Sermons on the Song of Songs

Yet even here I would not venture to say that He shows Himself as He is, although at the same time He does not appear in this kind of vision altogether different from Himself as He is. For He does not constantly manifest Himself thus, even to the most fervent souls, nor yet in the same way to all. It is necessary that grace and the savour of the divine presence should vary in accordance with the varying desires of the soul, and that the infused relish of heavenly sweetness should please the spiritual palate in different ways and degrees. You must have noticed in this love-song how often He changes His Countenance, and with “how great a multitude of sweetness” He condescends to transform Himself in the presence of His beloved one. Thus, at one time, He appears as a bashful Bridegroom, soliciting the secret embraces of the holy soul, and finding His pleasure in kisses; at another, He reveals Himself in the rôle of a Physician, with oils and unguents, and that for the sake of such tender and weak souls as still have need of lotions and lenitives, and hence are designated by the name of “young maidens,” a name expressive of delicacy. Should anyone murmur at His acting thus, he shall be told that “They that are in health need not a Physician, but they that are ill.” Occasionally also, as a Wayfarer, He associates Himself with the wayfaring Spouse and young maidens, who are journeying forward together, and He relieves the labour and weariness of the way with His delightful conversation. Hence they say to each other, after their parting from Him, “Was not our heart burning within us whilst He spoke to us on the way?” Most pleasant of companions, Who makes all to run after Him, to the sweetness of His voice and the attractions of virtues, as to the delicious odour of spiritual ointments! Hence they, the Spouse and the young maidens, also say, “We will run to the odour of Thy ointments.” Sometimes, again, He presents Himself as a wealthy Father of a family, whose house abounds with bread; or rather as a magnificent and powerful Monarch, Who appears in order to support the pusillanimity of His poor Spouse, and to excite her pious cupidity by showing her all the riches of His glory, the treasures of His wine-presses and His storehouses, the abundance of His gardens and His fields, and lastly, leading her even into the privacy of His bedchamber. For “the heart of her Husband trusteth in her”; and amongst all His possessions there is nothing which He thinks ought to be concealed from her whom He redeemed from poverty, whom He has found faithful under trial, and whom He now embraces as worthy of His love. And so He ceases not to manifest Himself in one or other of these interior ways to the eye of the soul that seeks Him, in order that the word may be fulfilled which He spoke, saying, “Behold, I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.”

In all these various kinds of vision, the Beloved appears “sweet and mild and plenteous in mercy.” For as the bashful Bridegroom, intent on kisses, He shows Himself pleasant and affectionate; as the Physician with His oils, His medicines, and His unguents, clement and rich in the bowels of piety and compassion; as a Wayfarer, cheerful and affable and full of charm and consolation; as a Monarch, exhibiting His treasures and possessions, munificent and liberal to reward, with a royal liberality. And so, in every verse of this Canticle you will see the Word obscurely represented under such images. Hence, in my opinion, this must have been the Prophet’s meaning, where he says, “A Spirit before our face is Christ the Lord; under thy shadow we shall live among the gentiles”; because, as St. Paul tells us, “we see now through a glass, in a dark manner,” and not yet “face to face.” But this is to be the case only whilst we “live amongst the gentiles.” For when we are amongst the angels, it shall be otherwise. Then, enjoying quite the same happiness as these blessed spirits, we also shall see Him as He is, that is to say, in the “Form of God,” and no longer under symbol or figure. For just as we say that the Old Dispensation possessed but the shadow and the image, whereas under the Gospel we have the very truth shining upon us, through the grace of Christ present in the flesh; so may we, too, whilst here below, be said to live in the shadow, in comparison with that light of truth wherewith we shall be illumined in the world to come. No one will deny this, except one who does not agree with the Apostle, when he says, “We know in part and we prophesy in part,” and, “I do not count myself to have apprehended.” For surely there must be a difference between walking by faith and walking by vision. And therefore, whilst the holy soul lives here in the shadow of Christ, the holy angel rejoices in the splendour of His unclouded glory.

Yet a good thing is this shadow of the faith, which tempers the light to the weak eye, and at the same time strengthens the eye to bear the light. For, as it is written, Christians should be constantly employed in “purifying their hearts by faith.” Faith, therefore, instead of extinguishing, guards the light. Whatever that Object is which the angels are already contemplating, the same, no doubt, faith preserves for me, keeping it hidden away in its faithful bosom, to be revealed at the proper time. Is it not well, my brethren, to hold, even thus wrapped up, a treasure which we could not hold uncovered? Even the Lord’s Mother herself lived in the shadow of faith, for to her was it said “And blessed art thou that hast believed.” She had also a shadow from the Body of Christ, as the Angel implied when he told her “And the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee.” For that is no slight shadow which is thrown by the power of the Most High. And truly there was power in the Flesh of Christ, which overshadowed the Virgin, so that, by means of the intervening screen of this vivifying Body, she might be enabled to endure the presence of the Divine Majesty and bear the splendours of the Light inaccessible, a thing otherwise quite impossible to a mortal woman. That is power indeed, by which every opposing power is vanquished. It is at once a power and a shadow, by which the demons are put to flight and men sheltered and defended. Or certainly an invigorating power and a cooling shadow.

We live then, my brethren, in the shadow of Christ, whilst we walk by faith and feed on His Flesh as the source of our life. For Christ’s Flesh “is Meat indeed.” And consider, whether it may not be for this reason He is even now represented as appearing in pastoral guise, if I may so speak, in this place, where the Spouse seems to address Him as if He were one of the shepherds. “Show me,” she says, “where Thou feedest, where Thou liest in the mid-day.” A “Good Shepherd,” in truth, “Who giveth His life for His sheep!” He gives His life for them, and His Flesh to them. His life is their ransom, His Flesh their food. Strange thing! He is at once their Pastor, their Pasture, and their Price!

But the conclusion of this discourse is still a long way off. The subject is a large one, and comprehends numerous grandeurs and sublimities, so that it cannot be compressed within narrow limits. Hence it seems best to make here an interruption rather than an end. But memory must watch in the interval, and not let slip what has been said. For in the next sermon, I shall resume this subject, and begin at the point where I now leave off, according as I may be inspired by Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen.