Sermo 70
Fed Among the Lilies
The bride's bold claim of union with the Beloved is tempered by the humility of his dwelling among the lowly lilies, which are but grass.
My beloved is mine, and I am his, the one who is fed among the lilies.✦ Who would now charge this with presumption or insolence, if someone should say that he had entered into the company of the one who is fed among the lilies? Even if he were fed among the stars, solely because he was fed, I don't know what could seem great about having such friendships or that kind of closeness. Being fed sounds like something utterly ignoble and lowly. But now, since even being fed among the lilies is attributed to him, the added note of his lowliness pushes the charge of rashness farther away and drives it off. What are lilies, after all? According to the word of the Lord, they are grass, which is here today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow.✦ How great is the one who is fed on grass, like one of the lambs or calves?
The Modesty of the Bride's Speech
The preacher draws attention to the bride's careful, humble wording, noting that she says 'among the lilies' rather than designating a specific food.
And the lamb, fully and completely, and the fattened calf. But perhaps you noticed more carefully that in this passage it's not the food that's designated, but the place — for it doesn't say 'to feed among the lilies,' but 'among the lilies.' Let it stand. It doesn't eat hay like an ox; yet to linger in the hay and recline upon the hay like one among the crowd — what distinction can that have? What glory, truly, is there in this — to have that beloved one as one's own, whoever shall have done this? And on the literal level, the bride's modesty and the careful prudence of her discretion in speaking clearly appears — surely one who arranges her words with judgment, and tempers the glory of things with the modesty of words.
The Beloved Among the Lilies
The Lord who reigns above the stars chose to be found among the lilies, and only in his humility did he become truly beloved.
On the other hand, someone else doesn't fail to recognize that the one who is fed and the one who feeds are one and the same: the one who dwells among the lilies and the one who reigns above the stars. But she more willingly recalls the humble deeds of the Beloved, on account of his humility, as I said; and even more because it was from that point that he began to be the Beloved, and from that same point, to be fed. And not only from that point, but from there. For the Lord who is in the highest places, the Beloved is in the lowest; reigning above the stars, and loving among the lilies. He loved even above the stars, because he could nowhere and never stop loving, for he is love; but until he descended to the lilies and was found to be fed among the lilies, he was neither loved in return nor made the Beloved. What? Was he not loved by the patriarchs and the prophets? He was: but not before he was seen and found to be fed by them among the lilies.
Prophetic Sight and Faith
The prophets truly saw Christ in the Spirit, and those who believed their words also saw, since faith itself is a form of spiritual sight.
And they weren't blind to the one they had foreseen—unless, that is, someone is so devoid of the Spirit as to suppose that the one who sees in the Spirit sees nothing at all. So how can they be called 'seers'—since that's what 'prophets' means—if they saw nothing? That's why they wanted to see the one they didn't see. For they couldn't possibly want to see in bodily form the one they hadn't first seen in the Spirit. But wait—am I saying all of them were prophets? As though they all wanted to see, or as though the capacity to see belonged to everyone's faith. But those who did see were either prophets themselves or people who gave their assent to the prophets. For to have believed is itself to have seen.
Seeing Through Faith
One who sees through faith may rightly be said to see in the Spirit, not only the prophets.
For not only the one who sees through the spirit of prophecy, but also the one who sees through faith — if anyone says that he too sees in the spirit — doesn't seem to me to be wrong.
The Spiritual Meaning of the Lilies
The refreshment among the lilies must be sought in the spiritual sense, and the preacher puzzles over why the Bridegroom is said to be fed rather than to feed.
So the one who feeds everyone has deigned to descend to the lilies and to feed among the lilies; he made that one his beloved, because it could not be loved before it was known. And through this, since mention has been made of the beloved, it has been fittingly recalled that love and knowledge were the cause. This refreshment among the lilies is to be sought in the spirit, for to think of it in bodily terms is ridiculous. Indeed, the lilies themselves are spiritual things, if we are able, to be shown by us. I think we will also have to say this: whence is the beloved fed among the lilies, by the lilies themselves, or by other herbs or flowers hidden among the lilies? And in these matters something seems to me more difficult: that he is said to be fed, not to feed. For because he feeds there is no doubt, nor is it unworthy of him; but to be fed suggests need, and that it could easily be assigned to him even spiritually without injury to his majesty seems unlikely. Nor do I truly remember having noticed up to now that feeding is mentioned anywhere in this song, since, I think, you'll remember along with me that it is the one who feeds.
