V. That we are the Body of Christ.
St. Anselm The Devotions of Saint Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury manner of clothing is this but that of which the Apostle boasts, saying Christ of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification?84 How would He more richly apparel thee than by making thee glorious with the garment of wisdom, the ornament of righteousness, the beauty of holiness?
V That we are the Body of Christ.
AND why should I say that Christ hath clothed thee with Himself, when He hath joined thee so closely to Himself that He hath been pleased to make thee flesh of His flesh in the unity of the Church. Hear what the Apostle saith, expounding the testimony of the Scripture, And they two shall be one flesh. But I speak, saith he, concerning Christ and the Church.85 Hereupon consider also in how wonderful a bond He hath united thee with Himself. The Apostle establisheth it, that thou art the body of Christ. Ye are, saith he, the body of Christ and members in particular.86
Keep therefore thy body and thy members with that reverence which is befitting, lest if thou wrong them by lightly entreating them, thou suffer a greater punishment for thine unworthy ill-usage of them, according to the greatness of the reward that would have been thine, if thou hadst used them aright. Thine eyes are the eyes of Christ. Therefore thou mayest not turn the eyes of Christ to behold vanity, for Christ is the Truth, and all vanity is contrary to the truth.87 Thy mouth is the mouth of Christ. Thou oughtest not therefore to open, I say not only in slanders and lies but even in idle words, that mouth which should be opened only for the praises of God and the edification of thy neighbour. Be of this mind in respect also of the other members of Christ that are committed to thy charge.
1 Cor. i. 30.
Eph. v. 31, 32.
1 Cor. xii. 27.
He plays on the likeness of the words vanitas and veritas.
St. Anselm The Devotions of Saint Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury That we are one in Christ, and one Christ with Christ Himself.
CONSIDER also more yet more deeply in how close an union thou art joined with Him. Hear what the Lord Himself prayeth to the Father for them that are His: I will, saith He, that as Thou and I are one, so they also may be one in Us.88 I am (that is) Thy Son by nature; I pray that they may be
Thy sons and My brethren by grace. How great a dignity is it for a Christian man, so to grow in Christ that he himself may be called in a sense Christ. This also that faithful steward of God's house hold the Church perceived when he said: All we that are Christians in Christ are one Christ.89 Nor should we wonder thereat, when we consider that He is the head and we His body; He the bridegroom and He also the bride; in Himself the bridegroom, but the bride in the holy souls whom He hath bound to Himself in the bonds of an everlasting love. As upon a bridegroom, saith He, hath He set a crown upon Me, and as a bride hath He adorned me with ornaments.90 Here then, O my soul, here do thou consider His benefits towards thee, be thou inflamed with the love of Him, let the fire that is in thee break out into longing after the blessedness of beholding Him. Cry out boldly in the words of the faithful bride, Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth.91 Let all delight which is not in Him depart from my mind, let no pleasure, no consolation of this present life comfort me, while His blessed presence is denied to me. Let Him embrace me with the arms of His love, let
Him kiss me with the heavenly sweetness of His mouth, let Him speak to me with that ineffable eloquence wherewith He revealeth His secrets to the Angels. May the Bridegroom and the Bride enjoy such mutual interchange of discourse, that I may open my whole heart to Him and He reveal to me the secrets of His sweetness. Thus, O my soul, refreshed by these and such like meditations and full of the passion of a holy longing, do thou strive to follow Thy Bridegroom and say unto
Him, Draw me after Thee; we will run after the odour of Thine ointments.92 Speak to Him and speak as a loyal spouse not with the sound of words that passeth away but with a longing of heart that fainteth not; so speak that thou mayest be heard, so desire to be drawn by Him that thou mayest follow. Say therefore to thy Redeemer and Saviour, Draw me after Thee. Let not the sweetness of
this world but let thy sweetness of Thy most blessed love draw me. Draw me, for Thou hast drawn me heretofore; hold me fast, for Thou hast laid hold upon me. Thou hast drawn me to Thee by redeeming me; draw me by saving me. Thou hast drawn me by pitying me; draw me by blessing me. Thou hast laid hold on me by appearing among men, made man for us; hold me fast as Thou
John xvii. 21, loosely quoted.
The reference is presumably to 1 Cor. xii. 12.
This is like Isa. lxi. 10 but is not a quotation.
Cant. i. 1.
Cant. i. 3, according to the Vulgate.