Sermons on the Song of Songs

Where shall we find a better model of meekness than David, who lamented the death of Saul, of the man, I say, who had always thirsted for his? What greater charity than thus to mourn for one whose removal brought himself to the throne? He was almost inconsolable at the loss of a parricidal son. What an abundance of the “best ointment” is revealed in such an affection! No wonder, then, he could pray with confidence, saying, “O Lord, remember David and all his meekness.” Therefore, all these possessed those “best ointments,” of which they are redolent even to-day throughout the universal Church. And not only they, but also every one who in this life shows himself so benevolent and beneficent, who tries to converse with such kindness amongst men, that instead of keeping for himself the graces he receives, he devotes them all, without exception, to the common use, considering himself, as St. Paul, a debtor alike to friends and enemies, “to the wise and the unwise.” Because persons of this description are useful to all, and humble in all, therefore are they loved above all both by God and man, and the fragrance of their virtues “shall be in benediction.” Those, I repeat, whose lives have been such, have perfumed with their precious ointments, not only the times in which they lived, but even all subsequent ages. Thou also, my brother, if thou willingly sharest with us, thy companions, the gifts thou hast received from above; if thou showest thyself everywhere amongst us obliging, affectionate, grateful, obedient, and humble: thou, also, shalt receive testimony of all that thou art redolent of the “best ointments.” Yes, every individual amongst you, brethren, who not only supports with patience the corporal and spiritual infirmities of his brother, but, so far as he is permitted and has the power, assists him by kind offices, comforts him by his words, and directs him by his counsels, or, if the Rule will not allow of this, consoles the weakling, at least by his fervent and incessant prayer—every such person, I say, exhales a good odour in his community, and “smells sweet of the best ointments.” As balsam in the mouth, so is such a religious in a monastery. His brothers point him out and say of him, “This is a lover of his brethren and of the people of Israel. This is he that prayeth much for the people and for all the holy city.”

But let us now turn to the New Testament, and see if we can find there any reference to these “best ointments.” We read in St. Mark that “Mary Magdalen, and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome bought sweet spices that coming they might anoint Jesus.” What were those ointments, so precious that they were purchased and prepared especially for the Body of Christ, and so abundant that they were sufficient for the anointing of every part of It! We nowhere find in the Gospel that any of the other two kinds of ointments were either procured or compounded for the special purpose of anointing the Lord, or that they were poured out over the whole of His Body. But a woman is suddenly introduced, in one place kissing His Feet and dropping unguent upon Them; in another, whether the same person or a different, emptying out upon His sacred Head an alabaster box of precious oil. Yet here it is said, “they bought sweet spices that coming they might anoint Jesus.” They did not buy the ointment, but the sweet spices. The perfume for the holy Body was not obtained ready made; it was freshly extracted by themselves from the aromatic elements. Neither was it applied to some particular part only, for instance, to the Head or the Feet. But, as it is written, “that coming they might anoint Jesus.” What embraces the whole must not be restricted to a part.

Do you, also, my brethren, put on the bowels of mercy; show yourselves generous and kind, not alone to parents and relatives, not alone to those from whom you have received or hope to receive benefits, for even the heathens do this, but, according to the counsel of the Apostle, study to do good to all, so that, for God’s sake, you will not refuse or withhold, even in the case of an enemy, any service you can render to body or soul. So shall it be manifest that you too abound with the “best ointments,” and have purposed to perfume, as far as depends on you, not merely the Lord’s Head or Feet, but His entire mystical Body, which is the Church. Perhaps the reason why the Lord Jesus would not have the ointment which had been prepared for Him, to be poured upon His dead Body, was that it might be reserved for His living Body. For the Church is living and eats of “the living Bread That came down from heaven.” It is the Body which Christ loves best, which He will not suffer to taste death, whereas His natural Body was delivered up to death, as every Christian knows. It is His mystical Body that He wants us to anoint and to cherish; and He desires us to apply the more special and efficacious medicaments to its weak members. For this, therefore, He would keep the precious ointment, when, anticipating the hour and hastening the glory of His Resurrection, He thus enlightened rather than refused the devotion of the holy women. If He was unwilling to be anointed, it was as sparing the unction, not as spurning it. He did not decline the service, but postponed it to a time when it would be a greater benefit. I am not now referring to any benefit from the material and corporal unction, but to the spiritual benefit symbolised by that. For this reason, therefore, He, the Master of piety, refused for Himself the best ointments of piety, because He wished they should be reserved for relieving the necessities, both corporal and spiritual, of His own indigent members. When, a little earlier, ointment was poured on His Head and even on His Feet, and precious ointment too, did He forbid it? On the contrary, He reprimanded those that were presuming to do so. To Simon, who was angry that He should allow Himself to be touched by a sinner, He administered a reproof in the form of a lengthy parable. And when the disciples complained of the waste of ointment, He said to them, “Why are you troublesome to this woman?”

Sometimes (if I may here digress a little) when prostrate and in tears at the Feet of my Jesus, offering Him, at the thought of my sins, the “sacrifice of an afflicted spirit,” or when standing at His Head (a grace more rare with me) and exulting in the memory of His benefits, I also have heard people complain and ask, “To what purpose is this waste?” They complained, I mean, that I was living for myself alone, when I might, as they supposed, be assisting many. “For this,” they said, “could have been sold for much and given to the poor.” But it would be an unprofitable traffic for me, if I gained the whole world and lost myself and my own soul. Hence, understanding such expressions of discontent to be the “dead flies,” mentioned in Scripture, which destroy the fragrance of the ointment, I remembered the words of God: “O My people! they that bless thee, the same deceive thee.” But let those who accuse me of taking my ease hear the Lord excusing me and answering for me. “Why,” He asks, “are you troublesome to this woman?” That is to say, “You look on the face, and, therefore, you judge according to the face. He is not a man, as you suppose, who is able to stretch forth his hand to hard things, but only a weak woman. Why would you lay a burden on him to which I see he is unequal? He is doing ‘a good work upon Me.’ Let him continue in this good, until he gets strength to do better. If ever he changes from a woman to a man, and to a perfect man, then he may also be employed in a manly and perfect work.”