Angela of Foligno

ON BLESSED ANGELA OF FOLIGNO.

Year of Christ 1309.

Angela of Foligno, Widow (Bl.)

[1] The admirable life of blessed Angela of Foligno was published long ago in Paris and elsewhere. Its author was a certain Arnaldus, a religious of the Order of St. Francis, to whom she was accustomed to confess her sins. The same work, somewhat fuller but written much more simply, Life of Angela. and with hardly any order maintained, is in my possession, collated from the codex of Cornelius Duynius with other manuscripts. The author himself seems to have arranged it afterwards. We present it here as it was published, but corrected or illustrated from the manuscript at various points. We have distinguished the chapters differently, removing the more extensive titles, but noting the numbers of the earlier chapters in the margins.

[2] Ferrarius records Angela's birthday on this day in his General Catalogue of the Saints in these words: "At Foligno in Umbria, blessed Angela, widow." Her commemoration in the sacred calendars. The manuscript Martyrology of the monastery of the Regular Sisters of the Lac de Sainte-Marie near Leiden has the same. Also the Florarium: "The Deposition of Angela of Foligno, a most devout widow, in the year of salvation 1360" — actually 1309. Others place her birthday on January 3, such as Ferrarius himself in the Topographical Index of his Catalogue of the Saints of Italy, Molanus in his Additions to Usuard, and the German Martyrology, in which however she is wrongly called a virgin, as also in the Cologne edition of Usuard from the year 1521.

[3] Our Martin Delrio makes honorable mention of this most holy woman in his Magical Investigations, volume 2, Book 3, chapter 1, question 4, section 5, where he treats of illnesses inflicted by the devil: "To the same effects produced by God's permission," he says, "I would relate the bodily torments of blessed Angela of Foligno." He then cites certain passages from chapter 2, number 35, which in the earlier edition are chapter 19, and adds: "From this you learn that this holy widow was set forth as an example of patience to the female sex, as Job was to the male." The life of blessed Angela is given in the ancient Chronicles of the Friars Minor by Marcus of Lisbon, Part 2, Book 7, chapters 6 ff., and by Joannetinus Niño, Part 3, Book 3, chapter 8 ff. Marcus, chapter 17, and Niño, chapter 19, report that she was buried with honor at Foligno in a particular chapel of the church of the Order of St. Francis, and that her body can still be seen enclosed in an elegant casket.

LIFE, BY ARNALDUS OF THE ORDER OF ST. FRANCIS.

Angela of Foligno, Widow (Bl.) — BHL Number: 0455

By Arnaldus.

PROLOGUE OF THE AUTHOR.

[1] Why Angela, a woman, simple, married, was chosen by God. Lest the puffing-up of worldly wisdom (otherwise earthly and diabolical, inflating the spirits of those who speak great things and do very little) should remain unconfounded by the eternal wisdom of God, God raised up a woman of secular status, bound to the world, entangled with a husband, children, and riches, simple in knowledge, powerless in strength. But by the virtue divinely infused in her through the Cross of the God-man Jesus Christ, she broke the bonds of the world, ascended the pinnacle of evangelical perfection, and renewed the perfect and most wise foolishness of the Cross of Christ — the wisdom of the perfect. And the obliterated way of the good Jesus — which exalted giants declared impossible to observe by both word and deed — she not only showed to be possible to observe, but also easy, and containing the highest delights. O heavenly wisdom of evangelical perfection, how with the eternal God you have made foolish the wisdom of this world! And you, eternal God, in your very handmaid: opposing against men, a woman; against the puffed up, a humble one; against the cunning, a simple one; against the learned, an unlettered one; against religious hypocrisy, the contempt of one's own condition; against idle tongues and slack hands, an astonishing ardor of works and silence of words; against the prudence of the flesh, the prudence of the spirit, which is the knowledge of the Cross of Christ! Whence in the strong woman there appears openly what in the blind watchmen among men was buried by carnal interpretation.

[2] Exhortation to her spiritual children. Far therefore from the children of this holy mother let shame depart! And from Angela, of great counsel, learn the way of riches, the wisdom of the Cross of Christ — which is poverty, sorrow, and contempt, and the true obedience of God, of the good God-man Jesus Christ, and of his most sweet mother — and teach men and women and every creature by the tongue of effective works. And so that you may glory in the vocation of so great a discipleship, know, dearest ones, that she herself is the teacher of the discipline of God and the doer of his works. Remember, dearest ones, that the Apostles, first preaching the passible life of Christ, learned from a woman that he was raised after death; so, dearest children of the holy mother Angela, learn from me together with this mother that the Rule, dead in carnal observers, first possessed by our first parents blessed Francis and his companions and preached by them, is now immortal in the observance of this holy mother. This is, contrary to the order of divine providence, to make a woman, for the reproach of carnal men, a teacher, whose knowledge has no like upon the earth. For even blessed Jerome says of the prophetess Huldah Book 2 against the Pelagians, chapter 8, to whom the people came running, that for the reproach of men and doctors of the law, who were transgressors of the commandment, prophecy was transferred to the female sex.

SECOND PROLOGUE.

[3] In the name of the most blessed Trinity, and of our Lord God and man Jesus Christ the Savior, and of the most reverend Virgin Mother of the same. This is the manifestation of the gifts of the Most High, made upon the mind of Mother Angela of Foligno. For according to what the Savior says in the Gospel: John 14:23 "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him." And "He who loves me, I will manifest myself to him." Which experience and doctrine of experience the Lord himself causes to be proven most fully — and this also recently through the devotion of certain of his faithful to be in some way made known, and especially in the mind of this holy Mother Angela, The writer of this life, Arnaldus, from the Order of Friars Minor. whose revelations and visions I, Brother Arnaldus of the Order of Friars Minor, was scarcely able to obtain with many prayers and for the gravest reason, even though I was joined to her by much familiarity and the charity of Christ. For on account of the total hiddenness in which she kept the gifts of God (whence she also sometimes said: Blessed Angela conceals her revelations. "My secret is mine, my secret is mine"), I would not have had these things, as far as I can tell, unless there had first been shown a very great displeasure which I was suffering, seeing that we were being deprived of such gifts on account of her humility. She therefore, moved by compassion, and sometimes by the manifest benefit of her neighbor, and most often by the will, command, and compulsion of God, gave me what follows.

[4] The divine revelations are ineffable. She was also made difficult and unwilling because, as she told me many times, it seemed to her that she was saying nothing at all when she was revealing something to me. Indeed, it seemed to her rather that she was blaspheming, on account of the loftiness of the revelations and the impossibility of expressing them, because nothing can be expressed in human words except only those things which are narrated as having been done near us, either corporally or imaginatively. But divine things, and what the mind suffers from the divine influence, are entirely ineffable to us. For when this holy woman began to manifest to me the divine secrets, she would tell me things more wonderful than anything in the world, in unusual words — great, effective, and full of light — and frequently she could not express them, although she would give me to understand something through the things she said. And she was disturbed and saddened because she could not reveal to me what she had known. Hence I too in truth could sometimes capture so little of what she was saying for writing that I thought I was like a sieve or a sack which pours out the precious substance and retains the coarser. All that the author received was from the mouth of Blessed Angela. That I could capture nothing from these divine words but the coarser parts can be seen in some measure from the fact that sometimes, when I was writing correctly as I could capture from her own mouth, and then read back to her what I had written for her to correct, she sometimes told me in amazement that she did not recognize what I had written. And another time she told me that I was speaking without any savor; and she marveled at this. And another time she said: "Through these words I recall what I said; but the writing is obscure, for what you read to me does not express what I knew." Again another time she said: "What is worst and amounts to nothing, you have written; but of the precious thing, what the soul feels, you have written nothing."

[5] And this was doubtless sometimes due to my own deficiency — not that I added anything of my own, but because in truth I could not capture what she was saying, on account of my insufficiency, and because I did not know how to write quickly, nor did I have the opportunity, nor was the time sometimes sufficient for me, nor did I have a suitable place for conferring, many causes impeding. Hence sometimes I went to the writing in a disordered state of conscience, and so everything was so truncated for me and for her that I could write nothing in an orderly fashion. And I sometimes endeavored to make a prior confession of my sins so that, with God's grace helping, I might proceed in an orderly manner. Hence for the aforesaid reasons I wrote in a disorderly fashion; and I consider it a divine marvel if I wrote anything in an orderly way. But sorrow and no small anxiety remained with me that many things which I understood to be worthy of writing I omitted because of the aforesaid causes. Through her merits, however, I frequently experienced in myself, while writing, a spiritual grace, new, which I had never before experienced; and therefore I wrote with great reverence and with great fear, so that I added nothing of my own, The author received everything from the mouth of Blessed Angela. not even a single word, except as I could capture it from the mouth of her as she spoke. And I frequently had her repeat for me the word I was to write, several times over. I strove moreover to set down her own words according to her own vernacular, lest perhaps by changing them into other Latin vocabulary I should deviate from her intention. Sometimes she also said to me: "I would have a scruple about saying these things, were it not for one word that was said to me; for it was said to me that the more I shall have said of these things, the more will remain to me." And she frequently told me that it had been revealed to her, and she was told, that she should have written at the end of the words below the following, namely: FOR ALL THESE THINGS SAID, LET THANKS BE GIVEN TO GOD.

[6] The homeland and life of Bl. Angela. This holy woman was therefore from a certain place called Foligno, near Assisi, about three leagues distant. At the beginning of her conversion she had a husband and many children; and after her conversion she performed the greatest penance that her body could bear, as I myself knew. And beyond this she endured very many temptations and torments in body and soul; for she suffered in both soul and body, from the powers of darkness and from spiritual wickedness, invisible torments which others suffer visibly and in outward appearance; She suffers many things invisibly from demons. and all the more bitterly, inasmuch as the malignant spirits have learned diverse modes of harming and afflicting a human creature. Whence when a certain trustworthy person greatly marveled and felt compassion, hearing from this faithful one of Christ how she was so horribly tormented, he saw through a revelation made to him by God that it was all true. Whence he too from that time felt wondrous compassion for her and was moved by the highest devotion.

[7] She was also of the greatest and most fervent prayer, and most discerning in confession. Whence on a certain occasion this faithful one of Christ made her confession to me, as she was accustomed, with such perfection in the knowledge of her sins, Piety and uprightness in confession. and with such contrition and tears from the beginning of the confession to the end, and with such strength of humility, that I wept in my heart, believing most certainly that even if the whole world were deceived, God would not permit one of such great uprightness and truth to be deceived.

[8] And when on the following night she fell ill, almost unto death, the next morning she came with great difficulty to the church of the Friars. And then I said Mass and gave her communion; and I know that she never received communion without God bestowing upon her some great grace, Divine consolations overflow into the body. and virtually a new one each time. So great was the efficacy of the illuminations and enlightenments and consolations that she received in her soul, that they very frequently and evidently overflowed into her body. Whence sometimes, while standing with me, her soul was lifted up, and she could not understand anything of what I was reading back to her; and her face and body were changed by the joy of the divine communications and by the devotion and delight of the consolations, to such a degree that sometimes her eyes were as bright as candles and her face like a rose; She sometimes forgets to eat. and she sometimes became full and plump and radiant and angelic, and wonderfully beautiful in her whole countenance, beyond the human condition, and she would forget to eat and drink as if her spirit did not exist in a mortal body.

[9] Her face changes and becomes radiant. For her companion, a most devout virgin, reported that when on a certain occasion they were walking along the road, her whole appearance became radiant, joyful, and ruddy, so that her eyes became large and so resplendent that she no longer seemed to be herself at all. Whence her companion, seeing this, was troubled, fearing that some person might come upon them and look at her; and so her companion covered her own face and said: "Why do you not cover your face? For your eyes seem to shine like candles." And because she was very timid and simple, and did not yet understand the gifts of grace, she lamented and struck herself with her fists and beat her breast, saying: "Tell me, why does this happen to you? From now on, take care to withdraw from people, because we can no longer go about in public. Alas, what shall we do?" And she, answering, comforted her, saying: "Do not be afraid, for if we encounter people, God will help us." She said that this happened to her so many times that she had lost count.

[10] The aforementioned companion reported about this holy Mother that when on a certain occasion she lay in an ecstasy on her side, she saw something like a single most delightful star, A star is seen beside her. of innumerable variety and innumerable resplendent colors, and from it proceeded rays, both large and fine, of wondrous beauty; and after they had proceeded from the body of her as she lay on her side, they folded back upon her side, and afterward ascended upward toward heaven. And this was while she was awake, at about the third hour; and the star, she said, was not very large.

[11] Sometimes also, because of the torments of the soul and vehement temptations and vexations and infirmities of the body, She languishes from love. and from the languor of love for her beloved, she became entirely languid, dry, and pale, so that it was pitiful to see her, and she was almost always feeble and ill in body.

[12] This life contains nothing false. And I, Brother, the writer, after I had written all the things which are written below, I sought and asked the aforementioned faithful one of Christ to pray to God and to inquire of Him whether I had written anything false or superfluous, so that God in His mercy might reveal it and indicate it to her, that from Him we might know the truth about these things. And the faithful one answered me, speaking thus: "Before you told me this, I had many times asked God to make me know if in those things which I said and which you wrote there was any falsehood or anything superfluous. And I was certified many times, and the answer was given to me that everything that I said and everything that you wrote was entirely true; nor was there anything false or superfluous in it — although in this manner the things were not expressed as perfectly as they ought to have been."

[13] Again it was said to her by God in this manner: "Everything that is written in this booklet is according to my will and has proceeded from me, and I will seal it." And when she did not understand that word "I will seal it," then He said again: "And I will confirm it." I, the writer, added nothing to her words; but I did omit many of those good things which she said, because I could not grasp them in my understanding. This life was examined. All these things were examined, God so disposing, by two trustworthy Friars Minor, who made a diligent examination with her and heard from her own mouth all these things which I wrote, conferring with her about all of them so that they might be made more certain about all these matters. All things were also examined by Lord James of the Colonna family and by eight renowned Friars Minor, of whom some had been Lectors in the general schools of study, others Inquisitors, others Custodians — men who were trustworthy, truly modest, and by divine grace very spiritual — none of whom accused these statements of falsehood, but rather all venerate them humbly and embrace them most dearly. Let no one who reads this booklet wonder at the fact that sweet and love-filled words were spoken to her quite frequently, because such a manner of speaking is found in Sacred Scripture, as is evident in the Song of Songs; especially since, as is clear to the reader, divine grace preserved her lest she fall into pride in any way. Indeed, through such words she was made most humble. Because, however, she says that sometimes she was elevated and transformed into a certain state of illumination, joy, or delight, which she did not believe she would ever lose, I understand this word and similar ones as follows: namely, that the blessed soul, from the divine illumination, is newly formed into a certain continuous state of transformation into the most infinite light of God, and into a feeling hitherto inexperienced by her; which state, although continuous (not interrupted, as it were, as an act) like a habit, nevertheless that same act, as I believe, receives an increase of new fervors, joys, sweetnesses, and new tastes, while the same illumination and feeling remain, as regards one continuous act. And for this reason it can be said that, with regard to such modes and intensifications of greater fervors, sweetnesses, illuminations, and representations, it is renewed.

CHAPTER I.

The Eighteen Spiritual Steps by Which Angela Arrived at Knowledge of Herself.

[14] Ch. 1. Step I. Knowledge of sin. "I," said Angela of Foligno, "in setting out on the way of penance, traversed eighteen spiritual steps before I came to know the imperfection of my life. For first I began to consider my sins, and I acquired a knowledge of my sins; from which knowledge my soul greatly feared lest it be damned in hell, and from this I wept bitterly."

[15] Ch. 2. Step II. Shame of confessing. "Second, I began to blush at my sins, and the shame was so great that out of embarrassment I could not fully confess my sins. Whence also many times I received communion without having confessed, and with my sins I received the body of the Lord. Whence day and night I was reproached by my conscience, on account of which I asked Blessed Francis to grant me to find a suitable confessor who would well know my sins and to whom I could well confess. That very night an old man appeared to me and said: 'Sister, if you had asked me sooner, I would have done sooner what you asked; but what you have requested is done.' In the morning, therefore, when I went to St. Francis, I found a friar preaching at San Feliciano, who was a chaplain of Christ and had his authority, and immediately after the sermon I resolved to confess to him. I therefore made a full confession of my sins and was absolved. In this confession, however, I did not feel love, but bitterness, shame, and pain."

[16] Ch. 3. Step III. Satisfaction. "Third, I continued in the satisfaction and penance imposed upon me, and I was still full of pain, without any other consolation."

[17] Ch. 4. Step IV. Consideration of God's mercy. "Fourth, I began to consider and recognize the divine mercy which had granted me the aforesaid grace and had drawn me out of hell; and here I began to be illuminated. And now I grieved and sorrowed more than before, and I desired to do a stricter penance, which I do not describe here."

[18] Ch. 5. Step V. Self-knowledge. "Fifth, when I was thus illuminated and saw nothing in myself but defects, I condemned myself, knowing and recognizing most certainly that I was worthy of hell. And here I still received bitter lamentation. And understand that in these aforesaid steps there was a delay of time between one and another. Whence it is a great pity and a great compassion for the soul that can move itself so pondorously, and goes toward God with pain and great weight, and takes a very small step. And I know of myself that in each step I lingered and wept, and more was not given me at once — although it was some consolation to me that I could weep in each step; but it was a bitter consolation."

[19] Ch. 6. Step VI. Illumination for the knowledge of sins. "Sixth, as I thus continued, a certain illumination of grace was given me, by which I was granted a deep knowledge of all my sins. And I saw that, because I had offended my Creator, I had offended all the creatures made for me. And all my sins were deeply brought back into my memory, and in the confession which I made to my God I weighed them most profoundly. And I invoked all the Saints and the Blessed Virgin to intercede for me and to ask the merciful Lord who had conferred such great goods upon me to have mercy on me. And because I recognized myself to be dead in sins, I asked him to make me alive by vivifying me through his grace. And I asked all the creatures, all of whom I saw that I had offended because I had offended their Creator, not to accuse me before God. And it seemed to me that all creatures had compassion on me, and all the Saints likewise. And then I was given, with a great fire of love, the ability to pray to God more than I had been accustomed."

[20] Ch. 7. Step VII. Gazing at the Cross. "Seventh, I was given a special grace of gazing at the cross, in which I considered with the eyes of heart and body Christ dead for us. But this vision and consideration was still tasteless, although I had there great sorrow."

[21] Ch. 8. Step VIII. Knowledge of the reason for Christ's death. "Eighth, in the gazing at the cross I was given a greater knowledge of how Christ had died for our sins. And then I recognized all my sins with the greatest sorrow, and I felt that I had crucified him. But I did not yet know that the passion of Christ was so great a benefit, or how he had brought me back from sins and converted me to penance — I did not yet understand this so deeply as I would afterward. But in this knowledge of the cross I was given such a fire of love and compunction that, standing beside the cross, I stripped myself of everything in intention and offered my whole self to him. And although with fear, I then promised him to maintain perpetual chastity and not to offend him with any of my members, accusing my individual members one by one for past offenses. And I asked him to make me observe the aforesaid things — chastity, namely, and the custody of all my senses — because on the one hand I feared to promise the aforesaid things, and on the other hand the aforesaid fire compelled me, and I could not do otherwise."

[22] Ch. 9. Step IX. "Afterward I was given the desire to seek what the way of the cross might be, so that I could stand at the foot of the cross and find the refuge to which all sinners flee. And I was illuminated and instructed, Knowledge of the way of the cross. and the way of the cross was shown to me in this manner. For it was inspired in me that if I wished to go to the cross, I should strip myself so as to be lighter and freer, and so go to the cross — namely, that I should pardon all who had offended me, and that I should strip myself of all earthly things, and of all men and women, and of all friends and relatives and all other things, and of my possessions, and of myself, and that I should give my heart to Christ who had done the aforesaid great things for me, and that I should go by the thorny way, namely the way of tribulation. And then I began to give away my better garments and clothing and the more delicate foodstuffs, and my headcoverings likewise. She puts away her finer things. But it was still quite shameful and painful for me, because I did not yet feel much of the love of God, and I was still with my husband; whence it was bitter for me when any insult was said or done to me. Nevertheless I endured it patiently, as best I could. It happened, however, by the will of God, that at that time my mother died, who was a great impediment to me on the way of God. Angela's mother, husband, and children die. Likewise my husband died, and all my children in a short time. And because I had begun the aforesaid way, and had asked God to free me from them, I received great consolation from their death, although I also grieved for them to some extent. Yet I thought that henceforth, since God had granted me the aforesaid grace, my heart should always be in the heart of God and in his will, and the will of God and his heart in my heart."

[23] Ch. 10. Step X. Christ crucified appears to her. "Tenth, when I was asking God what I could do by which I might please him more, he in his mercy appeared to me many times, both sleeping and waking, crucified upon the cross, and told me that I should look upon his wounds. And in a wondrous way he showed me how he had endured all things for me; and this happened many times. And when he showed me all things individually and one by one that he had suffered for me, he said to me: 'What then can you do for me that would be sufficient?' Likewise he appeared to me waking many times, more peacefully, however, than sleeping, although he always appeared to me very pained and sorrowful. And he showed me the sufferings of the head and the eyebrows and the hairs of his beard torn out, and he enumerated all the scourgings, indicating them in their proper places as he had suffered them, and said to me: 'All these things I suffered for you.' And then all my sins were brought back into my memory, and it was shown to me that because of my sins I had again wounded Christ Jesus, Sorrow for sins. and that I ought to have the greatest sorrow, and then I had greater sorrow for my sins than I had ever had. Likewise, showing me the passion, he said: 'What can you do for me that would suffice?' And then I wept much and shed such burning tears that they scorched my flesh, so that I had to apply cold water for relief."

[24] Ch. 11. Step XI. The harshness of penance; flight from the world. "Eleventh, because of my sins I stirred myself to do a harsher penance, which it is not necessary to describe here, and I imagined and attempted to perform it. And when it did not seem to me that I could do sufficient penance while still with worldly possessions, I resolved to relinquish everything entirely so that I could do penance and come to the cross, as had been inspired in me by God. The aforesaid resolution, indeed, was given to me by God through grace in a wondrous manner. For when I vehemently desired to become poor and frequently thought with great zeal about the possibility that I might die before I became poor, and on the other hand was assailed by many temptations — namely, because I was young, whence begging could be a danger and a shame to me; and again the thought suggested to me that if I did this, I would have to die of hunger and cold and nakedness, and that this would also be dissuaded by everyone."

[25] "At length, by God's mercy, there came to me a certain great illumination in my heart, and with this illumination came to me a certain firmness, She is divinely strengthened in this resolve. which I did not then believe, nor do I believe, I shall ever lose. And I resolved and determined that even if I had to die of hunger, nakedness, or shame, since it pleased God or could please God, I would by no means abandon these things on account of the aforesaid, even if I were certain that all the aforesaid evils would befall me. Because even if all the aforesaid evils befell me, I would willingly die for God; and then I truly resolved what has been said."

[26] Ch. 12. Step XII. Remembrance of the Passion. "Twelfth, I consequently asked the blessed Mother of Christ and St. John the Evangelist, by the sorrow which they had suffered, that they would obtain for me a sure sign by which I could always have in memory the passion of Christ."

[27] "Thirteenth, as I persevered in the aforesaid prayer and desire, Ch. 13. Step XIII. a dream came to me in which I was shown the heart of Christ, and it was said to me: 'In this heart there is no falsehood, but all things therein are true.' And this seemed to have happened to me because I had been somewhat mocking of a certain preacher."

[28] Ch. 14. Step XIV. A clearer knowledge of Christ. "Fourteenth, on a certain occasion while I was standing in prayer, Christ showed himself to me while I was awake, more clearly, and gave me a greater knowledge of himself. And then he called me and said to me that I should place my mouth upon the wound in his side; and it seemed to me that I placed it there and drank his blood flowing freshly from his side. And I was given to understand that in this he was cleansing me. And here I began to have great consolation, although from the consideration of the passion I had sadness; and I asked the Lord to make me pour out and shed all my blood for the love of him, as he had done for me. And I desired, for love of him, that all my members should suffer an affliction and death viler and more bitter than his passion. She desires to die for Christ. And I thought about and desired to find someone who would kill me, provided that I suffered this for his faith or for love of him — that I would ask him to grant me this grace, namely that since Christ was crucified on wood, he would crucify me on a riverbank or on some most vile place or on some most vile thing. And because I was not worthy to die as the holy Martyrs had died, I desired that he would make me die in a viler and more bitter death, and I could not imagine a death vile enough for my desire, and one that was altogether unlike the death of the Saints, for I considered myself entirely unworthy of their death."

[29] Ch. 15. Step XV. The sense of sorrow for the passion of Christ. "Fifteenth, I consequently fixed my desire upon St. John and upon the Virgin Mother of God, holding them in memory, and thinking of them, and asking them — on account of the sorrow which they had endured in the passion of the Lord — to obtain for me the grace that I might always feel the sorrow of the passion of Christ, or at least their own sorrow. And they obtained and won this grace, and once St. John gave me so much that the sorrow was among the greatest I had ever felt. And I was given to understand that St. John had endured such great sorrow over the passion and death of Christ, and over the sorrow of the Mother of Christ, that I believed then and believe now that he was more than a Martyr. Whence there was then given to me the desire to divest myself of all possessions with my whole will; and although I was greatly assailed by the devil, and he often tempted me not to do it, and I was discouraged from it by the Friars Minor and by all from whom it was fitting for me to seek counsel, nevertheless I could not have refrained in any way, for all the evils or goods that could have befallen me, from distributing all my possessions to the poor; and if I had not been able to do this, I would at the very least have abandoned everything entirely. For it seemed that I could not reserve anything without gravely offending him who had so illuminated me. And yet I was still in bitterness on account of my sins, and I did not know whether the things I was doing were pleasing to God; but with bitter weeping I cried out, saying: 'Lord, even if I am damned, I will nevertheless do penance, An illustrious resolution amid desolation. and I will divest myself of everything, and I will serve you.' And while I was still in bitterness on account of my sins, and did not yet feel any divine sweetness, I was changed from that state in this manner."

[30] Ch. 16. Step XVI. Consolation in praying the Our Father. "Sixteenth, on a certain occasion I came to the church and asked God to grant me some grace; and while I was praying and saying the Our Father, God placed that Our Father in my heart with such clarity and understanding of the divine goodness and of my own unworthiness that I could not express it. Each word was expounded to me in my heart, and I said it with great slowness and contrition and compunction, so that on the one hand I wept on account of my sins and the unworthiness which I recognized there; yet I had great consolation, and I began to taste something of the divine sweetness, because in the said Our Father I came to know the divine goodness better than in any other thing, and I still find it best there. However, because in the said Our Father my sins and my unworthiness were shown to me, I began to be so ashamed that I dared not raise my eyes to heaven, nor to the crucifix, nor to anything else. But I commended myself to the Blessed Virgin, that she might obtain for me the grace and pardon of my sins; and I was still in bitterness on account of my sins."

[31] O sinners, with what great weight the soul proceeds to penance! It has such strong fetters and such evil helpers — nay, rather impediments — the world, the flesh, and the devil. Know, moreover, that I remained for a good while in each of the aforesaid steps before I could move on to another step. But in some steps I remained longer, and in some less.

[32] Ch. 17. Step XVII. Greater faith obtained through the Blessed Virgin. "Seventeenth, after these things it was shown to me that the Blessed Virgin had obtained for me a grace by which she gave me another faith beyond the merely human; for it seemed to me that up to that time my faith had been as if dead in comparison with that which she obtained for me, and it seemed to me that the tears I had shed before had been as if forced,* compared with those which I had afterward. For afterward I grieved more efficaciously over the passion of Christ and the sorrow of his Mother, and then whatever I did, however great it was, seemed to me to be little; and I had the desire to do a greater penance, and then I enclosed my heart in the passion of Christ, and hope was given to me Spiritual consolation in dreams. that in it I could be set free. And here I began to have consolation through dreams, and I had beautiful dreams, and consolation was given me in them, and a sweetness and consolation from God began to be given me within my heart and outwardly in my body, continually, whether waking or sleeping. But because I did not yet feel certainty, bitterness was still mingled in, and my heart did not rest, but desired to have something more from God."

[33] The manuscript adds: And concerning dreams and visions she related one among many, saying: "On a certain occasion, while I was in the enclosure in which I had shut myself up for the greater Lent, and was loving and meditating upon a word of the Gospel — which word was of the greatest condescension and exceeding love — while I was near a book, namely the Missal, and was thirsting to see that word, at least only as it was written, and with difficulty restraining and holding myself back, and out of fear of pride had kept myself from opening the said book with my own hands out of excessive thirst and love, I fell asleep with a certain slumber in that very desire and slumbered off; and immediately I was led in a vision, and it was said to me that the understanding of the Epistle is a thing so delightful that if anyone understood it well, he would forget all worldly things. And he who led me said to me: 'Do you wish to experience this?' And when I consented and thirsted to experience it, he immediately led me and made me experience it at once. And then I understood with such great discernment the good things of God that I was immediately made forgetful of all worldly things. And he who led me said to me that the understanding of the Gospel is a thing yet more delightful, so that if anyone understood it, he would forget not only all worldly things but would also forget himself entirely. And he told me further and made me experience it; and immediately I understood with such great delight the good things of God that I asked him who led me that I might never depart from that state henceforth. And he answered me that what I was asking could not yet be; and he immediately brought me back. And I opened my eyes and felt the greatest joy from the things I had seen; but I grieved greatly that I had lost those things. And even now it greatly delights me when I recall it. And from that time such certainty remained with me, and such light and ardor of the love of God, that I affirmed most certainly that nothing is preached about the love of God — those who preach it cannot truly preach it, and what they preach they do not understand. And so he who had led me in the vision had said."

[34] Ch. 18. Step XVIII. The ardor and constancy of prayer. "Eighteenth, I consequently began to have experiences of God, and I had such delight in prayer that I did not remember to eat; and I desired that I should not need to eat, so that I could remain in prayer; and a certain temptation mingled itself here, that I should not eat, and if I did eat, that I should eat only a small amount. But I recognized this to be a deception. And there was such a fire of love in my heart that I did not grow weary of genuflections or of any other penance. Afterward indeed I came to a greater fire and fervor of the love of divine charity. For if I had heard anyone speak of God, I cried out so greatly that even if someone had stood over me with an axe to kill me, I could not have restrained myself. And this happened to me the first time after I had sold the property at Casale, so as to give to the poor, for it was the best land I had. And before that I used to mock Petrucio, but afterward I could by no means do so. Often indeed, when I heard people speak of God, I cried out even in the sight of everyone. And when certain persons said to me that I was disordered on account of the things that happened to me, I likewise said that I was infirm and disordered, and I could not do otherwise, nor could I satisfy those who spoke ill of me on this account, but I was greatly ashamed. And when I saw the passion of Christ depicted, Seeing a picture of the passion, she is seized with fever. I could scarcely sustain myself, but a fever seized me and I fell ill. Whence my companion hid pictures of the passion from me as much as she could, lest I should see them. During this time of crying out I had very many illuminations, experiences, visions, and consolations, some of which are written below."

\* See January 24.

\* MSS: "small."

a Thus the MSS; the printed edition reads, "my estate."

b MS: "demoniac."

c MS: "demoniac."

CHAPTER II.

Her various temptations.

[35] Ch. 19. Temptations inflicted by demons. "Lest the greatness and multitude of revelations and visions should exalt me, and lest their delight should lift me above myself, a manifold tempter was given to me, who afflicts me with manifold temptation and affliction. For I am afflicted both in body and soul by these same demons. For the torments of the body are innumerable, excited in manifold ways by many demons. Indeed I scarcely believe that the sufferings and infirmities of my body could be written down; Infirmities of the body. for there remains no member in me that does not suffer horribly. For I am never without pain, never without weakness; I am continually feeble and fragile, full of pain, so that I must continually lie down. There is no member in me that has not been struck, twisted, and tortured by demons, and I am always infirm, and always swollen, and full of pains in all my members, so that with great difficulty I can move, and I am wearied from lying down, nor can I even eat sufficiently."

[36] Afflictions of the soul. "The torments indeed and sufferings of the soul — which I say are incomparably more bitter and more numerous than those of the body — I endure almost continually from the demons themselves. Nor do I know any other likeness to assign than that of a man hanged by the throat, who with his hands bound behind his back and his eyes blindfolded should remain suspended by a rope on the gallows and yet live, for whom no help, no remedy, no support should remain. And I say that I am tormented by the demons even more desperately and cruelly than this. For I see that the demons so suspend my soul that, just as the hanged man has no support, so no support seems to remain for the soul, and all the virtues of the soul are overturned, while my soul knows and looks on. And when my soul sees all its virtues being overturned and departing, and that it cannot oppose them, Various movements of the soul. the pain of the soul is so great that sometimes I can scarcely weep on account of the desperate pain and anger; at other times indeed I weep beyond remedy. Sometimes also such great anger comes upon me that I can scarcely restrain myself from tearing myself all to pieces; at other times indeed I cannot restrain myself from striking myself horribly, and by striking myself I have sometimes caused my head and other members to swell. And when the soul sees all its virtues falling away and departing, there arises a lamentation of the soul, and I cry out to my God almost without ceasing: 'My God, my God, do not forsake me.'"

[37] "Likewise I suffer another torment, because all vices have revived in me, and sometimes revive — not that they are in a lasting life subjecting my reason, but they cause me and bring me great punishment. And also vices that were never in my body Vices of the past are revived by the demons. come upon me and are kindled and bring me great punishment; but they do not have a continuous life, and when they die again, they give me great consolation. For I see that I have been handed over to many demons, who cause the vices which I abhor, and which had been dead, to revive, and they add those which never existed. And I, remembering that God was here afflicted and despised and poor, would wish, when it is needful, that all my evils should be doubled."

[38] "And sometimes I am in a most horrible darkness of demons, in which all hope of good seems entirely to be absent; and that darkness is horrible. And vices are aroused in the body which I know inwardly in my soul to be dead. But outside the soul the demons arouse them, and also those vices which never existed are aroused. And in the body I suffer in at least three places: She generously resists the vices. for in the shameful parts there is such a fire that I was accustomed to apply material fire to extinguish the other fire of concupiscence, until my Confessor forbade me. When I am in that darkness, I believe that I would sooner choose to be roasted than to suffer the aforesaid things; nay, then I cry out and call upon death, that God would grant it to come upon me by whatever manner; and then I say to God: 'Lord, if you must send me to hell, do not delay, but do it at once; and since you have forsaken me, complete the work and plunge me into the abyss.' And I understand then that this is the work of demons, and that those vices do not live in my soul, because the soul never consents to them, but the body suffers violence; and the pain and weariness are so great that if they were to last, the body could not endure them. But the soul also sees that all power has been taken from it — although it does not consent to the vices, yet it does not have the power to resist the vices entirely — and it sees that it is against God; and so it falls and is tormented among them. And there is a certain vice permitted by God to come upon me which was never in me before; but openly and manifestly I recognize that it is permitted by God to come upon me. And the aforesaid vice is so great that it surpasses all other vices. And there is a certain virtue that is given to me manifestly by God against the aforesaid vice, by which virtue I am powerfully freed by God. And even if I had no other sure faith in God She is strengthened by God. except in this alone, and not for any other reason, there would remain to me in this a sure and secure hope, of which I cannot doubt. And the virtue always prevails, and the vice fails, and the virtue holds me and does not permit me to fall into vice. And the virtue is of such great strength that it not only holds me, but also gives me such great strength of virtue that truly in this I know God, and am illuminated and confirmed to such an extent that all the people of the world, nor all the demons of hell, nor any other thing exists that could move me to the least sin. And with this virtue the Faith in God remains with me. But the vice is so great that I am ashamed to speak of it; and the vice is so great that when the aforesaid virtue is hidden from me and seems to me to have abandoned me, there is nothing that could hold me — not for shame, nor for any punishment — from immediately rushing into sin. Then, however, the virtue comes and powerfully frees me, so that not even I myself could sin for all the goods or evils of this world. And I endured these labors for two years and more."

[39] "Likewise in my soul a certain humility and a certain pride of very great weariness were accustomed to contend. She practices acts of humility. The humility consists in this: that I see myself to have fallen from all good, and I see myself to be outside all virtue, and outside all grace, and I see in me such a multitude of sins and defects that I cannot think that God would henceforth wish to have mercy on me. And I see myself to be the house of the devil, and the worker and believer of demons, and I see myself to be their daughter, and I see myself outside all rectitude, and outside all truthfulness, and worthy of the lowest and deepest depth of hell. And the aforesaid humility is not that humility which I sometimes have, which makes my soul content and brings my soul to the contemplation of the divine goodness. For the other aforesaid humility brings nothing but innumerable evil. Whence inwardly in my soul it seems to me that I am entirely surrounded by demons, She is afflicted by bitterness of spirit. and I see defects in soul and body, and God is shut off from me and hidden in every part and grace, so that I can in no way remember God, nor do I have any memory of him, because he himself does not permit it. And seeing myself damned, I do not care in any way about my own damnation, because I care more and grieve more that I have offended my Creator, whom I would not have wished to offend, nor would I wish to offend, for all the goods and evils that could be named. Whence, seeing my innumerable aforesaid offenses, I struggle with all my members and against the demons, that I might be able to conquer and prevail against the aforesaid vices and offenses; and I am wholly unable to do so by any means. And I find no ford, no small window, no remedy whatsoever by which I might escape or help myself, and I perceive that I have fallen so deeply."

[40] Excessive and evil humility. "Whence by this humility I am frequently abyssed, and it makes me see my sins and the superabundance of my malice and iniquities, so that I see no way to reveal or uncover them by any means, so that I might manifest those pretenses and iniquities and sins of mine. And I would wish to go naked through the cities and streets, and I would wish to hang around my neck meat and fish, saying: 'This is that most vile woman, full of evils and pretense, and the sower of all vices and evils.' For I did good things for the fame of men, and I had it said to all who invited us: 'I do not eat fish or meat,' and I was full of gluttony, and feasting, and drunkenness, and I showed that I wished to receive only what sufficed for me; and I strove to be poor outwardly, and where I lay, I would throw out many covers, and in the morning I would have them taken up lest persons coming should notice. See the devil of my soul and the malice of my heart! Hear how I am a hypocrite and a daughter of pride, and how I am a deceiver and an abomination of God. And I showed myself to be a daughter of prayer, and I was a daughter of wrath, of pride, and a daughter of the devil. And I showed myself to have God in my soul and divine consolations in my cell, and I had the devil in my soul and in my cell. And know that for all the time of my life I studied how I might have the fame of sanctity, and know in truth that because of the malice and pretenses hidden in my heart, I have deceived many people, and I am the murderer of many souls and of my own soul."

[41] "And afterward, standing in this abyss, I would turn to these brothers of mine who are called sons, and I would say to them: 'Do not believe me any longer. Do you not see that I am demoniac? Other acts of that humility. You who are called sons, beseech that justice of God that the demons may go out of my soul and that my most wicked works may be made manifest, so that God may no longer be dishonored through me. And do you not see that everything I have told you is false? And do you not see that if there were no malice in the whole world, I would fill the whole world with the abundance of my malice? Do not believe me any longer. Do not any longer worship this idol, because in this idol the devil lurks, and everything I have spoken to you has been false, counterfeit, and diabolical words. Beseech that justice of God that this idol may fall and be broken, and that its diabolical works may be made manifest, together with the lies and the gilded and varnished words that I spoke, because I gilded myself with divine words so that I might be honored and worshipped in God's stead. Pray that the devils may go out of this idol, so that the world may no longer be deceived by this woman.' Whence I beseech the Son of God, whom I dare not name, that if he will not cause me to be made manifest by his own power, he would cause me to be made manifest through the earth — that it would open and swallow me, so that, made into an example, men and women would say: 'O how she was varnished and gilded, and wholly counterfeit inwardly and outwardly!' And I would wish to put around my neck a chain or a twisted rope, and I would have myself dragged through the cities and streets, and children would lead me and say: 'This is that most vile woman, who for all the time of her life showed the false for the true.' And men and women would say: 'O behold the miracle that God has wrought, because he has caused her to manifest and declare by her own mouth the malice and iniquities and sins which for all the time of her life had been hidden.'"

[42] She is vexed by movements of despair. "But to say this was hardly sufficient for the soul. And know that I have been placed in such a despair as I have never experienced in this manner, because I have utterly despaired of God and of all his goods, and I have made a contract between myself and him. And therefore I am certain that there is no person in the world so full of every malice and so deserving of damnation as I am, because whatever God has granted and given me, he permitted for my greater despair and damnation. Whence I beseech you all to beseech that justice of God that he delay no longer to extract the demon from this idol, and that the most wicked works which are within may be made manifest — because my head is splitting, my body is failing, my eyes have grown dim from the multitude of tears, and all my members are disjointed — because I cannot manifest the malice and lies of my soul. But I rejoice, because already something has begun to be made manifest. And I saw in truth that all these things were without true humility. And know, you who have written this, that you have written little in comparison with all the evils and iniquities and abuses of mine, because when I was a little girl, I began to work evil. These and similar things I am compelled to say, abyssed and weighed down by the aforesaid humility."

[43] She is tormented by the spirit of pride. "Afterward pride begins, because I become all anger, all pride, all sadness, all most bitter and inflated; and I receive another most extreme bitterness from the good things which God has done for me, because I do not remember them for any remedy, but rather as an injury and for sorrowful wonder — namely, how there could never have been any virtue in me — and I doubt that anything in me was ever true, and I also see no reason why God should have permitted this. And then in this temptation every good thing is shut off and hidden from me, because I become so entirely all anger, all pride, all sadness, all most bitter and inflated and pained and sorrowful, more than I could say. For even if all the wise men of the world and all the Saints of Paradise were to speak to me all consolations to console me, and were to promise me all the good things that can be spoken, and even if God himself were to give them to me — unless he were to change me in another manner, or unless he were to work otherwise in my soul — they would give me no consolation, nor bring me any remedy, nor would I then believe them; nay, all things would be for me an increase of sorrows and evils, and would give me greater anger and wonder and sadness and pain, more than I could say."

[44] "Whence, in exchange for the aforesaid torments and temptations, and so that God might take away from me the aforesaid things, I would gladly choose and wish to sustain all evils and all infirmities and all pains How great a torment that temptation was for her. that are endured in all the bodies of men; and I would believe that these would be lighter and lesser evils for me than the aforesaid torments. Whence I have said many times that in exchange for the aforesaid torments, I would choose to sustain every kind of martyrdom. And this aforesaid state of these torments and temptations began some time before the pontificate of Pope Celestine in the year 1294 and lasted for more than two years, during which I was often tormented; and I am still not perfectly or fully cured, although now I sometimes feel little of it outwardly, though not inwardly. Temptation begets true humility. But now, after I have been in this state, I recognize that between the aforesaid evil humility and the aforesaid pride there is the greatest purgation and purification of the soul. For in these things, and through them, I acquire that true humility without which no man is saved. And the greater the humility, the greater the purgation of the soul. Whence I recognize that between the aforesaid humility and pride, my soul is burned and martyrized. And on account of the knowledge of offenses and defects which the soul obtains through the aforesaid humility, the soul is purged from pride and from demons; and therefore the more the soul is leveled and impoverished and humbled below, the more it is fitted and purged and purified so as to be more greatly raised up, because no soul can be raised up in any other way or more than it has been humbled, and deeply leveled and rooted in humility."

a The MS adds: And as I the writer heard it said, and as I learned — while a certain friar of the Minors, and as I believe a trustworthy one, was greatly marveling and feeling compassion, hearing from that faithful one of Christ how she was so most vehemently tormented — the aforesaid trustworthy friar saw through a revelation made to him by God how all was true, and even more, whatever that faithful one of Christ said she was suffering from the martyrdom of horrible torments. Whence that friar was moved with great and wonderful compassion and devotion toward her continually. And the words which I, the friar who wrote, was able to transcribe hastily and briefly were these; that faithful one of Christ spoke thus:

b The MS adds: And I, the friar who wrote, saw the aforesaid faithful one of Christ to be in the aforesaid sixth step, much more horribly than could be written, but the aforesaid sixth step lasted a short time, namely nearly two years; and it ran concurrently with the seventh step, which began some little time before the sixth step, and which follows as more wonderful than all the rest. And I saw that the aforesaid sixth step, declining, ceased in a short time, but not entirely and completely — especially as regards the many infirmities of the body, of which she was always full. And I saw that the aforesaid faithful one of Christ remained in the seventh step beyond what can be said, always growing in God; and although she was always most infirm and could eat very little, nevertheless she was very plump and ruddy, yet swollen and full of pains in all her members and in all the joints of her body, so that with great difficulty she could move, whether to walk or even to sit, although she considered all bodily sufferings to be of very little account.

