius et impollutus existens, panem illum qui pro salute hominum in mensa consecrationis ponitur, offerre potest. Quid hoc? Scilicet quia sacrificium illud quod est vita viventium, et refectio animarum, speculumque omnium virtutum, quae per sanctam innocentiam in forma castitatis perspicuae sunt, ab omni sorde mundissimum est. Quapropter et illi qui idem sacrificium oblaturi sunt, sine spurcitia pollutionum esse debent, se etiam continentes ab epulatione et ebrietate, a joco, a risu, atque a levibus et incompositis moribus; sed sint in reverentia illa, ut successoribus antiquorum patrum de quibus plantati sunt convenit, et in dignitate illa ut honorabiles patronos decet. Et etiam ita vivant ne sint duplices in duabus personis, id est ne simul in saeculari et in spirituali via ambulent, quia difficile est duobus dominis simul famulari, ut etiam Filius meus in Evangelio testatur dicens: Nemo potest duobus dominis servire . Quid hoc? Nullus qui mortalem tunicam indutus est, valet prae teneritudine sensus et corporis sui duobus dominis pariter et aequali obsequio servitium exhibere. Quid hoc?
Quia non potest domino rectitudinis et domino injustitiae simul famulari. Quare? Quoniam rectitudo justitiam abjicit, et injustitia rectitudinem impugnat. Sic etiam sacerdos non potest simul et pari devotione habere ancillam et dominam, videlicet carnalem copulam et spirituale consortium; quia haec duo in perfectione simul esse non valent. Quoniam illud quod carnale est, impugnat hoc quod spirituale est, et spirituale deprimit illud quod carnale est. Quod et Paulus amicus meus cognoscens, illud ita esse voluntate mea demonstrat, cum dicit: Oportet ergo episcopum irreprehensibilem esse, unius uxoris virum . Quid hoc? Necesse est ut ille qui caeteris hominibus in officio spiritualis magisterii praeeminet, ita vitam suam constituat, ne scandalum offensionis et reprehensionis in eo inveniatur.
Quomodo? Quia sacerdos duas personas habere non debet, ita ut simul maritus carnalis uxoris et vir spiritualis conjugis sit; sed unius uxoris vir, scilicet Ecclesiae in sanctitate erit, quae unica in Filio meo est, quoniam una Ecclesia in ipso surrexit. Sed haec quamvis una sit, tamen plurimos maritos habet; quia cum sacerdotibus Filii mei qui quotidie in officio ipsius sunt nuptias peragit; virgo tamen in integritate sua permanens, quoniam in ipsa fides incorrupta est. Quapropter et idem Paulus vas meum non dixit ut haec uxor unius mariti esset, quia sacerdotibus illis qui usque ad novissimum diem in eodem Unigenito meo surgunt conjuncta est, usque dum etiam nuptiae illae veniant, quae nunquam ulla mortalitatis instabilitate deficiant; sed et illi qui sub sacerdotibus in servitio altaris mei proxime ministrant, ejusdem uxoris mariti sunt, quemadmodum idem Paulus fidelem doctrinam hominibus per me praebens locutus est, dicens: Diaconi sint unius uxoris viri, qui filiis suis bene praesint, et suis domibus . Quid hoc? Isti qui sui juvaminis obsequio sacerdotibus assistunt, sint unius uxoris fideli conjunctione mariti. Et quae est uxor illa? Videlicet castissima sponsa quae nulla corruptione laedi potest, ut mulier illa corrumpitur quae virginitatis florem et innocentiam suam perdit quam in initio desponsationis suae habet, cum adhuc cum sponso suo incorrupta manet.
Unde et isti desponsatores cum hac uxore justitiae tam fideliter conversentur, ut et iis qui adjutorio eorum in spiritu et aqua regenerati sunt, bona exempla virtutum praebeant, ut et etiam officio suo quod ad munimen ecclesiasticae mansionis pertinet, fideli sollicitudine insudent, quemadmodum saecularis homo filiis suis et domni suae omnem devotionem procurationis suae intendit. Sponsam enim istam ostendit Paulus amicus meus sacerdotibus et caeteris ministris altaris mei, quatenus illam sibi in uxorem eligerent, et carnalem conjugem non appeterent. Nam nec idem Paulus, nec caeteri discipuli filii mei, nec reliqui Patres scilicet eorum sequaces hoc exemplum per semetipsos illis dabant, ut carnalem conjugem acciperent, et illam desererent quam sibi prius in spiritualem uxorem elegerant. Sacerdos enim qui tam contumax in peccato est ut mulierem secundum voluntatem carnis suae illicite accipiat, adulterium perpetrat; quoniam rectam uxorem suam, id est Ecclesiam quae sibi spirituali officio desponsata erat deserit, et aliam secundum libitum mentis suae impudice ducit. Sed quamvis sibi difficile sit ut in hoc ardore se constringat, tamen propter supernum amorem a concupiscentiis istis se contineat, ut etiam Filius meus in Evangelio hortatur, dicens: Sunt etiam eunuchi qui de matris utero sic nati sunt, et sunt eunuchi qui facti sunt ab hominibus, et sunt eunuchi qui seipsos castraverunt propter regnum coelorum; qui potest capere capiat . Quid hoc? Quoniam sunt aliqui homines qui de materno utero ita egressi sunt, quod prae frigiditate vel imbecillitate corporis sui conjuges habere non possunt. Unde propter hanc continentiam suam, utilitatem mercedis non accipient, nisi quod solum de opere illius peccati poenas non sustinebunt; quia de peccato quod non perpetraverunt poenas non habebunt.
