XXII About the second four fruits of the Body of Jesus
XXII
About the second four fruits of the Body of Jesus
ii. Our second chief misery, noted in the last Meditation, is want of grace. From this come our second four evils or weaknesses; and these are a grievous loss to many souls. They are: 1, want of self-knowledge; 2, want of brotherly love; 3, want of the spiritual taste; 4, want of perseverance in good. The fruit of the womb of Mary, that is, the Body of Jesus, prevails against these defects.
1. From the ancient days the heart of man has been wrapped up in ignorance of self. Who can understand the evil ways in which he has made others sin, or in which he has consented to the sins of others?
2. We love our brethren but little, and charity grows cold. This is proved by outward things. We do not help our neighbour when we can nor as much as we can. Diverse weights and measures are hateful to God, as the Scripture says. Now he has these unjust weights and these unjust measures in his house who measures and weighs in one way for himself and in another way for his neighbour, and who sees always in his own actions the things that are to be praised, but in the actions of his neighbour the things that are to be blamed. He who in things of the world strives always to give more to himself and less to his neighbour is displeasing to God. The same must be said about the man who by word or deed grieves his neighbour or hurts him or causes him loss.
3. Jeremias speaks of the sour grapes which the children eat; and of this St. Gregory says, ‘What are these sour grapes but sin? A grape that is sour is fruit before the time; and he who strives to satisfy himself with the delights of this life is trying to eat fruit before it is ripe. His teeth are set on edge, because a man who feeds on the joys of this life and of the world has his inward senses so bound that he cannot taste the sweetness of spiritual things. The Israelites were so satisfied in Egypt with flesh and leeks and garlic, that they longed for them in the desert, and through that desire turned away even with loathing from the deliciousness of the manna, the bread from Heaven.’ St. Paul tells us that the sensual man cannot perceive the things of the Spirit; and of this St. Augustin says, ‘The sensual man is the fleshly man, who is borne headlong by the wild lasciviousness of his soul.’
4. There is no wonder if a man make good resolutions, and begin works that are good; but it is indeed wonderful if he go on with them, and persevere in his good intentions and his good works.
(ii.) Against these four evils we have the second four fruits of the Body of Jesus, for by them we are perfected in the life of grace: 1, He enlightens the understanding so that it may know itself; 2, He sets the will or the affections aflame with the love of God; 3, He delights the memory with spiritual sweetness; 4, He strengthens the whole man in what is good.
1. Honey is praised as food in Scripture, because it signifies the uncreated Wisdom of God given to us as very sweet food, and bringing with it enlightenment. When God enlightens us it is that He helps us to know ourselves better.
2. The live coal burning with fire brought to Isaias from the Altar signifies the Body of Jesus given in Communion. That Body is on fire with love, and it kindles a great love in the hearts of the faithful.
3. The memory of Josias is said to be like a fragrance made by the art of the perfumer, and to be sweet as honey in every mouth. Now Josias, the strength of God, signifies Christ. The memorial of Christ is the Sacrament of His Body, which He commanded to be offered in remembrance of Himself; and it is a fragrant work of the Holy Ghost, who made it of most precious things, that is, of the virginal flesh of Mary and of the Wisdom of God. This is a sweetness like honey in the mouth of the heart if you lovingly meditate on all that He has done for the salvation of the world. The more that you think of Him, the more you will love Him.
N. The Bride speaks of the shadow of the Spouse, and longs for it. Thus the faithful soul longs for Jesus, is inflamed with great love for Him, and is athirst for Him in the Spirit. Then she feels the shadow of her desire in the hope of finding fruit. Next she sits still, waits, and prays that He may pour Himself out altogether as the fruit which she seeks, for life and for refreshment. Lastly, when He is poured forth, she tastes His sweetness in rapture of soul.
But you may say, ‘I prepare myself for Communion as often as I can; I receive the Body of my Lord; and yet I feel nothing of this consolation and spiritual sweetness of which you speak.’ To that I answer, This food or fruit is the medicine of man. Now a skilful physician gives to some persons medicine that is pleasant to the palate of the body, and to others that which is not sweet in this way, but pleasant to the palate of the mind. This may not be sweet to the throat, but it is sweet to the reason, because the reasonable patient knows that it is for his good. So our Lord gives His Body to the faithful. It is always sweet in itself; but to some He gives that sweetness in one way, and to some in another, just as He in His wisdom sees to be best for each soul. Hence there are two ways in which this sweetness of Jesus is felt:
a. Some taste this sweetness in their affections, having great joy in their hearts. By very fervent devotion they find consolation and peace in God. St. Ambrose says, ‘O Bread most shiningly white, having in Thyself every delight and the sweetness of every taste, Thou who dost always refresh us, let my heart feed on Thee and taste Thy gladness.’