After all the aforesaid things which have been written, when she was in the seventh step, and had now almost entirely left the sixth step, she said to me, speaking of the sixth step, thus saying:

CHAPTER III.

The five consolations of Angela, in which she sensed God within herself as every good; and she beheld his beauty, power, wisdom, and justice.

[45] "Blessed be God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who consoles us in every tribulation. For in every tribulation he deigned to console me, a sinner. For within that time of crying out, of which mention was made above in the eighteenth step of my conversion, and after that illumination which I had wondrously while saying the Our Father, I felt a great consolation from the sweetness of God in this manner. For it was inspired in me, and I was drawn to consider the blessed union of the divinity and humanity of Christ, and the divinity and humanity in Christ. Consolation from considering the hypostatic union. In the contemplation and delight of which I felt the greatest consolation — and it was a greater consolation than I had ever experienced — so that for a great part of that day I stood on my feet in the cell where I was praying, stupefied, enclosed, and alone; and my heart was affected by that delight, to such a degree that afterward I lay down and lost the power of speech. And my companion came to me and thought and believed that I was dying. But it wearied me, because she caused me an impediment."

[46] "On a certain occasion, while I persevered in these things — before I had completed giving away all things to the poor, although little remained to be given — while I was at prayer one evening, it did not seem to me that I felt anything of God, and therefore I lamented and prayed to God in this manner, saying: 'Lord, what I am doing I do for no other reason than to find you. Let me find you, then, after I have completed these things.' And I said many similar things in prayer. And the answer was made to me, saying thus: 'What do you wish?' And I answered: She seeks God alone. 'I wish for neither gold nor silver; nay, even if you were to give me the whole world, I wish for nothing other than you.' And then he answered, saying: 'Strive diligently, and hasten, because as soon as what you are doing has been done, the whole Trinity will come to you.' Many other things were also promised to me at that time. And he drew me out of all tribulation, and left me with much divine sweetness, and then I waited for it to happen just as had been said to me. And I related these things to my companion with some doubt, because great things had been said and promised to me in the vision; yet he had left me with much divine sweetness."

[47] She goes to Assisi. "After these things I went to St. Francis at Assisi, and then on the way the aforesaid promise was fulfilled for me; and yet I had not completed distributing all my goods to the poor, although little remained, because a certain holy man who was supposed to do this had meanwhile died A certain holy man converted through her. and could not complete it. For he had been converted by the grace of God at my admonition, and while he was going to divest himself and to distribute his possessions to the poor, he died on the way. God, however, worked many miracles through him, and his burial place is held in reverence. While therefore I was going to St. Francis at Assisi, I was going along the way praying, and among other things I asked Blessed Francis that he would obtain for me from God that I might well observe the rule of Blessed Francis, She vows to observe the rule of Blessed Francis. which I had recently promised, and that he would obtain for me the grace to feel something of Christ, and especially that he would make me live and end my days in poverty. For this same reason — so that I might have the freedom of poverty — I had gone to Rome to ask Blessed Peter that he would obtain for me the grace of true poverty. She obtains the gift of poverty. Whence, by the merits of Blessed Peter and Blessed Francis, it was given to me by divine grace — as I most certainly felt — the gift of true poverty."

[48] "While therefore I was making the aforesaid requests in prayer on the journey, when I had come between the cave and the narrow road which ascends up toward Assisi, beyond the cave, in that place it was said to me thus: 'You asked my servant Francis, and I wished to send another messenger. And I am the Holy Spirit, who have come to you to give you a consolation which you have never before tasted. And I will come with you within you all the way to St. Francis, and few of those who are with you will perceive anything. The Holy Spirit visits her with a familiar inspiration. And I wish to come speaking with you for this entire way, and I will give no end to my speaking, nor will you be able to attend to anything else but me; because I have bound you and I will not depart from you until you come the second time to St. Francis. And then I will depart from you according to this consolation. But otherwise I will never depart from you, if you love me.'"

[49] "And he begins to speak the words that follow, to provoke me to love of himself: 'My daughter, sweet to me, my daughter, my temple, my daughter, my delight — love me, because you are greatly beloved by me, much more than you love me.' And very often he said to me: 'My daughter and spouse, sweet to me,' and he added: The great love of God toward pious souls. 'I love you more than any woman in the valley of Spoleto. Therefore, since I have placed myself and rested in you, now place yourself in me and rest in me. I was with the Apostles, and they saw with their bodily eyes, and they did not feel me as you feel me; but when you return home, you will feel another sweetness which you have never experienced. And I will not speak to you only as I do now, but you will feel me. You asked my servant Francis, hoping through him and by him to obtain what you desired; and because my servant Francis loved me greatly, therefore I did much for him. And if there were someone today who loved me more, I would do still more for that person.' He said moreover to me that there are few good people today, and that there was little faith, and he lamented, saying: 'So great,' he said, 'is the love that I have for a soul that loves me without malice, that now, if there were someone who loved me perfectly, I would grant that person a greater grace than I have ever granted to the Saints, about whom many great things are reported from past times that God did for them. And there is no one who can excuse himself from this love, because every person can love God; and he requires nothing other than that the soul should seek and love him, because he truly loves it, and he himself is the love of the soul.' These words, however, are profound."

[50] "That God is the love of the soul, he showed me by a living argument through his coming and through the cross which he endured for us, since he was so immense and glorious; and he explained the passion and the other things which he did for us, and added: 'See then whether there is anything in me other than love.' And my soul comprehended most certainly that he was nothing but love. He lamented, however, Few are fit to receive the abundant grace of God. that at this time he found so few persons in whom he could place his grace; and he said that now he would grant a much greater grace to those whom he might find loving him now than he had yet granted to other Saints who have existed until now. He said therefore to me again: 'My daughter, sweet to me, love me, because you are much more beloved than you love me. My beloved, love me.' And he said: 'Immense is the love which I have for a soul that loves me without malice.' And it seemed to me that he wished the soul to have something of that love which he has toward the soul, according to the soul's capacity and power; and if it only desired this, he would fulfill it."

[51] The excess of God's love toward Blessed Angela. "Again he said to me: 'My beloved, my spouse, love me; for your whole life — your eating and drinking and sleeping and all your living — all of it pleases me, if you love me.' Again he said to me: 'I will do great things in you in the sight of the nations, and in you I shall be known and glorified and made illustrious, and my name shall be praised in you by many nations.' These and many other similar things he said to me. But I, while hearing these words, cited my sins and considered my defects, Blessed Angela is made more humble by the inspiration of God. and that I was not worthy of those great acts of love. And I began to doubt greatly in these words, and my soul said to him who was speaking to me: 'If you were the Holy Spirit, you would not say these things to me, because they do not befit me, nor are they seemly; and I am fragile, and I could take vainglory from them.' And he answered me: 'Now consider and think whether you will be able to take vainglory from all these things, by which you might be exalted, so as to leave these words by thinking other thoughts, if you can.' And I tried to have vainglory, in order to test whether what he had said was true and whether he was the Holy Spirit; and I began to look about at the vineyards She cannot think of other things. so as to withdraw from that speaking, and wherever I looked, he said: 'Now see, contemplate — this is my creation,' and I felt an ineffable sweetness. Meanwhile, however, all my sins were recalled to my memory, and on my part I saw nothing in me but sins and defects, and I felt in me a humility greater than I had ever felt."

[52] "He said further to me that I was so greatly beloved that the Son of God and of the Virgin Mary had inclined himself to me and had come to me to speak to me. Christ said moreover to me: 'If the whole world were to come now with you, you would not be able to speak now to another; for now that I have come with you, the whole world has come with you.' And to give me assurance against my doubt, he said to me: 'I am he who was crucified for you, Christ reveals to her how much he has suffered. and I have suffered hunger and thirst for you, and I so loved you that I shed my blood for you.' And he recounted to me the whole passion, and he said: 'Ask for grace for yourself and your companions, and for whomever you wish, and prepare yourself to receive, for I am much more prepared to give than you are to receive.' My soul, however, cried out, saying: 'I do not wish to ask, because I am not worthy,' and all my sins were recalled to my memory. Again my soul said: 'If you who have spoken to me from the beginning were the Holy Spirit, you would not say such great things to me; and if you were in me, there ought to be such great joy in me that I could not sustain it while living.' And he answered me: 'Can it be or come about in any way other than as I will? Therefore I do not give you another joy, nor more than you have; and I have already given less than this to another, and the one to whom I gave it lay without feeling or seeing.' And he gave me this further sign The sign of the Lord's presence in the soul. that he is: 'Try now to speak with your companions, and think of whatever other things you wish, whether good or evil, because you will not be able to think of anything other than God; for I alone am he who can bind the mind.' All these things, moreover, I do for you not for your merits, but out of my goodness.' Meanwhile all my evils were recalled to my memory, and I saw my sins, on account of which I was worthy of hell; and this I saw clearly, more than I had ever done before."

[53] "He said also to me that if I had come with others, not such as those with whom I had come, the aforesaid things would not have been done or said to me. For they perceived something of my languishing, because at every word I was receiving great sweetness, and I would not have wished to arrive at the destination, nor that the journey should ever end for all the time of the world. How great was the joy and sweetness of God which I felt, I could not convey — especially when he said: 'I am the Holy Spirit, who enter within you.' And likewise when he said all the other things, I received great sweetness. He came therefore with me all the way to St. Francis, as he had told me, and he did not depart from me, and he continued with me even after the meal, until I went a second time to St. Francis. Therefore the second time, when I came to the church of St. Francis, immediately when I knelt at the entrance of the church door and saw St. Francis depicted in the bosom of Christ, Christ said to me: 'Thus closely will I hold you, and much more closely than can be perceived with the eyes of the body. And now is the hour when I shall fill you, my daughter, sweet to me, my temple, my delight, and leave you; for I told you that I would leave you with respect to this consolation. But I will not leave you if you love me.' And although the word was bitter, yet in that very word I felt such sweetness that it was most delightful. And then I looked to see him with the eyes of body and mind, Angela sees God. and I saw. And if you ask what I saw: I saw a true thing, full of majesty, immense, which I know not how to express, but it seemed that it was the Good. He spoke many words of sweetness to me, and in departing he made a most gentle departure, How God withdrew from her. and with immense sweetness he withdrew — and he withdrew gently and slowly, and not suddenly. Among other words he said these to me: 'My daughter, sweet to me, much more than I am to you, my beloved temple — you have the ring of my love, and you are betrothed by me, and henceforth you will not depart from me. And you and your companion have the blessing of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.' And immediately the soul cried out: 'O since you will not depart from me, I will not sin mortally henceforth!' And he answered: 'This I do not say to you.' And when I asked at his departure for grace for my companion, he answered me: 'To your companion I will give another grace.'"

[54] "Thus therefore he withdrew, and he did not wish that I should lie down at his departure, but should stand on my feet. After his departure, however, I fell down sitting, and began to cry out with a loud voice, and to wail and scream; and I cried out without any shame, calling out and saying this word, [At the departure of God who was speaking to her, she cries out and screams as though dying.] namely: 'Love, not yet have I known you — why do you leave me thus?' But I could say no more; only that, while crying out this word, I wanted to form and say more, but I could not form the words, so much was I enclosed by the voice and the clamor, and therefore the word was not understood by those who heard it. This crying out and screaming befell me at the entrance of the church door of St. Francis, where after the departure of God I sat languishing and crying out and screaming in the presence of the whole populace, so much so that those who had come with me and my acquaintances stood at a distance, blushing, believing the cause to be something else. He left me therefore with certainty and without doubt that he who had spoken to me was God. But I, out of his sweetness and the pain of his departure, was screaming, wishing to die; and it was a great pain to me that I did not die and that I remained after him, and all my joints were then dislocated."

[55] "After these things I returned from Assisi, She gladly speaks of God. and I came along the way with great sweetness, speaking of God, and it was a very great pain for me to be silent; but I strove to restrain myself on account of the company. Christ said moreover to me on the way returning from Assisi: 'I give you a sign,' he said, The gift of the cross and the love of God given inwardly to Angela. 'that I am Christ, who am speaking to you and have spoken to you; and I give you the cross and the love of God within you, and this sign will be with you forever.' And immediately I felt that cross and love of God within my soul, and it overflowed into my body, and I felt that cross bodily, and in feeling it my soul was liquefied in the love of God."

[56] "After I had returned and was staying at home, I felt a peaceful, quiet sweetness, On account of excessive consolation, life is for her the greatest suffering. so great that I know not how to express it; and I had a desire to die, and it was such a great suffering for me to live — on account of that peaceful, quiet, and so delightful sweetness which I know not how to express — in order to ascend to that sweetness of which I was feeling something, and in order not to lose what I had, that I desired to die and to depart from the world. And to live was for me a pain greater than the pain of the death of my mother and of my children, and greater than every pain I could imagine; and I lay at home languishing on account of the aforesaid things for eight days, and I cried out: 'Lord, have pity on me, and do not permit me to remain any longer in this world.'"

[57] She perceives a sweet fragrance. "Henceforth indeed I frequently perceived unspeakable fragrances, and so great were these and other things that I cannot express them; and indeed I can relate few words. But the delight and sweetness which I felt, I cannot relate. Many times, moreover, this colloquy was made to me, but not with such long duration, nor with such sweetness, nor so deeply. After I had returned from Assisi, and was lying down as has been said, my companion — who was of wonderful simplicity and purity and virginity — heard a voice then saying to her: 'The Holy Spirit is within the cell.' She came therefore to me and began to inquire, saying: She reveals her secrets to her companion. 'Tell me this that you have, because it was said to me that I should come to you.' And I answered: 'As it was said to you, it pleases me.' And from that time I communicated to my companion many of these secrets."

[58] "At a certain time I was in prayer, Ch. 21. and, raised up in spirit, God was speaking to me words most pleasing and full of love, and looking I saw God speaking to me. She sees the beauty of God. If you ask what I saw, I say that I saw him, and I know not how to say anything else except that I saw a fullness, a clarity, from which I felt in me such a plenitude that I know not how to express it, nor do I know how to give any likeness at all; nor did I see anything bodily. But it was as it is in heaven, namely a beauty so great that I know not how to say anything else except that I saw the supreme beauty containing every good; and all the Saints stood before that most beautiful majesty to praise it. It seems to me, however, that in this I remained but a short time."