Et sunt alii homines qui per voluntatem aliquorum hominum ita in corpore suo debilitati sunt, quod voluptatem carnis suae in hoc conjugali opere exercere non valent; sed et ipsi ita se continentes gloriam laudis inde non merentur, quoniam quamvis hoc opus incendii perficere non possunt, tamen in voluntate sua multoties ardorem turpitudinis sentiunt. Et sunt alii homines scilicet spiritualem vitam aggredientes qui sibimetipsis hoc subtrahunt, quod facile cum corpore suo perficere possent; quoniam propter gloriam supernae haereditatis carnalem copulam contemnunt, nec eam habere volunt, et ideo maximam laudem cum mercede beatae remunerationis inde habebunt. Quapropter et eos sacerdotes mei, et omnes ad officium altaris mei pertinentes plenissima voluntate sua imitari debent, ut coronam continentiae cum maximo tripudio superni gaudii percipiant. Et ideo quicunque in voluntate cordis sui potest hoc exemplum capere, ita quod pleno desiderio beatitudinis corpus suum superare valet, et concupiscentias carnales abjicere, ille cum ardentissima devotione capiat coeleste consortium, in constrictione carnis suae carnalem copulam fideliter relinquens.
Qui autem se non valet continere qui in voluntate carnis suae ardeat, hic nec propter personam superbiae, nec propter appetitum divitiarum, sacerdos aut alius minister sacerdotalis gradus fiat ne, si postea in delectatione carnis suae ceciderit, magnum detrimentum sui sentiat. Nam ipsi corpus suum a contagione feminarum continebunt, qui ad ministerium altaris mei accedere solent; nec qualibet occasione matrimonia conjugiorum sibi copulabunt, sed et sua voluntate et servitii mei rectitudine se caste continebunt, alioquin sanctum servitium in altari meo vitare debent. Quod tamen servitium quamvis quibusdam hominibus, qui se prius saeculo subjugaverant, aliquando concessum fuisse reperiatur; tamen in illis apparuisse cernitur qui ante susceptum et non post susceptum servitium meum carnali jugo se supposuerant, ita tamen quod eodem jugo ab eis postmodum absciso, deinde in ipsis Spiritus sanctus praeconia laudis in mirabilibus suis operatus est, cum hoc in primordio surgentis Ecclesiae propter paucitatem sacerdotum in miraculo concessum sit; sed nunc ipsa adulta et bene confortata, ministris ejus multiplicatis, juxta id quod ecclesiastica censura de eadem causa ostendit praecavendum est, secundum hoc exemplum, quoniam ab initio nascentis mundi masculis feminas de proxima stirpe suam ducere ob raritatem hominum concessum est, quod tamen nec ipsis dilatatis prohibendum est. Quia etiam informes et impoliti lapides in fundamentum aedificii poni solent, cum tamen postea pulchri et bene compositi lapides in muro parietum ejus exquirantur: ita etiam in infantia Ecclesiae sacerdotes secundum quod tunc inveniri poterant, in officium illud positi sunt: sed modo in spirituali populo plenus numerus illorum reperitur qui ad sacerdotalem officium apti sunt ita quod saeculari onere terrenae copulationis occupati non sunt. Quoniam non expedit ut paterfamilias qui praeceptum in saeculari conjugio suscipit, nuntius meus in sacerdotio vocetur. Unde audi similitudinem hanc: Rex quidam multa fortitudine pollens parvum exercitum congregaverat, quem cum diligenter intuitus esset, rudem eum ad exercitium laboris videns, ex eo quemdam cum quibusdam aliis communis plebis tollens quos idoneos ad procurationem prospexit, eidem exercitui praefecit, quia excellens germen hujus nobilitatis nondum maturum erat. Sed cum deinde jam idem exercitus augmentum sui coepisset, et cum jam in eo nobiles adulti fuissent, rex ille quodque jus in illo exercitu bene et ordinate disposuit, ac duces et praesides ex nobilioribus illis ei secundum quamque justitiam praefecit. Quid hoc?
Rex coelestis cujus fortitudo super omnes est, in plantatione Ecclesiae modicum agmen credentium coadunaverat. Quod acutissima exquisitione perscrutans infirmum et debile illud adhuc ad sustentandum corporales passiones pro ejus nomine consideravit, et ita Petrum qui unus ex ipso existens prius in terrenis actibus conversatus fuerat, atque post eum aliquos alios qui etiam aliquando succum terrae gustaverant a sorde temporalium rerum emundans, quoniam eos sagaces et fideles, et ad curam animarum, et ad sustentationem corporum in plantatione sua esse praenovit, fidem catholicam amplectentes, in officio districtionis et relaxationis praetulit; quia rutilans aurora in ardore castitatis humana contagia exurens, nondum flores suae dulcedinis in hominibus late diffuderat. Sed jam multitudine ecclesiastici germinis per circuitus totius mundi late disseminata, et gloria ecclesiastici honoris jam nobiliter confortata, idem rex supernus tam saecularia quam spiritualia dona hominibus benignissima et decentissima dispositione inspiravit, atque sacerdotes et caeteros ministros divinorum officiorum sobrietatem et castitatem suam ecclesiastico juri secundum justitiam Dei honestissime conservantes instituit. Unde, o homo, quia jam inter spirituales homines multi exorti sunt qui contra saeculum et contra diabolum militare laborant et qui in castitate et constrictione corporis sui ad altare meum accedere festinant, volo ut sacerdotes mei sine contagione terrenae copulae in conspectu meo appareant. Nam cum in veteri Testamento sacerdotibus praeceptum sit ut cum ad altare meum accederent se a contagione mulierum continerent, hoc totum in novo Testamento sacerdotibus meis ad plenam perfectionem perductum est, ita ut quod illi veteres quasi una hora in castitate cavebant, hoc isti novi ab initio pueritiae suae usque ad finem senectutis suae compleant. Et cum de veteribus sacrificium in conjunctione mulieris pollutum suscipere nolui, multo magis de novis sacerdotibus Filium meum in castitatis officio tractari volo.
