Sermons on the Song of Songs

Another spiritual arrow is the word of God, “living and efficacious, and more piercing than any two-edged sword.” Of this the Saviour said, “I came not to send peace but the sword.” A most penetrating arrow also is the love of Christ, which not only pierced, but even transpierced Mary’s soul, in such a way as to leave no single fibre of that virginal breast unclaimed by charity, causing her to love with her whole heart, with her whole soul, and with all her strength, so that she might be full of grace. Or it may be said to have transpierced her in the sense that it passed through her and so came to us, in order that of her fulness we might all receive, and that she might become the mother of charity (of which the Father is God, Who is substantial Charity) bringing forth and setting its Tabernacle in the sun. Thus was fulfilled the words of Isaias, “I have given Thee to be the Light of the Gentiles, that Thou mayst be My Salvation, even to the farthest part of the earth.” And it was fulfilled through Mary, who brought forth in visible flesh Him Whom she received invisibly, neither from flesh nor with flesh. She, in truth, suffered in her whole being a great and most delicious wound of love. Happy should I esteem myself, did I but occasionally feel my soul pricked at least with the point of that sword, so that, having received a little wound of charity, I might exclaim, “I am wounded with love.” Who will grant me not only to be wounded in this manner, but even to be “fought against,” until I have utterly lost both the colour and the concupiscence of that flesh which “lusteth against the spirit”!

If the daughters of this world revile such a soul, taunting it with its pallor and poverty of colour, does it not seem to you, my brethren, that they may be suitably answered in the words, “Do not consider that I am brown, because the sun hath altered my colour”? And if that soul remembers that she has been brought to this happy condition by means of the exhortations and reprehensions of certain servants of Christ, who were “jealous of her with the jealousy of God,” will she not be able to add with all sincerity that “The sons of my mother have fought against me”? The sense, therefore, will be, according to what has been said, that the Church, or indeed any soul studious of virtue, utters these words, not in lamentation or complaint, but with joy and thanksgiving, nay, glorying in that, for the name and the love of Christ, she has been accounted worthy to be and to be called discoloured. And this she ascribes, not to any merit of her own, but to the grace and mercy of Him Who prevented her with His inspirations and sent His preachers to instruct and encourage her. For how could she believe “without a preacher”? And “how could they preach unless they were sent?” Without indignation, but not without gratitude, she declares that the sons of her mother have fought against her. Hence she adds, “They have made me keeper in the vineyards.” If these words be “spiritually examined,” I believe it will appear that they express no discontent or ill-feeling, but savour of something more excellent. But before presuming to address ourselves to this investigation, since “the place is holy,” we must, with the customary prayers, conciliate and so consult that Holy Spirit Who “searcheth the deep things of God”; or certainly the “Only-Begotten, Who is in the bosom of the Father,” the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.