[59] "God said moreover to me: 'My most loving daughter, sweet to me, all the Saints of paradise have a special love toward you, and my Mother likewise, and you will be joined by me with them.' Although all these things were said to me, yet all this seemed to me very little compared with what was said about his Mother and about the Saints. But so greatly was I delighted in him, [She is not captivated by the love and beauty of the Saints on account of the delight which she draws from God.] and so great was the sweetness which I felt from him, that I did not care to look upon either Angels or Saints; for I saw that all that good and all the beauty of the Saints and Angels was from him, and in him, and he was every and the supreme good, and all beauty. And so greatly was I delighted in his beauty that I did not care to look upon any creature. He said moreover to me: 'I have an immense love for you, but I do not show it; rather I hide it from you.' And the soul said to him: 'Why do you have such great love and delight in me, who am so foul and who have offended you for the whole time of my life?' And he answered: 'So great is the love which I have stored up in you that I scarcely remember your defects, although my eyes see them, and I have stored up in you a great treasure.' Then my soul felt most certainly that it was true, so that she doubted in nothing; and so she felt and saw that the eyes of God were regarding her — The eyes of God. in which eyes the soul gazed, and had in this such great delight that no person, not even one of the Saints who are in paradise, if he were to descend, could make this manifest. God often leaves in the lover a desire for himself. And when he said to me that he hid from me much love, which I could not bear, the soul answered: 'If you are the almighty God, you can make it so that I can bear it.' And he answered: 'If I were to do this, you would have here whatever you wished, and you would not have hunger for me; therefore I do not wish to do this for you. Rather, in this world I wish that you should have hunger for me, and desire, and that you should languish for me.'"

[60] Ch. 22. "On a certain occasion a divine utterance was made to me, saying: 'I who speak to you am the divine power, who bring you divine grace; and the grace which I bring you It is good to have the memory of Blessed Angela. is such that I wish you to benefit all persons who will see you, and not only those, but also that you should help and benefit those who will think of you, or will remember you, or will hear you named; and those who have more of me, you will benefit more.' And then the soul, although it felt great joy, said: 'I do not want this grace, because I fear lest it harm me and lest I take vainglory from it.' And he answered immediately, saying: 'You need not do anything about it, because this is not yours, but you are only its guardian;* keep it well and render it to him whose it is.' And then the soul grasped that in this way it could not harm me. He said also to me: 'It pleases me,' he said, 'that you have this fear.'"

[61] "After these things, while I was in the church, a most sweet utterance was made to me which immediately refreshed my whole mind, and he said to me: 'My daughter, sweet to me' — or rather, he said it much better — and he added: 'No creature can give you consolation except I alone. I wish to show you something of my power.' She recognizes the power of God. And immediately the eyes of my soul were opened, and I saw a fullness of God in which I comprehended the whole world — namely, beyond the sea and on this side of the sea, and the sea, and the abyss, and all things — in which I saw nothing except the divine power alone, in a manner utterly unspeakable. And my soul, greatly marveling, exclaimed, saying: 'This world is full* of God.' And I comprehended the whole world as something small. And I saw the power of God exceeding all things and filling all things. And he said to me: 'I have shown you something of my power.' And I comprehended in such a way that I could better understand other things afterward."

[62] The humility of Christ. "And he said to me: 'You have seen something of my power; now see my humility.' And I saw such a great depth of God toward men, and such humility, that the soul — comprehending the unspeakable power and seeing such profound humility — marveled and considered itself to be absolutely nothing, and saw nothing in itself but pride. And I began to think and to consider myself utterly unworthy of communion, so that I did not wish to receive communion. And he said to me, after he had shown his power and humility: 'My daughter, to this point of seeing to which you have come, no creature can come unless it is raised up by a most special divine grace.' She is confirmed by Christ so that she dares to receive communion. When therefore I was in the church near the elevation of the body of Christ, he said to me: 'Behold, the power is now upon the altar, and I am within you, and if you receive me, you receive me whom you have already received. Communicate therefore in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; and I, who am worthy, make you worthy.' And then there remained in me an unspeakable sweetness and great joy, which I do not believe I shall lack for my whole life."

[63] Ch. 23. "On a certain occasion, having been asked by someone to ask God about certain matters which he wished to know, and I hesitated to do this because it seemed to me pride and folly to ask God about such things — while I stood in such a thought, suddenly my mind was raised up, and was placed at the first elevation at a table without beginning and without end; and I was not placed to see the table itself, but what was upon that table; and I saw an unspeakable fullness of God, of which I can narrate and say nothing except this — that I saw the fullness of divine wisdom and every good. And I saw that fullness of divine wisdom, It is not permitted to inquire about the future. in which I saw that it was not lawful to inquire or wish to know what the divine wisdom wills to do, because that is to go before it and to dishonor it. And therefore, when I see persons inquiring about this, it seems to me and I understand that they err. And from that time, through what I saw upon that table — namely, the divine wisdom — there remained with me the ability to understand and judge all spiritual persons She obtains the wisdom of judging spiritual matters. and other spiritual things, when I hear them spoken of or narrated. And I do not judge with that judgment by which I was accustomed to judge, erring and sinning, but with another true judgment, by which I understand; whence I have or can have a consciousness of sinning in this judgment. And I know not how to narrate anything about what I saw. But the soul brought back from the vision to a word, namely 'table,' and that I was placed at the first elevation at a table. But concerning those things which I was placed to see upon that table, I can narrate nothing except what I have said."

[64] Ch. 24. "On a certain occasion, while I was at prayer, I asked God — not doubting anything, but wishing to know more about God — and I said: 'Why, Lord, did you create mankind, and after you created them, why did you permit us to sin? And why did you permit such a great passion to be inflicted upon you — Why God willed to suffer so much. as was that of your Son for our sins — when you could very well have made it so that without all these things we would have been pleasing and acceptable to you and would have had just as much virtue as we have with all the aforesaid things?' And the soul comprehended that what I was saying — namely, that without the aforesaid things God could have made us virtuous and saved — was beyond any doubt true. And it seemed to me that I was compelled and sent to ask about and think about the aforesaid things, because while I was at prayer I wished to remain in it and not to depart, but I was sent by God into those questions, as it seems to me. And I continued the aforesaid inquiry as has been said for many days, doubting nothing, as has been said. And I was given to understand that God had done and permitted this because his goodness was better manifested to us through this, and it was better suited to us. This, however, was not sufficient for me to understand fully; yet I understood most certainly and knew that God could have done otherwise, if he had wished to save us otherwise."

[65] "On one occasion, however, the soul was raised up and saw that what I was seeking had neither beginning nor end, and the soul itself, when it was in that darkness, wished to return back to itself and could not; it wished to proceed forward and could not. Suddenly therefore it was raised up higher and illuminated, and it saw the unspeakable power of God and saw the will and justice of God [She recognizes the power, justice, and goodness of God in the predestination of men.] and his goodness, in which I most fully understood all the things about which I had inquired. And the soul was drawn out of all that former darkness; for in that darkness I had lain on the ground, but in this great illumination I stood on my feet on the tips of my big toes. And I was in such agility and renewal of body as I had never before experienced. And I was in such a fullness of charity,* and with such great joy I understood in that power and will and justice of God, that not only did I understand those things about which I had inquired; indeed, it also satisfied me concerning all creatures to be saved and those already saved, and concerning the demons and the damned, and concerning all things. But I cannot make this manifest in any words whatsoever; for it is entirely above nature."

[66] "And although I fully understood that God could have saved us otherwise if he had wished, yet I could not recognize that anything better could have been done for us, knowing his power and goodness, nor could it have been better expressed in words. [She would not grow cold in the love of God even if she foreknew herself to be damned.] And from that time I remain so content and secure that if I knew most certainly that I was to be damned, I could in no way grieve, nor would I labor less, nor study less to pray and honor God — so greatly did I understand his justice and the rectitude of his judgments. And he left in my soul a peace, a quiet, and a solidity, the like of which I do not remember having had so fully; and in this I remain continually. After, however, I had seen the power of God and his will and justice, I was raised up still further, and then I did not see the power or the will of God in that manner as before. But I saw a stable thing, She recognizes in an ineffable manner the very being of God. so indescribable to me that I can say nothing about it except that it was every good; and my soul was in a joy utterly unspeakable. And I did not see love there, but that utterly unspeakable thing; and I had departed from that former state and was placed in this most great and unspeakable state; and I knew not whether I was in the body or outside the body. And all things previously experienced did not seem to me to have been such great states. And it left me with a mortification of vices and a security of virtues, by which I love the good and the evil, benefits and injuries — that is, I have no displeasure from them."

[67] "I was left therefore in great peace and veneration for the divine judgments, The judgments of God are to be venerated. so that when in the morning or evening in my prayer I say to God: 'By your judgments deliver me, O Lord,' or 'By your judgment deliver me, O Lord,' I delight so greatly, and I say it with such confidence, as when I say: 'By your coming deliver me, O Lord; by your birth deliver me, O Lord; by your passion deliver me, O Lord.' For I recognize the goodness of God no more in a blessed man, or a holy man, or many good and holy men, than in one damned person, or a multitude of the damned. But this profound thing was shown to me only once, and I never forget its memory, nor its joy. And if all the things that belong to faith were — per impossibile — to fail, yet here a certainty about God and about his judgments and about the justice of his judgments would remain for me. But O what a great depth is here! Yet all of it redounds to the profit of the good. For the soul that has this knowledge of the divine judgments and these profound things will have fruit from all things through this knowledge of God."

\* Printed edition: "weighed down."

\* MS: "pregnant."

\* MS: "of divine clarity."

a The MS adds: On a certain occasion after the aforesaid things, I the friar returned from Lombardy, and I asked that faithful one of Christ about a question which my companion and I had discussed on the way back; and I had said then to my companion that I would inquire of her about that question. And that faithful one of Christ answered me, saying thus:

b The MS adds: The aforesaid question which God so miraculously revealed to that faithful one of Christ was almost the very same question which my companion and I had had and discussed on the way on our return from Lombardy, as has been said.

CHAPTER IV.

Other consolations and visions of Angela.

[68] Ch. 25. "On a certain occasion in Lent it seemed that I was very dry and without devotion, and I prayed God that he would give me something of himself, because I was dry of all good. And then the eyes of my soul were opened, and I saw Love The Love of God shown to her. coming toward me, and I saw the beginning but I did not see the end — only its continuation. And I know not how to express any likeness of color. And immediately, when Love arrived at me, I saw with the eyes of my soul openly all these things, more clearly than anything can be seen with the eyes of the body; and Love was made toward me in the likeness of a sickle. Nor is it to be understood that there was any likeness of measurable quantity, but it was like the likeness of a sickle, because in the beginning, when Love presented itself, it afterward drew itself back, not conferring as much as it gave to be understood. And then immediately I was filled with an inestimable love and satisfaction, From the Love of God which she sees, she languishes to the point of death. which, although it satisfied me, yet generated in me the greatest hunger — so inestimably great that all my members were then disjointed, so that the soul was languishing and desired to arrive at the remainder. And I did not wish to see or hear or perceive any creature, and I did not speak. But my soul spoke within, crying out that Love should not make it languish with so great a love, because I counted life as death. And for this she invoked the Blessed Virgin first, and afterward she invoked and besought all the Apostles that they would go with her and kneel and announce to the Most High that he would not cause or permit her any longer to suffer this death, but that she might arrive at him whom she felt; and likewise she asked Blessed Francis, and she besought the Evangelists and cried out to them likewise."

[69] "And while, from the drawing near, I believed myself to be entirely love, on account of the love I felt, Man does not know whether he is worthy of love or of hatred. I said: 'Many there are who believe they stand in love and stand in hatred, and many conversely who believe they stand in hatred and are in love.' My soul, however, sought to see this most certainly, and God gave me to feel this manifestly, so that I then remained entirely content. I was filled, moreover, with that love in such a way that I do not believe I can ever lack that love henceforth. And I cannot believe any creature who says otherwise; and if an Angel were to say otherwise to me, I would not believe it, but I would answer: 'You are the one who fell from heaven.'"

[70] "And I saw in me two parts, as if a road had been made in me; and on one side I saw love The true love of God transforms creatures in its working. and every good, which was from God and not from me; and on the other side I saw myself dry and that from me there was no good. And through this I saw that it was not I who loved, however much I might see myself in love, but that it was solely from God. And after this, love reunited itself, and then it conferred a greater love, and more ardent than before; and I had a desire to go to that love. And between the aforesaid love — which is so great that I could not then know that a greater love could exist — except then when that other mortal love supervened. Whence between the pure love and the other mortal and most great ardor, there is a certain middle ground, about which I can narrate nothing, because it is of such depth, such joy, and such gladness that it cannot be told. And then I would not wish to hear anything else about the passion, nor would I even wish God to be named to me, because then, when he is named to me, I feel him with such delight that I am tormented by languor from love. And everything else that is less than that is an impediment to me. And nothing that is said seems to me to be adequate — neither from the Gospel, nor from the life of Christ, nor from any utterance of God — because I see greater and incomparable things in God. And after I remain from that love, I remain entirely content, entirely angelic, so that I love toads and frogs and even demons; and whatever I see done, even sin itself, Nothing displeases one who loves God. when I see it done by others, does not displease me, believing that God justly permits it to be done. And when I am in that state, even if a dog were devouring me, I would not care; and indeed it would not seem to me that I was suffering any pain. Nor then is there, nor can there be, a sorrowful remembrance or memory of the passion of Christ; nor are there tears in this state."

[71] "And this state is greater than standing at the foot of the cross through continual remembrance, as Blessed Francis stood, although the soul frequently sees both the one and the other degree and desires to see that flesh dead for us The love of God takes away the pain of the passion. and to arrive at it; and then there is with the greatest joy a love without the pain of the passion. On one occasion, however, together with this love there joined itself the remembrance of the inestimable price, namely the precious blood by which pardon was given to the world, and I marveled at how the two could coexist; yet there was no pain of the passion. The passion, moreover, is the way and the lesson of how I ought to act."

[72] Ch. 26. "On a certain occasion my soul was raised up and I saw God in such clarity as I had never seen, nor in that most full manner, and I did not see love there, and I lost the love which I had previously borne, She recognizes God in a dark obscurity. and I was made 'not-love.' And after this I saw him in a darkness, and in a darkness for this reason: because it is a good so great that it cannot be thought or understood, and everything that can be thought or understood does not attain to it. And then there was given to the soul a most sure faith, a secure and most firm hope, a continual security about God, so that it took away all fear. And in that good which is seen thus in darkness, I gathered my whole self together and was made so secure about God that I can never doubt concerning him, but that I most certainly possess God. And in that most efficacious good which is seen in darkness She attains perfect quiet and delight of soul. is now my whole hope, gathered together and secure. Frequently therefore I see God in that manner, and in that good which cannot be told outwardly or even thought in the heart. In that good, I say, most certain and enclosed, which I understand with such darkness, I have my whole hope; and in seeing, whatever I wish to have, I have it all; whatever I wish to know, I know it all; and I see therein every good. Nor can the soul, in seeing, think of departure from that good, or of departing from that good, nor that it must henceforth depart; but it delights ineffably in that entire good. And the soul sees absolutely nothing that can be told with the mouth or even conceived in the heart; and it sees nothing, and it sees utterly everything. And because that good is with darkness, therefore it is the most certain and the most surpassing of all things, the more it is seen in darkness; and it is most secret. And afterward I see with darkness that which surpasses every good and all things, and everything else is darkness, and everything that can be thought is less than that good."

[73] "And even when the soul sees the divine power, and when it sees the divine wisdom, and also when it sees the divine will — which I have at other times seen wondrously and unspeakably — these are less than that most certain good. For that good which I see is the whole; whereas all those other things are a part; and when those other things are seen, although they are unspeakable, they nevertheless bring great joy overflowing into the body. No bodily pleasure overflows from it. But in this manner, when God is seen in darkness, it brings no laughter to the mouth, nor fervor, nor devotion in the heart, nor ardent love; because the body does not tremble, nor is it moved, nor is it altered in the way that usually happens in other experiences. For the body sees nothing, but the soul sees; and the body rests and sleeps, and the tongue is cut off, because then it can say nothing."

[74] "And all the many and unspeakable acts of friendship which God showed me, and all the sweet words given to me by him, and all other gifts and deeds — they are so much less than that good which I see with such darkness, that I do not place my hope in them. Indeed, even if it were possible that they were all untrue, they would in no way diminish my hope; nor would my most secure hope be diminished, which is certain of that entire good which I see with such darkness."

[75] "To this aforesaid most lofty and utterly ineffable manner of seeing God with such darkness and super-wonderful grace of vision, my mind has been raised up only three times, although I have seen that entire good always with darkness on many and innumerable occasions — but not in the aforesaid most lofty manner with such darkness. Angela's body is afflicted by infirmities and temptations of the demons. And sometimes on one side my body is wasted by infirmities, and on another side the world with its thorns and bitternesses drives me out, and on another side the demons afflict me with much vexation and infest me with almost continual persecution, having power over me — because God has placed my soul and body in their hands for afflicting. So it seems to me that I see them almost bodily against me. On the other side, however, God draws me to himself by that good which I see in darkness."

[76] "For I see the holy Trinity in darkness, and in that Trinity which I see in such darkness, The Holy Trinity surrounds her in this obscurity. it seems to me that I stand and remain in its midst; and that draws me more than any other thing I have ever had, or any good I have ever seen, so that there is no comparison between this and those. And whatever I say about this seems to me to be nothing; indeed it seems to me that by saying something I speak ill, and my speaking seems to me to be blasphemy — so far does that good surpass all my words. When I see that good, I do not then remember, while I am in it, either the humanity of Christ, or God as man, or anything that has form; and yet then I see all things and I see nothing."

[77] "In the separation indeed from that good already described, I see God as man, From the face and eyes of Christ emanates that good which she saw in darkness. and he draws the soul with such gentleness that sometimes he says: 'You are I, and I am you.' And I see those eyes and that gracious face of yours, so as to embrace and attract my soul with immense closeness. And that which comes forth from those eyes and from that face is that good which I have described, which I see in that darkness, which emanates and comes from within; and this is what so greatly delights me, to such an extent that it cannot be told. And in this God-man the soul, standing, is alive; and in this God-man I remain for a long time — much more than in that with the darkness. That good of the darkness, however, draws the soul much more than that of the God-man, beyond any comparison. But in this of the God-man I remain almost continually, and so continually that on a certain occasion there was given me an assurance from God that there was nothing between me and him. And from that time there has been no day nor night in which I have not had this joy continually concerning the humanity. And I have the desire to sing and praise God, and I say this: Blessed Angela makes her bed in the cross of Christ. 'I praise you, beloved God; in your cross I have my bed made. And for a pillow or a cushion I found poverty, and on the other side of the bed for resting I found pain with contempt.' For in the aforesaid bed he himself was born, lived, and died; and this love of this fellowship — namely, of poverty, pain, and contempt — God the Father loved so greatly that he gave it to his Son, and the Son wished continually to lie in this bed, and he always loved it and was in accord with the Father. And in this bed I have rested and I rest; for it is my bed, and in this bed I hope to die, and through this bed I believe I shall be saved. And the joy which I await from those hands and feet cannot be told; for when I see him I would never wish to depart, but to draw nearer still; therefore to live is for me to die. The presence of Christ is most sweet; his absence most bitter. And when I remember him I cannot speak, for the tongue is cut off; and when I depart from him, the world and the things I find compel me to desire the aforesaid things more. And therefore my desire, on account of the languor of expectation, is for me a mortal pain. In these visions and consolations, however, my soul is most often raised up and consoled by the most sweet God, to whom be glory and honor for ever and ever. Amen."

[78] Ch. 27. "Consequently afterward I was raised up in spirit and found myself wholly within God, in another manner than I had ever been accustomed to experience; and it seemed to me that I was in the midst of the Trinity, She is absorbed in the contemplation of the Holy Trinity. in a loftier and greater manner than I had been accustomed to, because I was receiving greater goods than usual, and because I was in those goods continually and full of the greatest and most unspeakable joys and delights and pleasures, which are entirely above all that I had ever experienced. And there were wrought in my soul divine operations so utterly ineffable that no Saint or Angel could tell or explain them; and I understand that no Angel or other creature is so capable as to be able to comprehend those divine operations and that most profound abyss. And it seems to me that what I say is to curse or blaspheme; and I have been drawn out of all things which I previously had, in which I was accustomed to delight — namely, from the life, from the humanity of Christ, and from that contemplation of that most profound fellowship which God so loved from eternity, which he also gave to his Son — in which I was also accustomed to delight, namely in the poverty, in the pain, in the contempt of the Son of the living God — that used to be my repose and my bed. And I have been drawn out of every manner of seeing God in darkness, which was accustomed to delight me so greatly. And I have been drawn out of all that former state with such unction and slumber that I was in no way able to perceive it, except that now I remember that I no longer have those things."

[79] "And in those ineffable goods and in the aforesaid divine operations The ways in which the soul is drawn into a quasi-divine vision. which take place in my soul, God first presents himself in the soul, working ineffable divine operations; and then consequently he manifests himself, opening himself to the soul and granting it still greater gifts with still greater certainty and ineffable clarity. And he presents himself first to the soul in two ways. In one way he is presented intimately in my soul, and then I understand him present, The first, from the intimate presence of God in every creature. and I understand how he is present in every nature and in everything that has being — in the demon, in the good Angel, in hell, in paradise, in adultery, in murder, and in every good work, and in everything that has being in any way, whether in what is beautiful or in what is foul. Whence when I am in this truth, I delight no less in seeing or understanding God in one good Angel or one good work than in one evil thing; and in this way he is presented very constantly in my soul. And this presenting or presentation is an illumination with great truth and with divine grace, What great goods the presence of God brings. so that when the soul sees this, it cannot offend in anything. And this illumination brings into the soul many divine goods; and then, understanding God to be present, the soul is greatly humbled and receives confusion for its sins; and here the soul receives a great gravity of wisdom and great divine consolation and great joy."

[80] The second, from a certain inpouring of God himself into the soul. "In another way he presents himself more specially, and in a very different manner from the aforesaid, and gives another joy from the aforesaid, and gathers the whole soul together in himself, and works in the soul many divine operations with much greater grace and with an unspeakable abyss of delights and illuminations, so that that presenting alone of God, without other gifts, is that good which the Saints have in eternal life. As for the gifts which the Saints have in that eternal life, some Saints have more, some fewer. Which gifts, although I am unable to express them — indeed my speaking is more to devastate and blaspheme than to say anything — yet I say that in them there are expansions of the soul, by which the soul is made more capable of grasping and possessing God. And immediately, when God presents himself to the soul, he consequently manifests himself, The manner in which this inpouring takes place. opening himself to the soul, and he expands the soul and grants it gifts and sweetnesses which it has never experienced, with a far greater depth than has been described. This knowledge of God is greater than that given in the dark obscurity. And then the soul is drawn out of all darkness, and there is given to the soul a greater knowledge of God than I understand to be possible, and it comes with such clarity and with such sweetness and certainty and with such depth that there is no heart that could attain to it. Whence neither can my heart afterward return to understand anything of that, nor even to think anything of it — except only what is granted by God to the soul — because it is raised up to that to which the heart can never henceforth extend itself in any way. And therefore it cannot say anything at all about it, nor can any word be found that could say or suggest it, nor can any thought or any understanding extend itself to those things — so far do they surpass all things, in such a way and to such a degree that God cannot be commended by anything that might be said or thought."

[81] Sacred Scripture is an unfathomable abyss. "The divine Scripture, however, is so lofty that there is no man in the whole world so wise — even if he had as much wisdom as is possible in this state — that he could understand it so fully that his understanding would not be surpassed by it; and yet he stammers something. But concerning those ineffable divine operations of that manifesting of God which exist and take place in the soul, a person can say or stammer absolutely nothing. And because my soul is often raised up into the divine secrets, I therefore understand that by which holy and divine Scripture is easy and difficult, and that by which it seems to say one thing and to contradict itself, and that by which it has no profit for some; because those who do not observe it are condemned by it, and there is fulfilled in them that by which others who observe it are saved in it. And I stand above, knowing these things; and therefore, returning from the secrets of God, I speak with confidence certain little words which are from outside those ineffable divine operations, in no way approaching them; indeed, my speaking about them and my saying is to devastate, whence I also say that I blaspheme. For if all the divine consolations The wonderful consolation of that divine manifestation. and all spiritual joys and all divine pleasures that have ever been in this world — and not only those that have been, but also if all the Saints who have existed from the beginning of the world until now had continuously had to explain about God — and if all the worldly pleasures, good or bad, that have ever existed were converted into good and spiritual pleasures, and were to endure for me until they were perfected and brought me to that unspeakable good of that divine manifestation — yet for all the aforesaid things I would not give, or would not exchange, the pleasure which I have from that unspeakable manifesting of God, so much as the lifting or closing of the eyes. And I say this to you so that in some way I may impress upon your heart that still that unspeakable good which I have surpasses infinitely all the aforesaid things. And I have this not only for the space of one opening or closing of the eyes; indeed, I have it for a good space of time, often; and many times in that manner, but very efficaciously. In another manner, however, but not so efficaciously, I have it almost continually."

[82] She has built a little cell in her soul for God. "And although I can receive sadness and joy outwardly to some extent and slightly, yet inwardly in my soul there is a chamber into which no joy or sadness enters, nor the pleasure of any virtue whatsoever, nor of any thing that can be named; but into it enters that entire good. And in that manifesting of God — although I blaspheme by naming Christ in this way, because I cannot perfectly name him by any word — there is all truth. And in it I understand and have all truth that is in heaven and on earth and in hell and in every creature, with such truth and with such certainty that in no way, She recognizes the very being of God. even if the whole world were to say the opposite, could I believe otherwise; indeed, I would mock at it. For I see that he who is, is being; and how he is the being of all created things.* And I see how he has made me capable of understanding the aforesaid things in a better way than I had been heretofore, when I saw in that darkness which was accustomed to delight me so greatly. And I see myself alone with God, wholly pure, wholly sanctified, wholly true, wholly upright, wholly certified, wholly heavenly in him; and when I am in this state, I do not remember any other thing. And sometimes, when I have been in this state, God has said to me: 'Daughter of divine wisdom, temple of the beloved, delight of the beloved, daughter of peace — in you the whole Trinity rests, all truth, so that you hold me and I hold you.' One indeed of the operations of the soul which God gives to it She understands the mystery of the Eucharist. is that I understand with great capacity and with great delight how God comes in the Sacrament of the altar with that great and noble fellowship. When, however, I remain and am outside that most great state, I see myself to be wholly sin and obedient to sin, crooked and unclean, wholly false and erroneous; but I remain quiet, and there remains in me a divine and continual unction, which is the greatest of all the unctions I have ever had in all my days."

[83] The soul is raised up into God. "To the aforesaid state, however, I have not advanced by my own effort, but I have been led by God and raised up, so that I did not know how to will or desire or ask for this state. And I am now in this state continually; and very often my soul is raised up by God, and my consent is not required — because while I neither hope for nor think anything about it, suddenly my soul is raised up by God and the Lord. And I comprehend the whole world, and it does not seem to me that I am on earth, but that I stand in heaven in God. And this most excellent state in which I now am is above the other states which I have thus far had, Angela has suffered such an elevation a thousand times. because it is of such fullness, such clarity, such certainty, such nobility, and such expansion, that I feel no other state approaching it. And I have had this manifesting of God more than a thousand times — always anew, in a different manner and diverse from the other time."

[84] "And once, on the feast of the Purification of Holy Mary, I had that unspeakable manifesting of God; and while it was happening in my soul, then a representation of itself was made to my soul, and the soul saw itself to be of such great nobility and loftiness as I could never have thought or understood, She recognizes the excellent nobility of the soul adorned with divine grace. nor could I otherwise have believed that my soul, or souls which are in Paradise, could be of such great nobility. And my soul could not then comprehend itself. Whence if the soul, since it is created and finite and circumscribed, cannot comprehend itself, how much less can it comprehend its Creator, who is immense and infinite and uncircumscribed?"

[85] She offers herself to God with the greatest resignation. "My soul then presented itself to God with the greatest security, so that it bore no fear with it; but it presented itself to God with greater delight than I had ever experienced, and with a greater, new, and most excellent joy, and with such a new and clear wonder as I could never have understood in my soul. And in this encounter which I then had with God, when at the same time I understood and had the aforesaid unspeakable manifesting of God, there were given to me most lofty words about God, which I do not wish to have written down. When the soul returns to itself, however, She desires to suffer injuries for Christ. this remains with it, and this it finds in itself: that it is pleased to endure every suffering and every injury for God; and that no thing that could be done or said could henceforth separate it from God. Whence the soul cried out and said: 'O sweet Lord, what is there that can separate me from you?' And I understood it said to me that there is nothing that can henceforth separate me from God, his grace being present. All the aforesaid things, however, I heard said to me by God in a more wonderful utterance than I myself am able to relate. It was also said to me that the aforesaid unspeakable manifesting of God is that good which the Saints have in eternal life; nor is that good other than the aforesaid, but there is another experience of it and so different from what has been described This manifestation of God is similar to the beatific vision of the Saints. that the least Saint who has less in eternal life has more than can be given to any soul existing in this life before the death of the body. And I say that my soul, in that unspeakable manifesting of God, understood this."

\* MS: "of the Creator."

CHAPTER V.

She understands with certainty that she is not deceived in these things.