The Shepherd Found Among the Lilies
The Bridegroom once asked where he would feed, but now the bride herself identifies the place as among the lilies, where he emptied himself to be shepherd.
In short, he once asked to be shown where he would feed and lie down at midday. And now, in fact, he asserts—what he had not yet said—that he is fed, but he does not similarly ask that the place be pointed out to him; instead, she herself indicates it, assigning it among the lilies.1 He knows this, but does not know that—because what is exalted and what is on high equally cannot be close at hand, nor can what is lowly be above the earth.2 His work is lofty, and his place is lofty; there has been no access to him even up to now, not even for the bride herself.
Why the Church Trusts the Bridegroom
The Church can confidently entrust herself to Christ because he is truthful, gentle, and just, and his beauty flows from the lilies of his virtues.
And so he emptied himself to this point — to be tended himself as the shepherd of all; and he was found among the lilies, and seen by the Church, he was loved by the poor in need, made beloved because of his likeness.✦ Not only that, but also because of truth, and mildness, and justice: because through him, clearly, the promises have been fulfilled, because iniquities have been forgiven, because the proud demons together with their prince have been judged. Such, then, he appeared, who might rightly be loved — truthful in himself, gentle toward people, just on behalf of people. O truly to be loved, and to be embraced with every marrow of the heart — this bridegroom! Why then should the Church hesitate to commit herself entirely, with all her devotion, to so faithful a restorer, so merciful a forgiver, so just a defender? Moreover, the Prophet had sent ahead, saying: 'In your beauty and in your splendor, go forth and prosper.'✦ Whence this appearance and this beauty? I think: from the lilies.
The Lilies of Truth, Gentleness, and Justice
The Bridegroom's beauty comes from the lilies of truth, gentleness, and justice, which spring from the earth and rise above it in splendor.
What's more beautiful than a lily? So nothing is more beautiful than the Bridegroom. So what are those lilies from which his beauty and splendor come? Go forth, it says, and reign because of truth, and gentleness, and justice. Lilies—lilies, I say—sprung from the earth, gleaming above the earth, rising high among the flowers of the field, fragrant beyond the scent of spices. So among these lilies stands the Bridegroom, and he is entirely beautiful and fair because of them. For at other times—at least as far as human weakness is concerned—he had no beauty and no splendor.
The Brightness of the Lily
Truth is the lily whose brightness shone from Christ's birth to the shepherds and whose fragrance drew the Magi from afar.
Now the good lily is truth — outstanding in its brightness, exceptional in its fragrance; for its brightness is the brightness of eternal light, and its splendor and the very form of God's substance. Clearly this is the lily our land brought forth for a new blessing, and set before all peoples as a light for the revelation of the nations. While the earth lay under a curse, it produced thorns and thistles. But now Truth has risen from the earth, with the Lord blessing it — a flower of the field entirely beautiful, and the lily of the valleys. Recognize the lily by its brightness: it shone out at once, right from the flower's first appearing, to the shepherds in the night, as the Gospel tells us that an angel of the Lord stood near them, and the glory of God shone around them. Good God — not angels, but the brightness of the lily. That one was present, but this brightness shone out from as far back as Bethlehem. Recognize the lily also by its fragrance, through which it became known even more fully to those who were far off.
The Lily's Form and Fragrance
The lily's golden center and white petals aptly figure Christ's divine nature crowned with human purity, and its fragrance animates faith.
And so a star appeared, but serious people would scarcely have followed it unless they had been drawn by a certain deep sweetness rising from the lily. And truly the lily is Truth, whose fragrance animates faith and whose splendor illuminates understanding. Now lift your eyes to the very person of the Lord, who speaks in the Gospel: I am the truth. And see how aptly truth is compared to a lily. If you haven't noticed, look at the center of this flower: golden stamens coming forth, surrounded by a most shining white bloom, beautifully and fittingly arranged into a crown — and recognize in Christ the divine nature, crowned with the purity of human nature, that is, Christ in the diadem with which his own mother crowned him. For he in whom his Father crowned him dwells in unapproachable light, and you could not yet see him face to face in it. But of this, another time.