Nec quisquam immaturus et inconsecratus ecclesiam suscipiat, nec etiam plures ecclesias appetere praesumat, ne si in aetate pueritiae aut sine consecratione sacerdotalis officii ecclesiam suscipere praesumpserit, vel unam habens etiam plures sibi subjugare tentaverit, praevaricator justitiae in hoc existens gravissimae districtionis judicio discutiatur, velut ille qui ante legitimum tempus, vel sine legitima desponsatione fornicari non timet, vel legitimam uxorem habens, se polluere cum aliis in adulterio festinat. Sed et de omni populo qui est in Christiano nomine sacerdotes sapientis ingenii et virilis animi eligendi sunt: ita tamen ut recto ordine, et justa unctione atque voluntario animo ad servitutem meam veniant. Hoc tamen esse non debet ut ii ad officium altaris mei accedant, qui in aliquo membrorum suorum debilitate claudicant; quia nec etiam in regno coelorum ulla macula diversorum vulnerum in animabus hominum apparebit. Et ideo nolo ut altari meo assistant qui aliquo membrorum suorum destituti sunt. Sed quamvis ipsi in corporibus suis debiles sint: tamen pro hac destitutione membrorum suorum a regno coelorum non separabuntur, si tamen sanitatem animarum suarum habeant, ita si in puritate bonorum operum me quaerunt; nolo tamen ut ministerio altaris mei fungantur, sed ut efficaciam bonorum operum humiliter operentur. Sic etiam nec feminae ad idem officium altaris mei debent accedere, quoniam ipsae infirmum et debile habitaculum sunt, ad hoc positae ut filios pariant, et eos parientes diligenter enutriant. Sed femina, non per semetipsam, sed de viro infantem concipit, sicut nec terra per semetipsam, sed per agricolam aratur. Quapropter ut terra semetipsam arare non potest, ita nec femina in officio consecrationis corporis et sanguinis Filii mei sacerdoti comparanda est, quamvis in laude Creatoris sui sonare possit, ut et terra ad irrigationem fructuum pluviam suscipit.
Et ut terra omnem fructum profert, ita etiam et in femina omnis fructus boni operis perficitur. Quomodo? Quia summum sacerdotem: sponsum accipere potest. Quomodo? Virgo desponsata Filio meo sponsum eum accipit: quoniam corpus suum carnali viro conclusit, et ideo in sponso meo sacerdotium et omne ministerium altaris mei habet, atque omnes divitias ipsius cum eo possidet. Sed et vidua ejusdem Filii mei sponsa potest appellari, quae carnalem virum renuens sub alas protectionis ejus fugit. Et ut sponsus sponsam suam valde diligit, sic etiam Filius meus sponsas suas dulcissime amplectitur, quae ad eum amore castitatis sollicite currunt. Sed et nullo modo vir femineo vestitu induatur, nec femina viri habitu utatur, ut hoc modo utraque persona discernatur; scilicet ut vir virilem fortitudinem in se demonstret, et ut femina femineam infirmitatem in se ostendat.
Quoniam hoc ab initio humani generis ita in dispositione mea est: nisi aut vir in periculo mortis, aut femina in periculo castitatis sit. Tunc si ad horam illam aut vir secundum feminam, aut femina secundum virum vestitum suum humiliter in timore mortis mutaverint, cum misericordiam meam de hoc facto suo quaesierint eam invenient; quia illud non in temeritate, sed in periculo salutis suae fecerunt. Et quoniam femina virili habitu vestiri non debet: ideo etiam ad officium altaris mei non accedet; quia virilem personam nec in capillis nec in vestitu suo demonstrabit.
Qui autem ad altare meum accedunt, in castitate in conspectu meo appareant. Et non solum isti: sed et caeteri qui sacramentum corporis et sanguinis Filii mei percipere desiderant, ne se ip os in casum ruinae mittant. Sed multi tam inter spirituales quam inter saeculares inveniuntur qui se non solum fornicatione mulierum polluunt, sed etiam in contrarietate fornicationis se contaminantes, gravissimum onus districti judicii sibi imponunt. Quomodo? Vir qui secundum modum feminae cum alio viro peccaverit, amare contra Deum peccat, et contra conjunctionem illam qua Deus masculum et femi am conjuxit. Unde etiam ambo coram Deo polluti, nigri, atque luxuriosi; horribiles ac molesti Deo et hominibus, et rei mortis apparent; quia contra Creatorem suum, creaturam quae in ipsis est destituunt. Quomodo? Deus virum et feminam conjunxit, scilicet hoc quod forte et infirmum erat simul copulavit, ut alterum ab altero sustentaretur.
