Sermons on the Song of Songs

But, O my brother, thy salvation has yet to be secured. Thy charity is either non-existent, or so delicate and reed-like that it bends to every blast, gives credit to every spirit, “is carried about with every wind of doctrine.” And yet so great is it that, not content with what is of precept, it inclines thee to go beyond and to love thy neighbour even more than thyself; whilst, at the same time, it is so little, that contrary to what is commanded, it dissolves in consolation, faints under fear, loses its peace in sadness, is contracted by greed, distracted by ambition, disquieted by suspicion, disturbed by reproof, tormented with care, inflated with honour, consumed with envy. Then, by what strange madness, I ask, dost thou, perceiving thyself to be such, desire or consent to be the director of others? But hear the counsel given by a cautious and vigilant charity: “Not that others should be eased,” writes St. Paul, “and you burthened, but by an equality.” “Be not over just.” It suffices that thou lovest thy neighbour as thyself, and “by an equality.” David prayed, “Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise Thee with joyful lips.” That is, he wished to receive before communicating. And not only to receive, but even to be replenished, so that his giving might resemble in its easiness rather the eructation of satiety than the yawning which proceeds from an empty stomach. In this manner he observes caution, lest “others should be eased” and he himself “burthened.” He also preserved a right intention in imparting his gifts in imitation of Him “of Whose fulness we have all received.” Do thou, likewise, my brother, learn to belch forth of thy fulness, and do not desire to be more generous than God. Let the reservoir imitate its fountain. The fountain sends out no current, and forms no lake until it has first filled itself with its waters. It ought to be no shame to the reservoir that it does not surpass its source in prodigality. Was not the very Well-Spring of life full in Himself and of Himself ere He would, like a brimming fountain, overflow and pour out His divine treasures first into those secluded heavenly regions that lay nearest, viz., the angelic creation, and there “fill all things with good”? Then, having replenished all the loftier and more secret parts, He streamed down upon the earth, and out of His superabundance, “saved men and beasts, according as He hath multiplied His mercy.” First, He filled the higher and more interior spaces. Afterwards, overleaping the bounds of heaven, “He hath visited the earth in many mercies,” inebriated it with gladness, “and many ways enriched it.” Therefore, “go and do thou in like manner.” Fill thyself in the first place, and then endeavour to fill others. The charity which combines prudence with generosity is wont to flow in before flowing out. “My son,” says Solomon, “do not let slip.” And the Apostle, “Therefore ought we more diligently to observe the things which we have heard, lest perhaps we should let them slip.” What! Art thou holier than St. Paul, or wiser than Solomon? Otherwise, I do not want to be made rich by thy self-spoliation. And if thou art evil to thyself, to whom wilt thou be good? Help me, if thou canst, out of thy abundance. But if thou hast nothing to spare, then spare thy little for thyself.

But hear now, my brethren, what and how much is necessary to one’s own salvation, what and how much ought to be poured into us before we can safely presume to pour anything out. At present, I must compress this part of my instruction within very narrow limits, for the time has slipped and I shall soon have to finish. The Divine Physician has come to the wounded man, the Holy Spirit to the soul. For where is the soul which has not been transpierced with the devil’s sword, even after the remedial virtue of Baptism has healed the wound of original sin? When, therefore, the Holy Spirit approaches the soul which has invoked Him, and which says, “My sores are putrified and corrupted because of my foolishness,” what is the first thing to be done? Surely, to cut away any ulcerous growth which may have appeared in the wound, and which would prevent or retard its healing. Hence, let the keen knife of compunction remove the tumour of sinful habit. The pain shall indeed be very sharp. But let it be soothed with the sweet ointment of devotion, which is nothing else than the joy conceived from the hope of pardon. This hope is itself begotten of the experience of the power to control our passions, and of the victory we have gained over sin. Then the soul gives thanks and cries, “Thou hast broken my bonds; I will sacrifice to Thee the sacrifice of praise.” Next is applied the medicament of penance, a healing poultice of watchings, fastings, and prayers, and of all other kinds of penitential exercises. But whilst engaged in the labours of penance we must not forget to nourish ourselves with the meat of good works, lest otherwise we faint. And what this meat is the Divine Master tells us in the words, “My meat is to do the will of Him That sent Me.” So, let the works of piety, which are a source of strength, accompany our practices of penance. “Alms,” says Tobias, “shall be a great confidence before the Most High God.” But meat excites thirst, which has to be slaked. Therefore, we must add to the solid food of good works the drink of prayer, which by moistening this meat of virtuous action shall make it more easy to digest for the stomach of the conscience, and render it more pleasing to the Lord. It is in prayer that we drink the “wine which rejoiceth the heart of man,” the wine of the Spirit, which intoxicates the soul with holy love, and banishes from her the memory of sensual delights. This wine irrigates the parched interior of the conscience, facilitates, as already remarked, the digestion of the meat of good works, and distributes the nutriment amongst the members of the soul (if you allow me the expression), confirming faith, fortifying hope, enlivening and regulating charity, and anointing all our actions with the rich unction of grace.