The Lily as Meekness and Justice
The lily also signifies meekness and justice, which arose from the earth with the Lamb of God and will bloom forever before the Lord.
Now the lily is truth, and it's also meekness. And the lily is fittingly meekness, holding the brightness of innocence and the fragrance of hope, since, as it says, 'the remnants belong to a peaceful person.'3 A person of good hope who is meek is no less, even in the present, a bright example of the social life.4 Isn't the lily that shines by its work redolent with hope?5 Add this too: that just as truth arose from the earth, so also did meekness. Unless someone doubts that the Lamb, ruler of the earth, arose from the earth — that Lamb who was led to slaughter and did not open his mouth.6 And not only did meekness or truth arise from the earth, but also justice — as the prophet says: 'Rain down, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds shower down the just one; let the earth open and bring forth the Savior, and let justice arise with him.'7 And that justice is the lily, remember from Scripture: 'The just person will spring up like the lily and will flourish forever before the Lord.'8
The Sun of Righteousness
The lily's brightness is for the just, and its fragrance spreads even to the wicked, becoming a fragrance of life to some and of death to others.
This is by no means a lily today, and tomorrow it's thrown into the oven — because it will bloom forever. And it will bloom before the Lord, whose memory of the just one will last forever, and he will not fear the evil report — that report by which sinners are ordered into the furnace of fire. Furthermore, the brightness of this lily shines on no one except the one on whom it does not please. In the end, there is a sun — but not the one that rises over both the good and the wicked. Nor are those who are about to say, 'The sun of righteousness has not risen for us,' the ones who have ever seen its light at any time. But as many as have heard: 'For you who fear God, the sun of righteousness will rise.' So the brightness of this lily is among the just; its fragrance even spreads as far as the wicked, though not for their good. In fact, we have heard the just saying that we are the good fragrance of Christ in every place; yet to some it is a fragrance of life leading to life, and to others a fragrance of death leading to death.✦✦
The Fragrance of Death
The wicked who approve the good but love it not are wretched, and to them the fragrance of life becomes a porter of death.
Who, even the most wicked, wouldn't approve the judgment of a just person, even if they don't love the deed? And blessed is the one who doesn't pass judgment on themselves in the very thing they approve. But the one who judges, approving the good yet not loving it, is therefore clearly not blessed, but wretched, condemned by their own judgment. What is more wretched than this: someone to whom the fragrance of life becomes a messenger not of life, but of death?✦ No — not even a messenger, but a porter.
Christ's Mysteries as Lilies
Christ is himself the Lily because all his mysteries—from conception to ascension—are bright and fragrant lilies beyond number.
There are many things with the Bridegroom, and other lilies besides these that have come to us through the Prophet: I speak of truth, and of gentleness, and of justice. And it won't be hard for any one of you now to find similar things through your own efforts in the garden of so delightful a Bridegroom. It abounds, and abounds even more with things like these—who could list them all? Indeed, as many virtues as there are, that many lilies there are. What limit is there to virtues with the Lord of virtues? And if the fullness of virtues is in Christ, then so is the fullness of lilies. And perhaps that's why he himself called himself the Lily: because he is wholly taken up with lilies, and everything that belongs to him is a lily—conception, birth, way of life, words, miracles, sacraments, suffering, death, resurrection, ascension. What among these is not bright, and not most sweetly fragrant? So great, finally, was the brightness of heavenly light that shone forth in the conception from the overabundance of the coming Spirit, that even the holy Virgin herself could not have endured it if it had not been overshadowed for her by the power of the Most High.✦
The Fragrance of Faith in Exile
The fragrance of Christ's mysteries fills believers who have not seen him, lightening their exile and renewing their longing for heaven.