Sed isti contrarium adulteri, cum virilem fortitudinem suam in mollitiem contrarietatis transferunt, rectam institutionem maris et feminae abjicientes, Satanam in perversitate sua turpissime subsequuntur, qui illum qui individuus est scindere et dividere in superbia sua volunt. Nam ipsi alienum et contrarium adulterium in perversis artibus suis in semetipsis constituunt, et ideo in conspectu meo polluti et contumeliosi apparent. Qui autem eodem modo in hanc contraria fornicatione peccaverit cum muliere, voracissimus lupus in ista perversitate sua est. Quomodo? Nam ut homo ille contrarius et molestus esset hominibus, qui pulcherrimas et mundissimas epulas habens eas abjiceret, et stercus quod in egestione hominis egreditur comederet: ita etiam et isti indigni et immundi coram me sunt; quoniam rectam institutionem conjunctionis in muliere deserunt, et alienam praevaricationem in ea quaerunt. Sed et femina quae has diabolicas artes rapit quod se virili officio cum altera femina conjugari simulat, vilissima in conspectu meo apparet, simul et illa quae se huic in tam contumelioso facinore subjicit. Quia cum verecundiam ad passionem suam habere deberent, alienum jus sibi impudice usurpaverunt. Et quoniam in extraneum modum se transmutaverunt, idcirco transpositae et contemptibiles mihi sunt.
Illi quoque mares qui cum tactu praeputii sui semen suum educunt, magnum casum animae suae imponunt; quia in hac inquietudine se omnino concutiunt, et ideo velut immunda animalia quae catulos suos devorant, coram me apparent. Quoniam semen suum perverse excutientes, illud ad contumeliosam pollutionem deducunt. Quos et feminae impudico tactu imitantes, cum in incentivo ardere ardentis libidinis in constrictione corporis sui semetipsas fatigant, valde culpabiles exinde sunt, quia cum in castitate se continere deberent, se in immunditia polluunt. Unde tam feminae quam viri qui proprio tactu corporis sui semen suum de se excutiunt, in hac sorde sua ulceribus et vulneribus semetipsos in animabus suis inficiunt, cum propter amorem meum in officio castitatis se constringere noluerunt. Quid hoc? Quia cum homo stimulum carnis suae se pungere senserit: in cavernam continentiae currat, et scutum castitatis apprehendat, atque ita se ab immunditia defendat. Quomodo? Zizania de tritico ejiciat, id est strepitum libidinis a suavitate castitatis separet.
Unde quisquis gustum libidinis sic a se projecerit: valde dulcis et amabilis mihi est. Sed vos, o homines, castitatem abjicitis et libidinem amatis, cum etiam non solum fornicatores hominum, sed etiam fornicatores pecorum estis ita quod semen vestrum non in illud quod vivit, sed in illud quod mortuum est mittitis, et quod consortem vestri deseritis, et illud quod vobis in servitute subjectum est appetitis. Quapropter clamant super vos elementa dicentia: Heu! heu! nostri dominatores miscent se nobis in commistione seminis sui. Et ita de indignatione mea in operibus vestris tristitiam se habere demonstrant. Cur ergo intelligibilem intellectum vestrum in pecualem stultitiam vertitis, cum scitis vos homines esse? Nunquid creavi vos ad juncturam pecorum?
Nequaquam. Et quoniam illis vos conjungitis, idcirco amarissima consortia nefandorum criminum cadent super vos, quia institutionem meam in junctura maris et feminae contomnitis. Nam quisquis in actibus suis se ita transmutat, quod hoc facit quod facere concupiscit, videlicet quod se ita destituit, quod semen suum cum pecore effundit, hic maximam ruinam sibi inducit, ut etiam Satanas semetipsum per adversitatem suam dejecit cum similis Deo e se voluit. Quapropter vos omnes qui perverso usu in diversis hujusmodi pollutionibus vos contaminatis: concupiscentiae vestrae resistite, et corpora vestra castigantes amarissimam et veram poenitentiam cum planctu magno et jejunio ac maceratione carnis vestrae atque cum diris verberibus facite, ne in cumulum crudelissimi reatus vos impoenitentes mittatis.
Non solum autem volo ut homines a vigilanti immunditia se emundent, sed ut etiam a pollutione illa quae ipsis dormientibus occurrerit se digne purgent. Nam si dormienti homini commotio seminis in somnis subrepserit; nolo ut ita in ardenti calore illo in sacramento officii altaris mei accedat, quousque ardor ille in eo sedetur, ut scriptum est: Si fuerit inter vos homo qui nocturno pollutus sit somno, egredietur extra castra; et non revertetur priusquam ad vesperam lavetur aqua, et post solis occasum regredietur in castra . Quid hoc? Si est inter vos qui servitio meo insudatis homo qui per noctem polluitur in somno dormitionis suae, separet se de congregatione sanctitatis illius quae ad altare meum pertinet, ita ut se mysterio illi conjungere non praesumat, antequam, abeunte noxio calore, illo emundetur lavacro poenitentiae in confessione et compunctione cordis de incendio libidinis suae. Et tunc, poenitentia illa quae cor ipsius ita illustraverat peracta, redeat in amore castitatis ad illos qui se fideliter ab immunditia pollutionis defendunt, et sacramentum illud quod totum in sanctitate est digne et honorifice adeat. Sed homo ille qui tam dormiendo quam vigilando fortiter in libidine ardet, caveat ne ardori suo incendium subministret. Quomodo? Scilicet escis illis quae sibi succum libidinis offerunt, se non inflammet, sed a carnibus illis quae sine tegmine nudae de matribus suis, id est de pecoribus, egressae sunt humiliter abstineat; quia in ipsis fervor ardoris est, qui tantus non est in carne volucrum quae sine tegmine non egreditur, sed cum tegmine teste fracto ovo nascitur.
