Sermons on the Song of Songs

You observe, my brethren, that faith is at once life and the shadow of life; just as, on the contrary, a life that is lived in pleasures is death and the shadow of death. “She that liveth in pleasures,” says the Apostle, “is dead while she is living,” for “the wisdom of the flesh is death.” But a life of pleasure, whilst a death in itself, is also the shadow of a second death, of that, namely, which shall torment its victims eternally. We ourselves in times past were “seated in darkness and in the shadow of death,” when instead of walking by faith, “we all conversed in the desires of the flesh,” having already died to justice and on the point of being swallowed up by the second death. For in the degree in which the shadow is nigh to the body by which it is thrown, in the same degree “my life hath drawn nigh to hell.” For “unless the Lord had been my Helper,” as the Psalmist confesses, “my soul had almost dwelt in hell.” Now, however, we have passed from the shadow of death into the shadow of life. Rather “we have passed from death to life” and are living now under the shadow of Christ, if indeed we are truly alive and not still dead in sin. I say this, because, so far as I can see, the fact that a man is in the shadow of Christ does not necessarily imply that he is there as one living, since, as is evident, not everyone who has the faith “liveth by faith.” For “faith without good works is dead,” and so cannot communicate life, for the reason that it possesses no life in itself. Therefore, when the Prophet had declared that “A Spirit before our face (is) Christ the Lord,” he was not satisfied to proceed and say, “under His shadow we shall be,” but he added, “under His shadow we shall live among the gentiles.” Do you, therefore, my brethren, follow the example of Jeremias, by endeavouring to live here in the shadow of Christ that hereafter you may reign with Him in the light of His glory. For Christ has not shadow only: He is also a source of light. He produces the shadow of faith by the Flesh, but by the Spirit the light of understanding. He is Flesh to us whilst we live in the flesh, but He is “a Spirit before our face.” That is, He will manifest Himself to us spiritually in the life to come, provided, however, that “forgetting the things that are behind,” we “stretch forth” ourselves “to those that are before.” Then, when we have attained our goal, it shall be given us to experience of the Word that which He has said of Himself, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the Flesh profiteth nothing.” I am not unaware that there has been one, at least, who was able to say, even whilst still a sojourner on earth, “And if we have known Christ according to the flesh, but now we know Him (so) no longer.” But this was the great St. Paul. As for us, who have never yet been admitted to paradise, who have not yet deserved to be rapt up to the third heaven, we must be satisfied, whilst still in the flesh, to feed on Christ’s Flesh, to reverence His mysteries, to imitate His example and to preserve His faith, that so we may live in His shadow.

“I sat down under His shadow Whom I desired.” Perhaps the Spouse is here glorying in some more sublime and special favour vouchsafed her, inasmuch as she does not say, like the Prophet, that she lives under His shadow, but that she has seated herself there. For sitting means resting. But it is a greater thing to rest under the shadow than to live in it, just as to live in the shadow is better than simply to be there. Jeremias, therefore, is but claiming for himself a grace common to many when he says, “In His shadow we shall live.” But the Spouse, as more highly privileged, proclaims with exultation that to her alone it has been given not merely to live but even to rest under His shadow. For she does not say in the plural number, “we sat down,” just as the Prophet had said, “we shall live,” but in the singular, “I sat down,” in order to signify the incommunicability of her prerogative. Consequently, where labour is the only condition of life for the rest of us, who, conscious of sin, have to serve in fear, there she enjoys the pleasant repose of love and devotion. For “fear hath pain,” but love is all sweetness. Hence she adds, “and His fruit was sweet to my palate.” By “His fruit” is meant the delight of contemplation which she experienced when blissfully elevated on the wings of holy love. But this was under the shadow, because as yet even she can only see “through a glass, in a dark manner.” But the time will come when “the day shall break and the shadows retire,” yea, disappear utterly, giving place to the unclouded light. Then she shall enjoy a vision of infinite brightness and eternal duration, and a fruit which shall not only afford pleasure to her palate, but satisfaction without satiety to all her desires. “I sat down under His shadow Whom I desired, and His fruit was sweet to my palate.” Let us, my brethren, rest here with the Spouse, and having tasted somewhat of the mystical feast, let us glorify the Father of the family, Who has invited us to so great a supper, the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.