What's more, the rising of the mother's unspoiled virginity made the origin bright; the innocence of life brightened our way of living; truth brightened our words; purity of heart brightened our wonders; the mystery of piety brightened the Sacraments; the willingness to suffer brightened our passion; the freedom not to die brightened our death; the fortitude of the martyrs brightened the resurrection; and the fulfillment of promises brightened the ascension. How good is the fragrance of faith in each of these — filling our own times and inmost parts, we who have not seen its brightness! And blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed. My share is in this fragrance of life that proceeds from them. Poured into my nostrils, I take it up as an instrument of faith — and indeed all the more abundantly given the great number of lilies; it both lightens exile and continually renews the longing for my homeland in my inmost parts.
A Poor Man's Few Lilies
Only Christ possesses the fullness of lilies; the preacher, being poor, struggles to produce even one lily from the thorns of his own heart.
Some of the bridegroom's companions have lilies too, but not in abundance. Everyone has received the Spirit in measure, and virtues and gifts in measure; only the one who has the whole is without measure.✦ It's one thing to have lilies; it's another to have nothing but lilies. Who among the children of captivity will you give me—one so innocent and so holy that he could fill his whole land with flowers, and with flowers like these?✦ Not even an infant one day old is without stain on the earth.✦ Great is the one who can plant three or four lilies in his own land, given such a thick density of thorns and thistles—the hardened growth of the ancient curse.✦ But as for me, since I am poor, things go well if I can ever manage to reclaim even a tiny patch of my land from this worst of fields—that is, from iniquities and vices—by rooting them out and cultivating it, so that I can produce at least one lily, if perhaps the one who feeds among the lilies will sometimes deign to feed at my place.✦9
Cultivating Lilies for the Bridegroom
The Bridegroom feeds among lilies, so the soul must cultivate at least innocence and continence, and if possible patience, to welcome him.
But I've said too little—just one thing: my mouth has spoken from the poverty of my heart. One alone simply isn't enough; at least two are necessary. I mean continence and innocence: one without the other won't save you. In vain, then, would I invite the bridegroom to just one of these—he who is said to feed not at a single lily, but among lilies.✦ I'll therefore make it my aim to have lilies, so that the lily can't be faulted for singularity—he who won't feed except among lilies—and so he won't turn away in anger from his servant.10 I therefore set innocence first of all; and if I can join continence to it, I'll count myself rich in the possession of lilies. But I am a king if I can add patience as a third to these. And those two can indeed suffice; but because they can also fail in temptations—since temptation is the life of man upon earth—patience is certainly required, which serves as a kind of protector and guardian for both.✦✦11
The Feast Among the Lilies
If the lover of lilies finds these virtues in the soul, he will make Passover there, and all that is of him is the Lily, the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
I think that if that lover of lilies comes and finds that he now doesn't disdain to feed among us and to make Passover among us, then there will be great sweetness in both, and great security because of the third. But in what way can the one who feeds all things be said to feed, when he will be seen afterwards? But now it appears that the Bridegroom doesn't only appear among the lilies, but that he can sometimes be found altogether outside the lilies, since everything that is of him — and he himself — is the lily, the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ our Lord, who is God blessed above all things forever. Amen.
Read the original Latin
Dilectus meus mihi, et ego illi, qui pascitur inter lilia. Quis huic iam imputet praesumptioni vel insolentiae, si se dicat iniisse societatem cum illo, qui pascitur inter lilia? Etiamsi inter sidera pasceretur, eo solo quod pasceretur, nescio quid magnum videri possit cum eiusmodi amicitias seu familiaritatem habere. Aliquid prorsus ignobile et humile sonat, pasci. Nunc vero cum et pasci inter lilia perhibetur, deiectionis adiectio longius amovet et propulsat temeritatis notam. Quid enim sunt lilia? Iuxta verbum Domini, fenum, quod hodie est, et cras in clibanum mittitur. Quantus est iste qui feno pascitur, quasi unus agnorum aut vitulorum?
Et agnus plane, et vitulus saginatus. Sed tu forte vigilantius advertisti, non pabulum hoc loco designari, sed locum: nec enim dictum est, liliis cum pasci; sed, inter lilia. Esto. Non fenum comedit ut bos; in feno tamen versari, et super fenum discumbere instar unius de turba, quid eminentiae habere potest? Quid vero gloriae huic, habere dilectum illum qui hoc egerit? Et secundum litteram quidem sponsae verecundia et cautela prudentiae eius in loquendo satis apparet, utique disponentis sermones suos in iudicio, et rerum gloriam verborum modestia temperantis.