Unde etiam minus incendium in ipsa est. Sed et ab immoderato vino se abstineat, ne in superfluitate potato, venae ipsius noxio sanguine repletae, in ardore incendii turpiter incalescant. Si quis autem in superfluitate causarum istarum laborat, sibimetipsi resistere per se non valens, devotissima intentione me quaerat, ac vulnera cordis sui humillima detectione mihi demonstret. Quomodo? Videlicet humili confessione coram sacerdote ea mihi aperiat. Et cur hoc? Quia vera confessio secunda resurrectio est. Quomodo?
In casu veteris Adae humanum genus occisum est, quod novus Adam in morte sua excitavit. Quapropter et in morte ejusdem novi Adae resurrectio animarum exorta est, ita quod homo peccata sua confiteri debet, quod vetus Adam non fecit, cum praevaricationem suam magis obtexit, quam eam confessus sit. Quomodo? Quia eam non est confessus poenitendo, sed eam obtexit feminam accusando; unde et confessio posita est, ut postquam homines ceciderint, de casu suo per eam erigantur. Et ideo quicunque pura confessione sacerdoti in amore meo, peccata sua confessus fuerit: de morte ad vitam resurgit, ut etiam illa de morte erepta est quae in convivio coram filio meo cum lacrymabili poenitentia de sordibus suis se purgavit. Quod remedium purgationis et in antiquis patribus diu praefiguratum est. Quomodo? Nam ante legem gratiae, patriarchae et prophetae consolatio hominum erant, et sub lege pontifices et sacerdotes eruditio ipsorum fuerunt, cum deinde apostoli venientes veram justitiam in Filio meo attulerunt ita quod multi homines ad eos currentes, adjutoriam eorum devote imploraverunt.
Et ita ab Adam usque ad apostolatum apostolorum, semper ii erant qui per supernam inspirationem, consolatione et instructione sua miseriis hominum subveniebant. Sed et ut apostoli hominibus sua praedicatione et multis miraculis ostendebant, homo qui diabolica suasione in mortem cadens per se nunquam erigi potuit, per Filium meum a morte ereptus est. Quomodo? Quoniam cum in mundo esset multos labores in corpore suo perferens, denique pro redemptione mundi in crucem positus est. Istud fideles homines pro salute sua cum sacerdotibus suis imitari debent. Quomodo? Adjutorium Filii mei quaerent: quia cum post baptisma vetus crimen Adae revocaverint, de casu suo per semetipsos surgere non valent. Et ideo velut a patriarchis et prophetis consilium quaerent, et ab apostolis auxilium accipient: ubi peccata sua, denudatis vulneribus suis, in vera et pura manifestatione fideliter demonstrabunt.
Quomodo? Peccata sua sacerdoti qui minister Filii mei est, devotissimo corde et ore confitebuntur. Et tunc sacerdos ille remedium eis in poenitentia ipsorum conferens, ita peccata eorum in morte Unigeniti mei sepeliet. Sed illi deinde hoc modo ad vitam resurgentes, resurrectionem etiam filii mei glorificabunt.
Qui autem vulnera peccatorum suorum denudare recusat, sed tacens per semetipsum sine sublevatione alterius ea curare tentat, secundum quod tunc cor suum velle probat, seipsum decipit, quia sibimetipsi sacerdos vult esse. Quapropter et sine adjutorio alterius surgere non valet; quoniam nec homo per semetipsum in salvatione erectus est, sed per Filium meum salvatus est. Unde qui salvari desiderat, nec in fine vitae suae peccata sua confiteri desperet. Quod si quis in hora mortis suae positus remedia vulnerum peccatorum suorum quaerit, nec tamen sacerdotem cui peccata sua confiteatur habere possit, tunc alii homini quem eodem tempore opportunum habet ea manifestet. Vel si tam repente nullum hominem habere potest, ea mihi coram elementis cum quibus etiam illa perpetravit, ex intimo affectu cordis sui aperiat, et ego devotionem cordis ejus videns, poenitentiam ejus non abjicio. Quapropter nemo de ponderibus iniquitatis suae desperet, quoniam si de misericordia mea desperaverit, ad vitam non resurget. Qui autem cum desperatione certaverit, et tandem eam ad nihilum deduxerit, hic se liberavit, quia fortis existens viriliter vicit. Sed qui remedium salutis suae per tumorem mentis suae non quaerit, huic succurrendum non est; quoniam, dum me invenire posset, me quaerere recusavit.
Ergo dum homo tempus habet: seipsum non negligat, sed refugium purae confessionis quaerat, ut etiam Filius meus praecepit in Evangelio, dicens: Vade et ostende te sacerdoti, et offer munus tuum quod praecepit Moses in testimonium illis . Quid hoc? Tu qui in peccatis sordes cum te ab illis emundari desideras, vade bona intentione, et ostende illa pura confessione sacerdoti qui minister meus est, et offer devoto corde munus verae poenitentiae, quod ex voluntate Dei praesignavit ille, qui de multis inundationibus terrenae iniquitatis per divinam potentiam ablutus est, ut testificentur illi qui te prius in malis actibus viderant sorduisse, quod nunc in amaritudine poenitentiae ab eis velut in camino examinationis purgatus sis. Quapropter, o homo, si peccator facta sua in absconso cordis sui occultaret: quis tunc poenitentiae illius contra accusatorem testis existeret? Nullus. Unde homo peccata sua manifestet, quatenus poenitentiae suae testem habeat. Sed qui poenitentiam peccatorum suorum perficere desiderat, eleemosynam sibi in adjutorium assumat. Quomodo?
Quia cum corpus hominis per imbecillitatem suam in labore poenitentiae defecerit, eleemosyna illi in adjutorium accurrat. Et quoniam difficile est homini ut aspere et secundum quod justum est poeniteat: ideo matrem sibi eleemosynam assumat, quatenus cum ea id perficiat quod corpori suo laboriosum est. Nam quemadmodum mater necessitati filii sui subvenire non cessat, quamvis ille jam educatus esse videatur: ita etiam eleemosyna teneritudini corporis in poenitentia hominis succurrit, quamvis idem homo in maceratione corporis sui poenitendo fortis appareat. Attamen mala opera quae homo in corpore suo per concupiscentiam carnis suae perpetravit, illa etiam in seipso corporaliter puniat, ut opus illud quod carni suae charum et dulce fuerat: per amaritudinem poenitentiae fideliter ab eo abstergatur; quoniam amaritudo poenitentiae, mortifera vulnera peccatorum cum adjutrice eleemosyna in hominibus sanare debet. Quomodo? Quia cum homo in castigatione se constringit, se quoque per eleemosynam dilatet. Quomodo? Quoniam eleemosyna misericordiam meam designat.
Quomodo? Cum fidelis homo pauperibus cum substantia sua propter amorem meum subvenit, praecepta mea custodit, quia indigentibus misericordiam suam propter honorem nominis mei impendit, sicut et ego in puritate cordis sui me quaerentibus gratiam meam non subtraho. Qui autem hoc modo refectione eleemosynarum pauperibus motu misericordiae succurrit: valde mihi amabilis est, quoniam viscera misericordiae habet hoc implens quod scriptum est: Pone thesaurum tuum in praeceptis Altissimi: et proderit tibi eleemosyna magis quam aurum . Quid hoc? Justa et recta consideratione tolle de materia pecuniae tuae quae in sinu tuo et in amplexione cordis tui est, dividens eam secundum praecepta illius qui super omnes est, quia Deus mandavit ut a malo declines et bonum facias. Et ideo in praecordiis tuis per bonam voluntatem tuam hoc modo abundare debes, ne de perditis ovibus sis, sed sanctifica teipsum ante Deum, in refectione deficientibus de tua substantia tribuens; quoniam et tunc Deus misericordiam suam in tuis miseriis super te non continebit. Quod si hoc feceris, tunc majorem utilitatem tibi affert compassio illa quam super illum habes qui nullum thesaurum possidet, quam si super magnum montem ascendens multam pecuniam auri in superbia tua possideres. Quomodo?
Melius enim est tibi ut modicum pusillis in humilitate des, quam regnum mundi cum magna voluptate possideas; quia tunc misericordia in remuneratione Dei ob pondus superbiae tuae tibi deesset, quoniam ibi viscera compassionis super pauperem non haberes. Unde et elementa lacus voluptatum hominum sunt, et mores eorum ostendunt. Quomodo? Quia vindictam Dei illis peccantibus superinducunt. Et ideo, o homo, inanitatem naufragantis avaritiae desere; quia justissima haereditas tua in aeterna vita est, et malum relinquens, bonum fac, ut malevolentiam duritiae dimittas. Et ut misericordiam consequaris, de tua substantia indigengentibus da, in hoc imitatus Deum qui misericors est.
Quapropter etiam, o homo, nullus mendax huic contradicere potest quin vos qui pauperibus ita subvenitis, voluntatem meam in hoc compleatis. Quomodo? Sicut ego vobis gratiam meam impendo, ita et vos pauperibus eleemosynam vestram tribuere debetis. Sed qui eleemosynam accipiunt, eam non in vanum nec secundum avaritiam sumant. Quid hoc? Quoniam multi sunt qui ignaviam amantes, corporaliter laborare nolunt ut seipsos pascere valeant, nec bona opera spiritualiter facere student ut animabus suis subveniant; sed ut pecora sunt, intellectum justitiae nec in anima nec in corpore suo habentes. Unde etiam indigni ante oculos meos apparent, si hoc modo sine correctione et sine poenitentia in tepore hujus pravitatis perseveraverint. Sed et multi sunt qui corporaliter necessitatem patientes, eleemosynam cum humilitate in timore percipiunt, atque pro illis orant et laborant qui eis misericordiam suam impendunt, prava etiam opera immundissimae sordis devitantes.
