Sermons on the Song of Songs

Having thus satisfied her hunger and thirst, what now remains for the sick soul, except to rest and to give herself up to the quiet of contemplation after the painful fatigues of action? But whilst she thus slumbers in the peace of prayer, she sees God, as in a dream. That is to say, she sees Him “through a glass, in a dark manner,” and not yet “face to face.” Nevertheless, although He is not so much perceived as He is in Himself and immediately, as vaguely felt and apprehended, and that but in a passing way, and by the light of a sudden and momentary blaze of glory, so great a flame of love is enkindled in her by this obscure and transient vision that she exclaims, “My soul hath desired Thee in the night, yea, and my spirit within me.” Such a love is full of zeal. Such a love is becoming in the friend of the Bridegroom. Such a love must be possessed by “the faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath appointed over His family.” Such a love fills up the soul’s capacity; it waxes hot and boils over. Then may it securely pour itself out, overflowing and overleaping its bounds and crying aloud, “Who is weak and I am not weak? Who is scandalised and I am not on fire?” Let him that is such preach the word and make it fructify; let him multiply signs and wonders; because there is no room for vanity in the soul where all is charity. For charity is the fulfilling of the heart no less than of the law, if yet it be full in itself. “God is charity,” and there is nothing in the world capable of filling a creature made to God’s image excepting that alone which is greater than the creature, viz., the charity which is God. Until this has been acquired, no man can be appointed to responsible office without the gravest peril to himself, whatever other virtues he may seem to possess. If one should have all knowledge, if he should distribute all his goods to feed the poor, even should he deliver his body to be burned, still, without charity he is empty. Behold now how much has to be poured into us in order that we may venture to pour out, giving of our plenitude, not of our poverty. Firstly, compunction; secondly, devotion; thirdly, the endurance of penance; fourthly, the exercise of piety; fifthly, the fervour of prayer; sixthly, the quiet of contemplation; seventhly, the fulness of love. “All these things one and the same Spirit worketh, dividing to everyone according” to the operation which I have named Infusion. And He does so in order that the other operation, called Effusion, may be exercised purely (and therefore securely) for the praise and glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth for ever. Amen.