[86] Ch. 28. "At a certain time, on a feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, some time after my conversion, I asked the Blessed Virgin to obtain for me the grace from her Son by which I might know that I was not deceived in the utterances which were made to me. A divine utterance was then made to me, promising me that it would be so. And it added, saying: 'God has shown himself to you, has spoken to you, has given you his experience of himself. Therefore avoid speaking, seeing, and hearing all things except according to him.' And I understood all the aforesaid things said to me with much discretion and great maturity. And in the aforesaid utterances which were made to me, I remained in joy and in great hope of having what I had asked for. She does nothing except in God and with his permission. He said also to me in the aforesaid utterance that a grace would be given me that whatever I did, I would do with his permission. I began therefore to do those three things which had been said to me; and my heart was lifted up from all earthly things and placed in God. And whatever I did, whether I ate or spoke, did not prevent my heart from being always in God; and I could think of nothing, nor see nor feel anything except God. And when I had stood at prayer and wished to go to eat, I asked permission, and he gave it to me, saying: 'Go, eat with the blessing of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.' And he gave me permission sometimes quickly, sometimes more slowly. She sees God at the elevation of the body of Christ. And this lasted for three days and nights. At length, being in the spirit, I saw God in a certain Mass near the elevation of the body of Christ. After the vision of which there remained in me an unspeakable sweetness and great joy, which I do not believe I shall lack in my whole life. And in the aforesaid vision I was certified concerning the aforesaid thing I had asked for, nor did any doubt about this remain in me; and there I was satisfied and totally fulfilled that I was not deceived in the aforesaid utterances."

[87] Ch. 29. "At another time, while I was at prayer, suddenly most pleasing words were said to me, and he spoke thus: 'My daughter, sweet to me, much more than I am to you, my temple, my beloved — the heart of Almighty God rests upon your heart.' And together with these words there came to me a most delightful experience, such as I had never had before; for all the members of my body felt it, [Blessed Angela is set forth for imitation, and for the judgment of those unwilling to imitate her.] and I lay in these things. And he said again: 'Almighty God has placed his love in you more than in any woman of this city; he delights in you and in your companion. And strive, for your life shall be a light for all who wish to look upon it; but for those who do not look, the judgment will be severe and harsh.' And my soul comprehended that this kind of cruel judgment would be more upon the learned than upon the laity, because they despise these divine things and know them through the Scriptures."

[88] She recognizes that she is lovingly regarded by God. "Again he added: 'So great is the love of Almighty God which he has placed in you that he stands continually with you, though not with these same experiences; and his eyes are now upon you.' And it seemed to me that I saw with the eyes of my mind the divine eyes; and they delighted me more than I can express, and I grieve that now we speak of these things as jests. Although this joy was great, yet my sins were recalled to my memory; and no good seemed to be in me, and it seemed to me that I had never done anything that ought to please God. I doubted, however, because such great things were being said to me, and I began to say: 'If you who speak to me were the Son of Almighty God, would not my soul receive a greater joy than it receives? For I could never sustain that joy, feeling you to be within me, since I am so unworthy.' And he answered: 'Because I do not wish it, there is not for you now a greater joy; yet a greater one is prepared for you. And know that the whole world is full of me.' God bestows his gifts where he wills. And then I saw that every creature was full of him. And he said to me: 'I can do all things, and I can cause you to see me as when I lived with the Apostles, and yet not feel me.' These things, however, he did not say with bodily words. But my soul comprehended everything — that he spoke thus, and much greater things — and so truly did I feel it to be."

[89] "To make clear, moreover, whether what he said was true, my soul cried out: 'Since it is so, that you are Almighty God, and these things which you say are true — which are so great — give me a sign so that I may be secure, and draw me out of doubt.' And I sought that he might give or say some bodily sign that I could see — namely, that he might place in my hand a candle, or a precious stone, or some other thing; or that he might give me whatever other sign he wished, promising that I would not show that sign to anyone except to whom he wished. And he answered: 'That which you seek is a sign that would give you joy only when you saw it or when you touched it, but it would not draw you from doubt, and you could be deceived by such a sign. I, however, will give you a better sign than the one you seek: [To be illuminated in the knowledge of God and to burn with his love is the true sign of the presence of God in his creature.] which sign will be with you continually within your soul, and which you will always feel. The sign, moreover, will be this: You will always be fervent in love and with the love of God, and illuminated with the knowledge of God within you. Let this sign be to you most certain that I am, because this sign no other can produce except I myself; and this is the sign which I leave within your soul, which is better for you than the other which you asked for. I leave in you a love of me, by which your soul will be drunk, fervent, and warm continually with me, so that for love of me you will bear tribulations. The effect of an inflamed desire is the desire of suffering. And if anyone should say or do evil to you, you will count it as a grace and will cry out that you are unworthy of such a grace. For I had this love toward you, which was so great that for your sakes I endured all things patiently and with humility. Then therefore you will know that I am in you: if when anyone says or does evil to you, you have not only patience, but count it as a great desire and as a grace. And this is the certain sign of the grace of God. And behold, I now anoint you with a syrupy ointment with which a certain Saint was anointed who was called St. Cyricus, and many other Saints.'"

[90] "I felt therefore immediately that anointing with such great sweetness Mystically anointed, she desires to suffer much. that I desired to die, and that my death should be with every bodily torment; nor did I esteem the torments which the Saints had endured for Christ, but I desired that more terrible torments should be inflicted upon me for Christ. And I desired that the whole world should say shameful things to me, and that death should be inflicted upon me with every torment. And it was very delightful for me to pray to God for those who would do all these evils to me; and I did not marvel at those Saints who prayed to God for their killers and persecutors, because they not only ought to pray to God but also should strive to obtain a special grace for them. I was therefore most ready to pray to God for those who had done me evil, and to love them with great love and to have compassion on them. In that anointing, moreover, I felt such sweetness within and without as I had never felt — a sweetness which I also cannot manifest in words in any way, neither little nor much. And this consolation was other and of another kind than the others had been, because in other delights I desired immediately to depart from this world, but in this one the desire was that my death should be heavy and long with every torment, and that all the torments of the world should be in every member; and yet all these things seemed to me few. And my soul comprehended that every torment was small in comparison with those goods which are promised in eternal life, and my soul comprehended most certainly that it was so. And if all the wise men of the world were to tell me otherwise, I would not believe them. And even if I were to swear that all who go by the aforesaid way are saved, I would not believe I was lying. And he left this sign so firm within my soul, and with such light, clear and illuminated, that I believe I would endure martyrdom before I could be otherwise. And I feel this sign continually: that it is the right way of salvation — namely, to love and to desire to suffer for the love of God."

[91] The grace of God is preserved in the Cross. "And I heard an utterance from God made to me, saying: 'Have this written at the end of these things: Let thanks be rendered to God. And whoever wishes to preserve grace, let him not lift his eyes from the Cross, whether in joy or in sadness, which I myself may give or permit.' The things, moreover, which were said above about the aforesaid sign, my soul understood more fully than I can say, and with a fullness by which I was given to understand many more things than we speak of, and more fully and with great delight and affection, about which we will say absolutely nothing, nor can we say it. And may God will that it be no sin to me, that I report so poorly and with such deficiency."

\* MS: "silken."

\* MS: "Siricus."

CHAPTER VI.

Seven revelations concerning the Passion of Christ.

[92] Ch. 30. "On a certain occasion I was meditating on the Passion and on the poverty of the incarnate Son of God; and Christ showed me — Christ made poor for the sake of men. and I saw his poverty so great, as he clearly demonstrated in my heart. And he wished me to see and consider well; and I saw those for whom he had made himself poor. And then I had and felt the greatest sorrow and self-reproach, so that my heart nearly gave way."

[93] Desolate and abandoned by his own. "After these things, moreover, he showed me more of his Passion; and then I saw him poor in friends and relatives. And I saw him so poor in himself that he could not, according to his humanity, help himself. And although it is said that at that time the divine power was hidden on account of his humility, I say that it was not hidden; and concerning this I then received instruction from God that it was not hidden. And then I had and felt a greater sorrow than before, because in that I recognized such great pride of mine that after that I am still unable to have joy. While I was still standing and meditating on the passion of this incarnate Son of God, and I was meditating with sorrow, it further pleased him to show me more of his Passion than those things which I had heard related. And I understood how Christ in his Passion saw all the obstinate hearts of those impious men against him, and saw all their members with great determination striving to destroy his name. Delivered over to the fury of the Jews. And he saw how they had a great zeal and eagerness to destroy him, and he saw all the subtleties, schemes, and machinations which the impious made against him. And he saw all the counsels, and the multitude of slanders, and those angers and most great furies of theirs, and he saw all their preparations and all the thoughts which they had and entertained — how they might afflict him more cruelly. For the cruelty of his passion was great; and he saw all the punishments and injuries and humiliations. And my soul saw more of his passion than I wish to say; indeed, I wish to be silent."

[94] "And then my soul cried out, saying: 'Holy Mary, afflicted* Mother, tell me something of this Passion of the blessed Son of God, because you saw more of this Passion than any other Saint, on account of the zeal [She asks to be taught by the Blessed Virgin and the Saints about the bitterness of Christ's passion.] which you had continually from that love of yours. For you saw it with the eyes of the head and with the eyes of the mind, and you considered it most intently, because you loved him supremely.' Again my soul cried out, saying: 'Is there any Saint who could tell me something of this Passion, of which I hear no remembrance made, nor anything spoken or related, such as my soul has seen — since it is so great that I cannot relate it?' For my soul saw the Passion of Christ to be so great The inexplicable pain of the Passion of Christ. that, however much more St. Mary saw than any other Saint, yet I understand in many ways that she could in no way express it, nor could any other Saint. And if anyone were to express it, I would say: 'You are the one who endured it.' Having thus seen the passion of the Son of God, I was in greater sorrow than I had ever been. If my body had failed here, it would not have been a wonder. For I still cannot have joy when I remember it, and I have lost that vigor of mind by which I used to be joyful, nor have I been able to rejoice for a long time."

[95] Ch. 31. "On another occasion that acute pain which was in the soul of Christ was made known to me — a pain so great that the heart does not suffice to think it, nor the tongue to express it. The causes why the pain of Christ's passion was most acute. And because in the Son of the Virgin I saw such great pain, my soul was made most afflicted and transformed into such sorrow as I had never experienced, and therefore I could find no joy. My soul, moreover, then understood the manifold cause and reason why that pain was most acute. [I.] For that soul was without all sin and most holy, and for itself it needed to receive no punishment. [II.] Likewise because he was receiving it solely out of his most great love for us, and for us who were ungrateful, enemies, and most unworthy, who even while he was redeeming us through his passion were mocking and deriding him. III. Likewise because the sin of those who crucified him was the greatest, because that soul which hated every sin and which was displeased by it, grieved over this more than over any other sin. [IV.] Likewise because the peoples who committed this sin were many. For Gentiles and Jews and nearly all the world, as to nations, were gathered against him on that feast day; therefore the sorrow was great. [V.] Likewise on account of the malice of his adversaries, whose sole purpose was to destroy him and his memory, and his name, and his chosen disciples. [VI.] Likewise because he suffered with his disciples who were falling from the faith and enduring persecution on his account. Likewise he suffered with his most sorrowful mother. VII. Likewise because he was left in his sufferings without helper or comforter. VIII. Likewise because that most holy and noble soul was receiving pain from every part, and was receiving sadness and anguish, and pain from all the pains and punishments which that most holy, delicate, virginal body received — all of which were united in his one most holy soul alone — and many other things which were clearly shown to me, which I neither wish nor am able to say. [IX.] Whence, beside myself with sorrow, I was transformed into the pain of the Crucified. [Transformed into the pain of Christ crucified, she received inner peace and conformity of will.] The divine mercy, however, granted me a grace on account of these things: first, because he confirmed my will in such a way that I cannot will anything other than as he wills. Second, because he placed my soul in a state in which I receive few changes, and I have God in such fullness that I am no longer in that state in which I used to be, but I have been led into the highest peace of heart and flesh and mind, and I am content with all things."

[96] Ch. 32. "On another occasion I was thinking of the great sorrow which Christ endured on the cross, and I was thinking of those nails, about which I had heard it said [The pain of Christ from the tearing away of the flesh of the hands and feet in the driving of the nails.] that those nails of the hands and feet carried the flesh inward into the wood; and I desired to see, or at least that little bit of the flesh of Christ which those nails carried inward into the wood. And then I had such great sorrow over that suffering of Christ that I could not stand on my feet. But I bowed my head and sat down, and I saw Christ bowing his head upon my arms which I had thrown upon the ground; and then he showed me his throat and arms. Immediately, however, the former sadness was converted into such great joy, and so different from other joys, that I saw and felt nothing but it. So great, moreover, was the beauty of that throat that it is ineffable. And then I understood that beauty to proceed from his divinity. With the greatest joy she sees the throat and arms of Christ. Nothing, however, was shown to me except that most beautiful and most sweet throat, nor do I know how to compare that beauty to anything, or to any color of the world, except only to the brightness of the body of Christ which I sometimes see when it is elevated."

[97] Ch. 33. "On another occasion, on the Wednesday of Holy Week, I was meditating on the death of the Son of God, and I was meditating with sorrow, and I was striving to empty my mind of every other content, so that I could have my soul more recollected in this Passion and death of the Son of God. And I was wholly occupied in this effort and desire — how I might empty my mind of every other content so that I could think of this more efficaciously. And then this utterance was made in my soul, saying: 'I did not love you as a jest.' This word, moreover, was a certain mortal blow of pain in my soul, The great love of Christ toward the human race. because immediately the eyes of my soul were opened, and I saw clearly that what he said was most true. For I saw the works and the effect of that love; and I saw all the things which this Son of God does on account of that love. And I saw what he endured in life and in death — this God-man, suffering for this unspeakable and heartfelt love — and I understood the aforesaid word to be most true: namely, that he had not loved me as a jest, but with the most true and most perfect and heartfelt love he had loved me."

[98] The love of men toward Christ is not sincere. "And I saw the complete contrary in myself — how I did not love him except as a jest, and not truly. And to see this was for me a mortal suffering and intolerable sorrow, so that I believed I would die. And then suddenly other words were said to me which increased my pain. They were these. Again, adding to what had been said, he said: 'I did not love you as a jest; I did not serve you with pretense; I did not feel you from a distance.' And then the aforesaid mortal suffering and sorrow were increased. Then, however, my soul exclaimed and said: 'O Master, that which you say is not in you is entirely in me, because I never loved you except as a jest, and with falsehood and pretense; and I never wished to draw near to you in truth, so as to feel the labors which you wished to feel and endure for me; and I never served you truly and for your sake, but with duplicity and negligently.'"