Inter hos etiam multi inveniuntur quibus idcirco terrenas divitias subtraho, quoniam eis coelestes divitias dare volo. Qui autem paupertatem propter nomen meum libenter sufferunt, valde mihi amabiles sunt; qui vero divitias saeculares propter cupiditatem suam libenter haberent, nec eas habere possunt, hi mercedem hujus laboris perdunt. Sed qui ob hoc divitias quaerit ut voluntatem meam et non cupiditatem suam in eis compleat, hic pro bona voluntate sua mercedem honoris apud me reportabit. Ita etiam et ille qui potestatem honoris propter jactantiam superbiae suae et non ad gloriam nominis mei appetit: hic mihi velut putridum cadaver est; qui autem idcirco eam quaerit, ut non superbiam suam sed honorem meum inde defendat, gloriosus in regno meo ob idipsum apparebit. Quapropter et sacerdotes officii spiritualis regiminis magisterium suum non propter se, sed propter me subire debent, ut populo meo tanto securius et devotius praeesse valeant. Quomodo? Quia populum meum docere, admonere, hortari et coercere debent, ut legem Dei digne et laudabiliter custodiant. Et hoc pastores semper ruminabunt: dum populum exhortando movent, ne sine confessione et sine poenitentia in peccatis suis perseverent, sed ut mala opera conculcent et bona perficiant.
Quod si populus sacerdotes suos in admonitione ista non obaudierit: tunc populus reatum suum sentiet, et sacerdotes de casu negligentiae hujus se eripuerunt; si vero sacerdotes auctoritatem magisterii sui populo non ostendunt, tunc sacerdotes non vocantur sed lupi rapaces dicuntur, quoniam officium suum in rapina habent: sicut et lupus ovem crudeliter diripit, ita quod magis voluntatem suam sequuntur quam custodiam ovium suarum amant. Et quia perverse vivunt, idcirco veram doctrinam populo seminare timent, ita iniquitati ut alicui domino suo consentientes, quod carnales concupiscentiae sunt, et ostium cordis sui aequitati velut alicui domestico suo claudentes, quod justitia Dei est. Unde, o vos pastores, ululate et plangite crimina vestra quae in iniquitate vestra diram vocem emittunt, ita quod et elementa clamorem eorum suscipiunt, et cum eis coram me reboant. Quomodo enim in officio vestro audetis Dominum vestrum tangere in sanguineis manibus et in contraria spurcitia, et in adulterina iniquitate? Vere vos in immunditia vestra fundum terrae commovetis. Quomodo? Videlicet cum in tantis criminibus sordentes Deum vestrum tangere non timetis, terram in magno dolore opprimo, ita carnem et sanguinem Filii mei ulciscens; quoniam non solum terram in hoc horrore crudeliter commovetis, sed etiam coelum in immunditia vestra pessime contaminatis Quomodo? Cum in fetore immunditiae vestrae Dominum Deum vestrum tangitis, sicut porcus in stercore margaritas contaminat: tunc coeli iniquitatem vestram suscipientes, ultionem judicii mei in voluntate mea super terram emittunt.
Nam cum vera justitia et cum divina lege populum meum praecedere deberetis in bonis operibus ei lucentes, ita ut idem populus meus gradiens post vos pedem suum in nulla offensione contereret; sed vos aliquando majore iniquitate populum meum contaminatis quam vel ipse se contaminet in quo malum et pessimum exemplum in vobis habet. Vos enim tam lucida gemma esse deberetis, ut credentes in lumine vestro, incedentes viam rectitudinis agnoscere possent; sed vos eis exemplum mortis praebetis, ita ut iniquitate vestra modum invenire non valeant. Et quomodo pastores eorum esse potestis, cum eos ita seducitis? Quomodo ergo pro eis respondebitis: qui nec pro vobis responsum dare potestis? Unde plorate et ululate antequam tempus mortis vos subtrahat. Et quare non consideratis honorem vestrum: qui prae caeteris hominibus vobis datus est? Quid hoc? Quoniam in Filio meo prae caeteris claves coeli accepistis, quae judicio recti sensus et justi judicii in scientia Scripturarum sunt: quando recte consideratis quid sit quid ligare debeatis.
Quid hoc? Cum homines se mihi in lege mea pertinaciter opponunt: timorem judicii mei eis incutere debetis. Et si tunc culpam suam non correxerint, ligaturam vestram super eos extendite. Quomodo? Quia rebelles sunt: ideo apertis vocibus in verbis meis eos ligabitis, et eis ligaturam illam indicabitis; quoniam et pro contumacia sua coram me ligati sunt: ut Filius meus primo pastori Ecclesiae ostendit dicens: Tibi dabo claves regni caelorum. Et quodcunque ligaveris super terram, erit ligatum et in coelis; et quodcunque solveris super terram, erit solutum et in coelis . Quid hoc? Ego qui potestatem coeli et terrae habeo, tibi qui me devote imitatus es per gratiam meam dabo judicia illa quae dignitatem regni coelorum tangunt, ita ut nefas sit hoc, quod justo judicio ligaveris super terram, secundum quod homines super terram peccare videris; quia postquam hominis animam de corpore suo abstraxero, tunc judicium tuum super eam non extendes, quoniam judicium illud meum est: in nequitia sua vincta sit, et in coelestibus, scilicet a coelo, separata et projecta, quia in superna mansione nulla iniquitas libertatem aut locum habere permittitur.
