Sermons on the Song of Songs

Afterwards, however, He pointed out to them a more excellent degree of charity in the words: “It is the spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.” That degree, as I think, had already been reached by St. Paul, when he wrote, “And if we have known Christ according to the flesh; but now we know Him so no longer.” Perhaps the Prophet Jeremias also stood in the same degree, who said, “A Spirit before our face is Christ the Lord.” For the words added, “under Thy shadow we shall live amongst the Gentiles,” he seems to me to have spoken in the person of beginners, signifying that they who did not yet feel strong enough to bear the heat of the sun, should at least find rest in the shadow. In other words, that they should nourish themselves with the sweetness of the Flesh who are not able as yet to perceive “the things that are of the Spirit of God.” The shadow of Christ, I take it, is that Flesh of His which overshadowed even His mother, and by its opacity, as by a veil interposed, tempered for her the burning heat and dazzling splendour of the Spirit. Therefore, in this love of the Flesh let him find, meantime, his consolation who has not yet received the vivifying Spirit, at least in that way in which He was possessed by those who said, “A Spirit before our face is Christ the Lord,” and “if we have known Christ according to the flesh, but now we know Him so no longer.” For it is quite certain that only in the Holy Ghost can Christ be loved at all, even according to the flesh, and even with a love less full than the love of the whole heart. Nevertheless, the whole capacity of our hearts ought to be the only measure of this carnal love, whose sweetness should fill them to overflowing, and so wean them away from the love of all other flesh and of the delights of the flesh. For it is thus only that we love with our whole hearts. Otherwise, by preferring any connexions or gratifications of my own flesh to the Flesh of my Lord, and thus failing in the perfect observance of those things which He, whilst still in the flesh, taught me by word and example, I make it clearly manifest that I do not love Him with my whole heart. For my heart being divided, I appear to be giving one part of it to the love of His Flesh, and appropriating the other to the love of my own. Yet He has said, “He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” In short, therefore, to love Him with our whole hearts is to prefer to all carnal satisfactions, whatever and whencesoever they may be, the love of His most holy Flesh. And with carnal gratifications I include also worldly glory, both because the glory of the world is the glory of the flesh, and because those who take delight in such glory are, without any doubt, carnally minded.

This devotion to Christ’s sacred Flesh is, consequently, a gift, and a great gift, of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, I have called it carnal in comparison with that love which has for object not so much the Flesh of the Word as the Word under the aspect of Wisdom, of Justice, of Truth, of Sanctity, of Piety, of Power, and of the various other Divine Attributes. For Christ rather is than has all these Perfections, “Who of God is made unto us Wisdom, and Justice, and Sanctification, and Redemption.” Now, do you think, my brethren, that these two persons are equally and similarly affected towards Him—he who lovingly compassionates the sufferings of Christ, who is easily moved to compunction and other such emotions at the thought of all He endured for us, who feeds his soul with the sweetness of this devotion, and thence derives energy for every salutary, good, and pious exercise; and he who is always inflamed with the zeal for justice, who is everywhere jealous of the interests of truth, who is eager in the pursuit of wisdom, loves sanctity of life and probity of morals, who proclaims by his conduct his dislike of boasting, his horror of detraction, his ignorance of envy, his detestation of pride, his, not only aversion, but even scorn and contempt for vainglory, his utter hatred and intolerance of all manner of uncleanness in himself, and, in a word, his almost natural and instinctive abhorrence of all that is evil and delight in all that is good? Comparing together these kinds of love, does it not appear evident to you that, in relation to the latter, the former is at least in some sense carnal?

A good thing, however, is this carnal love of Christ, enabling us, as it does, to live, not a carnal, but a spiritual life, and to conquer and contemn the world. As it progresses it will become rational, and will have reached its perfection when it changes to spiritual. Love is then rational when, as regards all points of Christian doctrine, it clings with such tenacity to the orthodox faith, that by no counterfeits of truth, by no heretical or rather diabolical circumvention can it be seduced in the least from the purity of Catholic teaching; and when, in private life, it is so observant of caution as never to transgress the limits of moderation by any extravagance, levity, or the impetuosity of an excessively ardent spirit. This is, as I have already said, loving God with one’s whole soul. Should there be added to our love such vigour from the supporting Spirit that no difficulties, no torments, no terrors of death shall avail to turn us aside from the paths of justice, then we shall love with all our “strength,” and our love will be spiritual. For the epithet spiritual belongs especially to this love, on account of the fulness of the Spirit which is its prerogative and its distinguishing excellence.

So much must suffice on the words of the Spouse, “Therefore, young maidens have loved Thee exceedingly.” With regard to what follows, may the treasures of divine mercy be graciously opened to us, by Him Who is their Custodian, Jesus Christ Our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God for endless ages. Amen.