Alias autem non ignorat unum esse, et qui pascitur, et qui pascit; inter lilia commorantem, et regnantem super sidera. At libentius humilia dilecti memorat, propter humilitatem quidem, ut dixi; magis autem quod exinde coepit esse dilectus, ex quo et pasci. Nec modo exinde, sed inde. Nam qui in altissimis est Dominus, in imis est dilectus; super sidera regnans, et inter lilia amans. Amabat et super sidera, quia nusquam et nunquam potuit non amare, quia amor est; sed donec ad lilia descendit, et pasci inter lilia compertus est, nec amatus est, nec factus dilectus. Quid? non est amatus a patriarchis et prophetis? Est: sed non priusquam visus est et ab ipsis inter lilia pasci.
Neque enim non viderunt, quem praeviderunt; nisi ita quis absque spiritu sit, ut videntem in spiritu, putet videre nihil. Unde ergo Videntes, nam sic prophetae appellati sunt, si nihil viderunt? Inde est, quod voluerunt videre, quem non viderunt. Nec enim poterant velle videre in corpore, quem in spiritu non vidissent. Sed dico: Nunquid omnes prophetae? Quasi omnes videre voluerint, aut fuerit omnium fides. Sed enim qui viderunt, aut prophetae fuerunt, aut prophetis acquiescentes. Et credidisse enim, vidisse est.
Non modo namque qui per prophetiae spiritum, sed et qui per fidem videt, si quis ipsum quoque dicat videre in spiritu, mihi non videtur errare.
Ita ergo quod ad lilia descendere, et inter lilia pasci dignatus est is qui omnes pascit, dilectum fecit illum, quia non potuit ante diligi, quam agnosci. Ac per hoc cum de dilecto facta est mentio, pulchre et illud memoratum est, quod dilectionis et agnitionis exstitit causa. Quaerenda in spiritu refectio haec inter lilia: nam corpoream cogitare ridiculum est. Quin ipsa lilia spiritualia, si quidem potuerimus, demonstranda a nobis erunt. Puto, hoc quoque dicere nos oportebit, unde inter lilia pascatur dilectus, liliisne ipsis, an aliis inter lilia reconditis herbis vel floribus? Et in his illud mihi difficilius apparet, quod pasci, non pascere perhibetur. Nam quia pascat dubium non est, nec enim indignum ei: at pasci, indigentiam sonat, et ne spiritualiter quidem sine iniuria maiestatis facile illi posse assignari videtur. Nec ego sane recordor usque modo advertisse me in hoc cantico pastum uspiam perhiberi, cum pascentem, puto, recordemini et vos mecum.
Denique postulavit sibi aliquando demonstrari, ubi in meridie pasceret et cubaret. Et nunc quidem, quod necdum dixerat, perhibet pasci, sed non similiter postulat locum indicari sibi; sed ipsa indicat, assignans, inter lilia. Novit hoc, illud non novit; quia aeque praesto esse non potest quod sublimet et in sublimi est, et quod humile et super terram. Sublime opus, sublimis et locus: nec accessus ad eum usque adhuc vel ipsi sponsae.
Et ideo semetipsum exinanivit usque ad hoc, ut pasceretur ipse omnium pastor; et inventus est inter lilia, et visus ab Ecclesia, adamatus est ab inope pauper, factus dilectus propter similitudinem. Non solum autem, sed et propter veritatem, et mansuetudinem, et iustitiam: quod per eum scilicet promissiones adimpletae sunt, quod iniquitates remissae sunt, quod superbi daemones una cum principe suo iudicati sunt. Talis ergo apparuit qui merito amaretur, verax pro se, mitis hominibus, iustus pro hominibus. O vere amandum et totis medullis cordis amplectendum sponsum! Quid iam cunctetur Ecclesia totam se tota devotione committere tam fido redditori, tam pio indultori, tam iusto propugnatori? Porro praemiserat Propheta, dicens: Specie tua et pulchritudine tua intende prospere. Unde species haec et pulchritudo? Puto, ex liliis.