Sed et vinculum hoc quod ita prius in rebellione constrinxisti, cum deinde in poenitentia delinquentium denotaveris, super terram erit solutum et in supernis secretis. Et tunc post mortem hominis, pro anima ejus orabis; sed tunc eam a nexibus ligaturae suae absolvere poteris, quia gemitus devoti cordis Deus non abjicit.
Vos autem, o sacerdotes, qui hoc modo per Filium meum potestatem hanc percepistis: neminem absque culpabili causa propter rabiem cordis vestri in verbis meis ligabitis; sed acutissime vobis considerandum est, quem ita constringere debeatis. Nam qui nec propter pudorem hominum, nec propter timorem meum, nec precibus nec praeceptis vestris cohiberi poterit quin in iniquitate sua perseverare velit, hunc ecclesiastica censura in verbis meis ab Ecclesia mea submovebitis. Sed innocentem non ligabitis; quoniam si illum constrinxeritis vosmetipsos in nodum diri reatus immittitis. Quod si tamen ille hoc modo inconvenienter constrictus fuerit quamvis innocens sit; tamen humillima subjectionis obedientia propter honorem nominis mei solutionem quaerere debet, ne si spretor exstiterit, reatum superbiae sibi contrahat. Sed ligatura ista talis sit. Homo qui nec mihi, nec praeceptis majorum suorum in perversitatibus suis obedire voluerit, hic in verbo meo a coelestibus separandus est, velut Adam mihi inobediens existens in praecepto meo de paradiso ejectus est, nec in consortium fidelium recipietur, nisi in poenitentia obedientiae; sicut etiam genus humanum in martyrio obedientis Filii mei, ad coelestem patriam revocatum est. Qui vero ita rebellis est quod in humilitatis officio reverti non vult, tunc, si ita in contumacia sua perduraverit, consortium illorum habebit qui lapideum cor abjicere recusantes sed in infidelitate sua permanentes, gloriam ecclesiasticae beatitudinis habere recusaverunt. Nam qui ita obduratus est quod de nequitia sua nullam misericordiam quaerere curat, hic antiquum serpentem imitatur qui misericordiam sprevit et qui primum hominem in paradiso decipiens in seipso ita dicebat.
Quamvis ego de coelis projectus sum cum contra exercitum Altissimi cum angelis meis praeliatus resistere non valuerim, quoniam ab eo victus sum; tamen nunc in terra hominem inveni, in quo iram meam exercens me fortiter vindicabo. In terra enim in homine complebo, quod in coelis facere volui, scilicet ut Altissimo similis essem. Et si Deus justus est, potestas ista mihi non auferetur, quia homo mihi consentiet et Deo non obediet. Haec diabolus in seipso loquens: omnes artes suas contra hominem instruxit ut ille a Deo recederet, qui et diabolum secutus est; unde et cum sibi tam fortiter alligavit, quod homo illum pro Deo coluit, et Deum creatorem suum abnegavit.
Sed cum homo in tanta tenebrositate infidelitatis jaceret, nec se erigere valeret: ad salvationem ejus misi Filium meum miro modo de virgine incarnatum, verum Deum et verum hominem existentem. Quid hoc? Quia de me Patre secundum divinitatem veraciter exivit, et quoniam de Virgine matre secundum humanitatem veraciter carnem assumpsit. Quid hoc? O homo mollis et tener in tuo corpore es; sed durus et inflexibilis in tua incredulitate manes; nam lapis poliri ad aedificium potest, tu autem molliri ad fidem non vis. Attende tamen. Sicut homo in arca sua pulcherrimam gemmam habens, eam metallo imponit ut hominibus appareat, sic et ego in corde meo Filium meum habens eum de Virgine incarnari volui ut ipse credentibus salutem vitae conferret. Quod si ei carnalem patrem dedissem, quis tunc esset?
Videlicet non filius sed servus meus; sed hoc esse non debuit. Ipse autem de Virgine natus, comedit, bibit, et dormiens requievit, atque alias corporales miserias sustinuit; sed tamen gustum peccati in carne sua non sensit; quia non in mendacio sed in veritate carnem assumpsit. Quid hoc? Quoniam caeteri homines in praevaricatione Adae et Evae per gustum delectationis nascuntur, quod in mendacio et non in veritate est. Non sic Filius meus ortus est: sed in sanctitate de castissima Virgine ad redemptionem hominum natus est. Nam similis similem de vinculo suo solvere non valeret, nisi major veniret qui eum eripere posset. Quid hoc? Quoniam homo natus in peccatis, hominem peccatorem de perditione mortis liberare non valuit; quapropter Filius meus sine peccato venit: quia hominem devicta morte misericorditer de morte eripuit.
Sed qui vigilantibus oculis videt, et attentis auribus audit, hic mysticis verbis meis osculum amplexionis praebeat, quae de me vivente emanant.
Scripture echoes
- ↩1Cor.11.27 — So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
- ↩1Cor.11.28 — But let a person examine himself, and in this way let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
- ↩Matt.13.24-Matt.13.30 — He put before them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field." Matt.13.25 — but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away Matt.13.26 — But when the wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. Matt.13.27 — But the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where then does it have weeds?' Matt.13.28 — But he said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?' Matt.13.29 — But he said, 'No, lest while gathering the weeds you uproot the wheat along with them.' Matt.13.30 — Let both grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, 'First gather the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.'
Scivias (Know the Ways of the Lord) companion
Keep Hildegard in your mornings
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