b. Others taste the same sweetness by an understanding turned to God. In this they have all the refreshment and all the help that they desire. They believe, and thus they know that by this holy Food they have true life, that is, the everlasting life which God gives. When the Bride says that the fruit of the Divine Spouse is sweet to her taste, she means that it is sweet to the loving and faithful mind, which believes in God, and thus knows the exceedingly great profitableness of this holy Food. This fruit is sweet to the taste of the heart when it finds in it the principle of life, and perceives it even in a bodily way.
If, then, you should not feel inward delight after the first way, by love and devotion and sensible sweetness, you can feel it in the second way, by understanding all the good the Body of Jesus does to your soul.
This sweetness, as you have seen in the Nineteenth Meditation, has power against three evils of the world: a, false sweetness in using pleasant things; b, bitterness in bearing trials; c, sadness about doing good.
4. The Body of Jesus strengthens the faithful in the work of God. It lifts them up, and heartens them so that they do not fear. If we go on bravely, yet humbly, we shall reach our journey’s end in safety.
N. These four fruits are set forth in the miracle by which Eliseus raised the son of the Sunamitess to life. By the boy is signified the faithful soul; by Eliseus, our Lord, who joins Himself to the soul like a seal on wax. He puts His eyes upon our eyes, because He enlightens our understanding; He warms our flesh, because He enkindles our hearts with love; He puts His mouth on our mouth, because He delights the taste of our memory with sweetness of the Spirit; He puts His hands upon our hands, because He helps us to persevere in good works to the end. Thus He perfects the whole man, and brings him safely to everlasting life.
The Voice of the Holy Ghost
ii. About defects of grace; 1. Want of self-knowledge; Darkness was upon the face of the deep. Gen. 1:2.
The heart is perverse above all things, and unsearchable: who can know it? I am the Lord who searches the heart. Jer. 17:9.
Who can understand sins? From my secret sins cleanse me, O Lord. Ps. 18:13.
Why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, and seest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how sayest thou to thy brother, Let me cast the mote out of thy eye, and behold a beam is in thine own eye? St. Matt. 7:3, 4.
2. Our want of brotherly love; Because iniquity hath abounded, the love of many shall grow cold. St. Matt. 24:12.
The cold north wind bloweth, and the water is congealed into crystal: upon every gathering together of waters it shall rest, and shall clothe the waters as a breastplate. Ecclus. 43:22.
He that hath the substance of this world and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:17, 18.
Let every man take heed of his neighbour, and let him not trust in any brother of his; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every friend will walk deceitfully. And a man shall mock his brother, and they will not speak the truth; for they have taught their tongues to speak lies; they have laboured to commit iniquity. Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit: through deceit they have refused to know Me, saith the Lord. Jer. 9:4–6.
Diverse weights and diverse measures are both abominable before God. Prov. 20:10.
3. Our want of spiritual taste; In those days they shall say no more the fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the teeth of the children are set on edge. But every one shall die for his own iniquity: every man that shall eat of the sour grape, his teeth shall be set on edge. Jer. 31:29, 30.
A mixed multitude of people, that came up with them, burned with desire, sitting and weeping, the children of Israel being also joined with them, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish we ate in Egypt free cost: the cucumbers come into our minds, and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic. Our soul is dry; and our eyes behold nothing else but manna. Numb. 11:4–6.
The sensual man perceiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand because it is spiritually examined. 1 Cor. 2:14.
4. Our want of perseverance; The Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrha brimstone and fire from the Lord out of Heaven; and He destroyed these cities and all the country about; all the inhabitants of the cities, and all things that spring from the earth; and his (Lot’s) wife looking behind her was turned into a statue of salt. Gen. 19:24–26.
Are ye so foolish that, whereas you began in the Spirit, you would now be made perfect by the flesh? Gal. 3:3.
They leave the right way and walk by dark ways; and are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in most wicked things. Their ways are perverse, and their steps infamous. Prov. 2:13–15.
They upon the rock are they who when they hear receive the word with joy; and these have no roots: they believe for a while, and in time of temptation fall away. St. Luke 8:13.
Jesus said to him, No man putting his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. St. Luke 9:62.
Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vineyard flourish, if the flowers be ready to bring forth fruits, if the pomegranates flourish. Cantic. 7:12.
(ii.) The second four fruits of our Lord’s Body: As to defects of grace; 1. It gives self-knowledge to the understanding; Eat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb is most sweet to the taste. So also is the doctrine of wisdom to thy soul. Prov. 24:13, 14.
You have seen yourselves that my eyes are enlightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 1 Kings 14:29.
He shall eat butter and honey, that He may know to refuse the evil and to choose the good. Is. 7:15.
Come ye to Him and be enlightened. Ps. 33:6.
The Lord is my light and my salvation. Ps. 26:1.
2. It kindles the will with love of God; One of the Seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a live coal; … and he touched my mouth. Is. 6:6.
3. It delights with spiritual sweetness; O, taste and see that the Lord is sweet; blessed is the man that hopeth in Him. Ps. 33:9.
The memory of Josias is like the composition of a sweet smell made by the art of the perfumer. His remembrance shall be sweet as honey in every mouth. Ecclus. 49:1, 2.
N. The shadow of the Spouse; I sat down under His shadow whom I desired. Cantic. 2:3.
a. Taste of the affections; Hearken diligently to Me and eat that which is good, and your soul shall be delighted in fatness. Is. 55:2.
b. Taste of the understanding; His fruit was sweet to my taste. Cantic. 2:3.
4. It strengthens the whole man in good; Thou waterest the hills from Thy chambers; the earth shall be filled with the fruits of Thy works, … that Thou mayest bring bread out of the earth … and that bread may strengthen man’s heart. Ps. 103:13–15.
N. The second four fruits together; Eliseus went into the house, and behold the child lay dead on his bed. And going in he shut the door upon him and upon the child, and prayed to the Lord. And he went up and lay upon the child; and he put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands, and he bowed himself upon him, and the child’s flesh grew warm. 4 Kings 4:32–34.
Thanksgiving
Jesus, Lover of my soul, Thou hast told me that without Thee I can do nothing. Thou hast also told me by Thy great Apostle that I can do all things if only Thou strengthen me. Strengthen me, dear Lord, by Thy Holy Spirit, that I may love Thee more and keep Thy commandments better; that I may live in Thee and for Thee; and that with Thee my life may always be hidden in God. Thou art the Fountain of grace in Thy Godhead and in Thy manhood. With the love of God Thou lovest all souls that Thou hast made. With the love of man Thou lovest all souls for whom Thou didst die. Thou art God, uncreated, everlasting, dwelling in the inaccessible light; who was and is, and is to come, the Almighty. Thou art Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Thou art the man who lived and sorrowed and loved and suffered and died to bring me back to Thy Father. Thou art the Son of Mary, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, the Son of Adam. Thou wast a man of sorrows, and Thy Soul was exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. Thou wast dead, and didst lie in Thy garden-grave. Thou didst rise in the brightness of Thy might when Thy feet were on the high places of God. Thou art He who was dead and is alive for evermore. O Jesus, Thou holdest in Thy hands the keys of hell and death, and the keys of Heaven and life. Thou shuttest, and no man can open; Thou openest, and no man can shut. Thou art the Morning Star in Heaven, and the Morning Star in the most Holy Sacrament of the Altar. Thou hast come to me in the splendour of Thy love; in the might of Thy justice and the beauty of Thy truth; in the sweetness of Thy mercy; in the light of Thy sceptre and the glory of Thy indestructible kingdom. Body and Soul and Godhead, Thou hast given Thyself, my Jesus, to me. For this I love Thee and bless Thee, and praise Thee and glorify Thee, with all my heart and all my strength. Make me faithful in all things: faithful to Thy Holy Spirit; faithful to Thee. Give me knowledge of myself, that I may know my need of Thee. Give me love of my neighbour and my brethren, that I may love them in Thee. Give me spiritual sweetness when it may please Thee; but make me always love Thy will. Thou art blessed in what Thou givest, and blessed in what Thou givest not. Thou art blessed in what Thou takest away. Though Thou shouldest slay me, I will trust Thee. Fill me with love more and more, that I may ever desire Thee and sit beneath Thy shadow in the sweetness of Thy Garden. Fill me with faith more and more, that the knowledge of Thy presence in the Blessed Sacrament may be enough for me. Dear Jesus, it is more than enough. I bless Thee and thank Thee for joy and consolations and delight when Thou givest me these things; but Thou art to me far more than all of them, and I desire only Thee. O Jesus, Bread of Heaven, strengthen my heart. Thou art dwelling in me, uniting me in body and soul to Thyself. For this I bless Thee and praise Thee, and love Thee and magnify Thee, and give myself to Thee for ever and ever.