Quid lilio speciosius? Sic nihil formosius sponso. Quae sunt ergo illa lilia, e quibus species decoris eius? Procede, inquit, et regna propter veritatem, et mansuetudinem, et iustitiam. Lilia sunt, lilia, inquam, orta de terra, nitentia super terram, eminentia in floribus terrae, fragrantia super odorem aromatum. Ergo inter haec lilia sponsus, et omnino ex his speciosus et pulcher. Alias enim (quod quidem ad carnis infirma spectat) non erat ei species neque decor.
Bonum autem lilium veritas, candore conspicuum, odore praecipuum; denique candor est lucis aeternae, splendor et figura substantiae Dei. Lilium plane, quod ad novam benedictionem terra nostra produxit, et paravit ante faciem omnium populorum, lumen ad revelationem gentium. Donec sub maledicto fuit terra, spinas et tribulos germinavit. At nunc Veritas de terra orta est Domino benedicente, speciosus omnino quidam flos campi, et lilium convallium. Agnosce lilium ex candore, qui mox in ipso exortu floris pastoribus de nocte emicuit, dicente Evangelio quia angelus Domini stetit iuxta illos, et claritas Dei circumfulsit illos. Bene Dei, quia non angeli, sed lilii candor. Ille aderat, sed illud micabat ab usque Bethlehem. Agnosce lilium et ex odore, quo et longe positis innotuit magis.
Et quidem stella apparuit; sed eam minime viri graves secuti fuissent, nisi intima quadam suaveolentia orti lilii traherentur. Et vere lilium veritas, cuius odor animat fidem, splendor intellectum illuminat. Leva etiam oculos nunc in ipsam personam Domini, qui in Evangelio loquitur: Ego sum veritas. Et vide quam competenter veritas lilio comparetur. Si non advertisti, adverte de medio floris huius quasi virgulas aureas prodeuntes, et cinctas candidissimo flore, pulchre ac decenter disposito in coronam: et agnosce auream in Christo divinitatem, humanae coronatam puritate naturae, id est Christum in diademate, quo coronavit eum mater sua. Nam in quo coronavit eum Pater suus, lucem habitat inacessibilem, nec posses in ea illum interim adhuc videre. Sed de hoc alias.
Nunc vero lilium veritas est; est et mansuetudo. Et bene lilium mansuetudo, habens innocentiae candorem, et odorem spei, quoniam sunt reliquiae, inquit, homini pacifico. Bonae spei vir mansuetus, nec minus etiam in praesenti lucidum quoddam vitae est socialis exemplar. Annon lilium, quae lucet officio, redolet spe? Adde quod sicut veritas de terra orta est, ita et mansuetudo. Nisi quis dubitet ortum de terra Agnum dominatorem terrae, illum agnum, qui ad occisionem ductus est, et non aperuit os suum. Nec tantum mansuetudo seu veritas de terra orta est, sed et iustitia, propheta dicente: Rorate, coeli, desuper, et nubes pluant iustum; aperiatur terra, et germinet Salvatorem, et iustitia oriatur simul. Quod autem iustitia lilium sit, recordamini de Scriptura, quia iustus germinabit sicut lilium, et florebit in aeternum ante Dominum.
Nequaquam lilium hoc hodie est, et cras in clibanum mittitur, quia in aeternum florebit. Et florebit ante Dominum, cuius in memoria aeterna erit iustus, et ab auditione mala non timebit, illa scilicet auditione, qua in clibanum ignis peccatores ire iubentur. Porro huius lilii candor cui non splendet, nisi cui non placet? Denique sol est, sed non ille qui oritur super bonos et malos. Neque enim qui dicturi sunt: Sol iustitiae non ortus est nobis, lucem illius quandoque viderunt. Viderunt autem quotquot audierunt: Vobis qui timetis Deum, orietur sol iustitiae. Ergo candor huius lilii apud iustos; fragrantia etiam usque ad iniquos diffunditur, etsi non in bonum ipsis. Denique audivimus iustos dicentes quia Christi bonus odor sumus in omni loco; sed aliis quidem odor vitae in vitam, aliis odor mortis in mortem.
Quis, vel sceleratissimus, iusti non probet opinionem, quamvis non amet opus? Et beatus, si se non iudicat in eo quod probat. Iudicat autem, probans bonum, et non amans: ideoque non beatus plane, sed miser, proprio condemnatus iudicio. Quid eo miserius, cui odor vitae, non vitae, sed mortis nuntius est? Imo nec nuntius quidem, sed baiulus.
Sunt multa apud sponsum et alia lilia praeter haec, quae ex Propheta inciderunt nobis; veritatem loquor, et mansuetudinem, et iustitiam; nec erit difficile iam cuilibet vestrum similia reperire per semetipsum in horto tam deliciosi sponsi. Abundat et superabundat talibus: quis illa enumeret? Nempe quot virtutes, tot lilia. Quis finis virtutum apud Dominum virtutum? Quod si plenitudo virtutum in Christo; et liliorum. Et fortassis propterea ipse se lilium appellavit, quod totus versetur in liliis, et omnia quae ipsius sunt, lilia sint; conceptio, ortus, conversatio, eloquia, miracula, sacramenta, passio, mors, resurrectio, ascensio. Quid horum non candidum, et non suavissime redolens? Tanta denique in conceptione refulsit superni luminis claritas de supervenientis abundantia Spiritus, ut ne ipsa quidem Virgo sancta sustinuisset, si non sibi obumbratum foret a virtute Altissimi.
Porro ortum candidavit incorrupta virginitas matris; conversationem, innocentia vitae; eloquia, veritas; miracula, puritas cordis; sacramenta, pietatis arcanum; passionem, patiendi voluntas; mortem, libertas non moriendi; resurrectionem, martyrum fortitudo; ascensionem, exhibitio promissionum. Quam bonus fidei odor in his singulis, nostra quidem, qui candorem non vidimus, tempora et viscera replens! Et beati qui non viderunt, et crediderunt. Pars mea in his odor vitae, qui procedit ex ipsis. Is infusus naribus meis apto quodam fidei instrumento, et quidem copiosius pro multitudine liliorum, sane et exsilium levat, et patriae desiderium assidue innovat in visceribus meis.
Habent lilia et aliqui sodalium sponsi, sed non copiam. Omnes enim ad mensuram Spiritum acceperunt, ad mensuram virtutes et dona; solus ille non habet modum, qui habet totum. Aliud est lilia habere, aliud nonnisi lilia habere. Quem dabis mihi de filiis captivitatis adeo innocentem et sanctum, qui totam terram suam floribus occupare potuerit, et istiusmodi floribus? Nec infans certe unius diei sine sorde est super terram. Magnus est qui tria vel quatuor lilia aedificare potuerit in terra sua, in tanta densitate spinarum et tribulorum, quae sunt germina inveterata maledictionis antiquae. Mecum vero, qui pauper sum, bene agitur, si unquam ab hac pessima segete, iniquitatum videlicet atque vitiorum, tantillum terrae meae vindicare exstirpando et excolendo sufficiam, unde unum saltem producere lilium possim, si forte et penes me pasci interdum dignetur is, qui pascitur inter lilia.
At parum dixi, unum: de penuria cordis mei os meum locutum est. Unum prorsus non sufficit; duo ad minus necessaria sunt. Dico autem continentiam, et innocentiam: quarum una sine altera nec salvabit. Frustra denique ad unam quamlibet harum invitabo sponsum, qui non ad lilium, sed inter lilia pasci perhibetur. Dabo proinde operam habere lilia, ne de singularitate causetur lilii, qui non vult nisi inter lilia pasci, et sic declinet in ira a servo suo. Pono itaque primam omnium innocentiam: et si huic iungere continentiam quivero, divitem me putabo in possessione liliorum. Rex sum autem, si tertiam his adiungere potero patientiam. Et quidem possunt sufficere illae; sed quia et deficere in tentationibus possunt, siquidem tentatio est vita hominis super terram : opus profecto patientia est, quae utriusque sit quasi tutrix quaedam et custos.
Puto, si venerit amator ille liliorum, et ita invenerit, quod non dedignabitur iam pasci apud nos, et apud nos facere pascha: ubi illi et multa suavitas in duabus, et magna erit securitas propter tertiam. Verum quo pacto dicatur pasci qui pascit omnia, postea videbitur. Nunc vero apparet sponsum non modo apparere inter lilia, sed minime omnino extra lilia posse aliquando inveniri, cum omne quod de eo est, et ipse sit lilium, sponsus Ecclesiae Iesus Christus Dominus noster, qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula. Amen.
Scripture echoes
- ↩Song.2.16 — My beloved is mine, and I am his — the one who grazes among the lilies.
- ↩Matt.6.30;Isa.40.6-Isa.40.8 — If God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Isa.40.6 — A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its faithfulness is like the flower of the field. Isa.40.7 — The grass withers, the flower fades, for the breath of the LORD blows upon it; truly, the grass is the people. Isa.40.8 — The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.
- ↩Phil.2.7 — but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness, and appearing as a human being.
- ↩Ps.45.4-Ps.45.5 — Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your glory and majesty. Ps.45.5 — And in your splendor, ride forth victoriously for the cause of truth and humble righteousness; and your right hand will teach you awesome deeds.
- ↩2Cor.2.15 — For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
- ↩2Cor.2.16 — To the one we are an aroma of death leading to death, and to the other an aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
- ↩2Cor.2.16 — To the one we are an aroma of death leading to death, and to the other an aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things?
- ↩Luke.1.35 — And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the one to be born will be called Son of God."
- ↩Eph.4.7 — But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
- ↩Ps.68.19 — You ascended on high; you led captivity captive; you received gifts among people — even from the rebellious — so that Yah, God, might dwell there.
- ↩Ps.51.7 — Behold, in iniquity I was brought forth, and in sin my mother conceived me.
- ↩Gen.3.18 — And thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the plants of the field.
- ↩Song.2.16 — My beloved is mine, and I am his — the one who grazes among the lilies.
- ↩Song.2.16 — My beloved is mine, and I am his — the one who grazes among the lilies.
- ↩Job.7.1 — Does not a human have a hard service on earth, and are not his days like the days of a hired worker?
- ↩Luke.21.19 — By your endurance you will gain your lives.
Notes
- 1 ↩The shift from 'pasceret' (he would feed, active) in s1 to 'pasci' (to be fed, passive) in s2 is theologically loaded: the Bridegroom both feeds and is fed. Rendered to preserve that tension.
- 2 ↩The contrast between the exalted and the lowly state of Christ is compressed; the sense is that the Bridegroom's exalted nature cannot be locally present in the way his humble, earthly manifestation can. 'Praesto esse' rendered as 'close at hand' to capture local accessibility.
- 3 ↩quoniam sunt reliquiae, inquit, homini pacifico — echoes a proverbial or scriptural sententia; exact source not resolved here.
- 4 ↩socialis vitae exemplar — 'social life' here connotes communal, religious common life rather than modern sociability.
- 5 ↩annon expects a negative answer (i.e., 'surely yes'); rendered as a rhetorical question preserving that force.
- 6 ↩Agnus... qui ad occisionem ductus est, et non aperuit os suum — strong allusion to Isaiah 53:7 and John 1:29; final resolution deferred.
- 7 ↩Rorate, coeli, desuper... — quotation from Isaiah 45:8 (Vulgate); final resolution deferred.
- 8 ↩iustus germinabit sicut lilium, et florebit in aeternum ante Dominum — echoes Psalm 92:12–13 (Vulgate 91:13–14) and Hosea 14:5–6; final resolution deferred.
- 9 ↩The Latin "pasci interdum dignetur is, qui pascitur inter lilia" plays on the Bridegroom feeding among the lilies (Song 2:16 / 6:2); rendered as "feed at my place" to capture the spatial sense of "penes me" while preserving the pastoral metaphor.
- 10 ↩The relative clause 'qui non vult nisi inter lilia pasci' refers to the Bridegroom (Christ), who refuses to dwell in a soul bearing only a single virtue; 'causetur' implies he could bring a charge or objection against the lily's isolation.
- 11 ↩'Tentatio est vita hominis super terram' echoes Job 7:1 ('Militia est vita hominis super terram'); Bernard adapts the military metaphor to temptation. 'Opus profecto patientia est' echoes Luke 21:19 ('In patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras').
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