[99] "Seeing therefore these aforesaid things — how he had truly loved me, and all the signs of the most true love were in him, how he had given himself wholly and entirely to serving me, and how he had drawn near to me so that he had become man in order to bear my sorrows truly in himself and feel them — and seeing the complete contrary in me, the pain and suffering were so great for me [On account of the pain conceived from the love of God and our torpor, the ribs of Blessed Angela were dislocated.] that I was nearly dying, and I felt that from the most great pain the ribs of my chest were being dislocated, and it seemed to me that my heart wished to burst. And when I was thinking especially on that word, 'I did not feel you from a distance,' he added, saying: 'I am,' he said, 'more intimate to your soul than your soul is to itself.' But from this also the pain increased, because the more I saw God intimated to me, the more I recognized myself to be distant on my part. And afterward he spoke certain words manifesting and revealing his heartfelt love, and he said: 'If anyone wished to feel me in his mind, I would not withdraw myself from him; and whoever wished to see me, with great pleasure I would give him my vision; and whoever wished to speak with me, with the greatest delight I would speak with him.' Signs of divine election: 1. to beware of offending God by sins. These words, moreover, aroused in me one desire: namely, not to wish to feel, nor to see, nor to speak, nor to do anything in which there would be an offense against God. And this is what God especially requires of his children and his elect: that, because they are called and chosen to feel him, and to see him, and to speak with him, he wills that they entirely guard against the contrary. Thus, moreover, it was shown to me and said: 'Those who are lovers and followers of that poverty, pain, and contempt of mine which I always had — they are my legitimate and chosen children; 2. to love Christ and follow him and bear the cross. and those whose mind is fixed on this passion and death, where is the true salvation and the vivification of all, and not elsewhere — they are my legitimate children, and others are not children.'"

[100] Ch. 34. "On another occasion, while I was in the church of Blessed Francis, near the elevation of the body of the Lord, as the choir was singing the Angelic hymn, 'Holy, Holy, Holy,' etc., then my soul was assumed into the uncreated light itself, raised up, so absorbed and attracted that it is entirely ineffable. And whatever is said here is absolutely nothing; nor can any human tongue express that blessed creature of the uncreated Almighty God. After such an abyssal absorption in God, as the prior attraction and influence remained in me, there appeared to me the image of that blessed God and man crucified, She sees Christ as though just dead and taken down from the cross. as if he had then just been newly taken down from the cross; his blood appeared so fresh and red and flowing through the wounds, as if it were being poured out then immediately from fresh wounds and injuries. Then also there appeared in the joints of that blessed body such a great dissolution of the framework and union in the joints of all the members — from the dire and cruel stretching and horrible pulling of the virginal members, done by those murderous hands of the faithless upon the scaffold of the cross — The greater pain of Christ's passion lay in the dissolution of the joints. that the sinews and joints of the bones seemed entirely loosened from the due harmony of the body, yet no dissolution of continuity appeared in the skin. At this sight, therefore, all my inward parts were transfixed with such compassion that I truly seemed to be transformed in body and mind into the pains of the crucified."

[101] "And I was pierced by a greater spear at the sight of the dire dissolution of the joints and the stretching of the members, by which all the sinews seemed loosened and scattered and the bones laid bare, than at the sight of the open wounds — because in those the secret of the passion was more intimately communicated to me, and the dire cruelty of those who tormented him. Hence she grieves. And the sight of the body of the good and beloved Jesus, so tortured, was truly one of such compassion that not only all my inward parts, but also my bones and joints, seemed to feel a new pain, and to provoke a new lamentation, and a terrible sensation of piercing pain both of mind and body."

[102] "While therefore I stood thus wholly absorbed by that pain and as if transformed into the pains of the crucified, Holy blessings given by God to those who imitate and have compassion on Christ. I heard the crucified redoubling the sweetest blessings upon those who were devout to his passion and upon those who imitated it and had compassion on it, and saying: 'Blessed are you by my Father, who have had compassion on me and been likewise afflicted with me, and followed my way — you have merited to wash your robes in my blood. Blessed are you, who — for me crucified for you and afflicted with immense pains, so that I might make satisfaction for you and redeem you from immense and eternal torments — have been found worthy to have compassion on me and to share poverty, pain, and contempt with me for your own sakes. Blessed are you who will be mindful and devout and compassionate toward my passion — which is the miracle of all ages, the salvation and life of the lost, the only refuge of sinners — for you will truly be sharers and co-heirs with me in the kingdom, the glory, and the resurrection which I acquired through it, for everlasting ages. Blessed are you by my Father and the Holy Spirit, and truly blessed with the blessing which I will give at the Last Judgment, because you did not repel me when I came in my own person, Works of mercy are rendered to Christ crucified. as my persecutors did, but you wished to receive me, desolate as I was, as a guest in the lodging of your heart through compassion — you who wished to have compassion and to be companions of me who was on the cross, naked, hungering, thirsting, sick, nailed fast, and dying — in this you have truly fulfilled the works of mercy. Therefore you will hear at that terrible hour: Come, blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom which, etc. For I hungered on the cross, and at least through compassion you gave me to eat.' And all the rest he added in a wonderful way. I say, moreover, that it is impossible to express his waxen love which shone forth in the gaze of the eyes of that blessed face of God and man, Jesus Christ, upon these people. Whence he also added: 'O you who are truly blessed and altogether favored! And if on the cross I begged my Father with tears and weeping for those who crucified and tortured me, and made excuse, saying: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do — what shall I say for you, who have been compassionate, devout, and companions to me, when I shall judge the world not on the cross but in the happiest glory?' Thus therefore I remained consoled more than can be said, and most greatly moved toward the passion of the blessed Son of God with such affection that I cannot express it. For he uttered many other words, otherwise provocative and supremely inflaming, which I know not and am not able to relate."

[103] Ch. 35. "On another occasion, while I was praying and meditating on the passion of Jesus Christ with the deepest sorrow and compassion of heart, pondering and weighing how great was the magnitude of iniquity in my every sin — [From the bitterness of the torments and death of Christ the magnitude of our offense is to be weighed.] since for its reconciliation and remission, before God the Father could be appeased, it was necessary for the Son of God not only to pray and to beg with tears, but it was altogether necessary for him to die on the cross for it; weighing also how great the damnation can be, and how great and how infinite the misery, and the innumerable torments which await me for every mortal sin of mine — that for its satisfaction not an Angel, nor an Archangel, but the true God, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, had to suffer the misery of death and the torment of the cross, and to endure it for me; weighing also my ingratitude, which I not only render for so great a benefit, but I daily offend him, and I do not even wish to remember the benefit of his resurrection, nor do I care to cooperate with him by doing penance for my salvation — while marveling at these things, at the infinite goodness and mercy of God and at my supreme iniquity and folly. While I was thinking these things, it was manifested to me how through the Passion of Christ we are freed from every kind of sin and from the torments and punishments which we have merited for them. And it was shown to me so clearly that I could scarcely restrain myself from proclaiming it before all. It was therefore said to me thus by Christ crucified, appearing to me as he was hung on the cross for us: 'No man, no person will be able to have an excuse for his salvation. Because for procuring his salvation he need do no more than as a sick man does with a physician: who, wishing for health, shows the physician his infirmity and disposes himself to do what the physician has said. So now it is not necessary that anyone do more, or spend anything on medicines, except that he show himself to the physician through the recognition and confession of his sin, and dispose himself for those things which the physician tells him, and guard against the contrary.'"

[104] The medicine of the soul is the blood of Christ. "My soul comprehended, moreover, that the medicine was the blood of Christ; and he gives this medicine without a price, and it costs the sick sinner nothing more than to dispose himself, and Christ the physician gives him health and heals the infirmity. To my soul, moreover, all sins were shown, and it saw that all the members had a spiritual infirmity. And therefore, hearing what was said, immediately my soul strove to show all the sins which it had committed with the various members of the body and with the powers and faculties of the soul, and said: 'O Lord, Master and Physician of eternal salvation, my God — since with the mere tearful showing of my infirmities and diseases you have resolved to cure me; Lord, since I am most infirm, and there is nothing in me that is not wholly corrupt and infected — With each of our members we offend God. alas, wretched me, I show you, Lord, all my infirmities and all the sins of all my members and parts of soul and body.' Then therefore I began to assign all my sins, and I said: 'Lord, merciful Physician, look at my head — how I frequently adorned it with signs of pride, disfigured it by curling my hair, and committed many other sins. Look, Lord, at my miserable eyes, full of immodesty, infected with envy,' etc. And likewise I strove to assign and show all the other sins of all the members."

[105] To the sins of each member correspond the particular torments of Christ. "Having heard, therefore, with great patience all these things, Christ joyfully and with gladness answered how he healed all of them in order; and with great compassion for the soul he said: 'Do not fear, nor despair, my daughter, for even if you were infected and dead with a thousand deaths and diseases, you can be healed with the medicine which I shall administer, if only you are willing to apply it to your soul and body through devotion. Sins of the head. For the infirmities of the head which you have described and shown in manifold ways — on account of which you displease God, and for which you grieve in yourself, which you incurred by washing, combing, anointing, coloring, adorning, curling your hair, exalting yourself, being proud, seeking vainglory so as to appear to men against God — for which you ought to be cast down and humbled in hell and in the deepest pit, and to be perpetually considered as most vile — I have made satisfaction and done penance The torments of the head of Christ. and endured the most grievous punishment. For in place of the washing, combing, and anointing of which you abused yourself, my most holy head was pulled, its hair torn out, pierced with the sharpest thorns, struck with a reed, and made all bloody with blood, and vilely subjected to every mockery and contempt, and crowned with a base crown.'"

[106] Our sins and the torments of Christ in the face. "'For the infirmities of the face also, which you incurred likewise by washing and anointing, showing yourself to wretched men and seeking their favor — I have prepared and prescribed the medicine. For I have made satisfaction for sins of this kind: for my whole face was befouled and disfigured with the foulest spittle of the vilest men, was swollen and deformed by the most grievous blows, was covered with a filthy cloth. For your eyes also, Of the eyes. with which you looked upon vain and harmful things and were variously delighted in that very gazing, against God — I have made satisfaction. For with those very eyes of mine I shed the most bitter tears, and I had them blindfolded, and bathed with blood flowing from my head. Of the ears. For your ears, with which you offended God by hearing vain and harmful things and were delighted in such things — I have done the greatest penance. For with my ears I heard many things which brought much and the greatest sadness: namely, false accusations, slanders, insults, curses, mockeries, derisions, blasphemies, and the unjust sentence against me, and the weeping of my most holy mother Of the mouth and throat. who was most sorrowfully grieving for me. For the sins of your mouth and your appetite, in which you were delighted by feasting and drunkenness and the daintiness of foods — I had my mouth wasted by hunger and fasting and thirst, and made bitter with vinegar, myrrh, and gall. For the sins of your tongue, Of the tongue. which you let loose to slander, calumnies, mockeries, curses, blasphemies, lies, perjuries, and other sins — I had my mouth shut before the judges and false witnesses, and I had no word of excuse in my mouth, but I prayed to God with my whole heart for my evildoers and always preached the truth. Of the sense of smell. For the sins of your sense of smell, in which you were delighted by flowers and fragrances — I both perceived and endured upon my face, eyes, and nostrils the abominable stench of spittle.'"

[107] Of the neck. "'For the sins which you committed with your neck, moving it with anger and pride and wantonness, and stretching it against God — I had my neck struck with many blows and slaps. Of the shoulders. For the sins of your shoulders and your back, with which you offended God by carrying various things against God — I did penance by carrying the cross Of the hands. upon which I was hung. For the sins of your hands and your arms, with which you performed many evil embraces, touches, and deeds — I had my hands pierced with great nails and fixed and pressed into the wood, sustaining and supporting my whole body on the scaffold. For the sins of your heart, by which you sinned through anger, envy, sadness, evil love, and evil desires and lusts — I had my heart and my side pierced with a sharp lance, from which a most powerful medicine for curing all the passions and sins of the heart sufficiently flowed forth: namely, water for cooling evil desires and loves, and blood for remitting angers, sadnesses, and resentments. For the sins of your feet, Of the feet. by which you sinned by dancing idly and walking and wandering about wantonly — I had my feet not bound crookedly but pierced and nailed to the wood of the cross; and in place of pointed and latticed shoes, I had my feet made bloody with the blood of them and of my whole body flowing down to them.'"

[108] Of the whole body. "'For the sins of your whole body, by which you sinned by giving it to pleasures, sleep, and ease, and by gratifying it in various ways — I was nailed to the cross, terribly scourged, stretched on the cross like a skin being pulled, drenched all over with bloody sweat down to the ground, and most tightly pressed against the hardest wood; and at length, laboring there in the most atrocious torment, crying out, sighing, weeping, lamenting, and wailing, I died, and was most cruelly put to death. Of clothing and adornment. For the sins of your ornaments and superfluous, vain, and elaborate garments — I was stripped naked on the cross, the vilest persons tearing apart and gambling for my robe and garments before my eyes. I, naked as I was born of the Virgin, was exposed and stretched out to the cold, the wind, the air, the gaze of all men and women, on high so that I might be better seen, more mocked, and might suffer shame. Of riches. For the sins of your riches, which you committed by acquiring them wrongly, spending and retaining them — I was poor, having no palace, nor house, nor hovel where I might be born; nor while living did I have a place to stay; nor dying would I have had a tomb, but I would have been left to the dogs and birds, had not a certain man, out of regard for piety and compassion for my misery, received me in his own sepulcher. My blood, my life I bestowed upon sinful men, and thus I retained nothing for myself, but in life and in death I always wished to be poor and I remained so.' And because the soul had been inwardly delighted by individual sins, it sees that Christ in his most holy soul endured manifold, diverse, and horrible pains: namely, of the bodily passion, because his soul was unspeakably tormented; and of the suffering of his most holy Mother; and of the reverence withdrawn from God through sin; and also from compassion for our misery. Which pains, united together in that most holy soul, tormented him most horribly and unspeakably."

[109] "'What more? You will not be able to name any sin, any disease of the soul, for which I have not brought a remedy and for which I have not made sufficient satisfaction; and for the infinite torments and pains which the wretched soul ought to endure in hell for the aforesaid sins, I have wholly grieved and been tormented. If it does not remain in your negligence, there will be no need to grieve further — provided only that the soul here grieve with me and have compassion on me, and be a companion of my sufferings, reproaches, poverty, and contempt while it lives here. And because Mary Magdalene, who was infirm, had these dispositions and desired to be freed, she was therefore freed from all her infirmity; and whoever were to have these dispositions could find health just as she did.' A singular grace is conferred on those who do penance for their sins. Likewise the crucified said to me: 'Those children of mine who depart from my kingdom through sin and make themselves children of the devil — when they return to their father, the father has great joy and shows them a heavenly joy. For so great is the joy which the father has at their return that he gives them a heavenly grace which he does not give to those who were virgins or who never departed from him through sin. And this happens on account of the immense love which the father has for them, and the mercy by which he has pity on them and their misery. And because they have sorrow for having offended such great majesty and such most clement goodness, and they recognize themselves worthy of hell — and on account of these two aforesaid things, the greater sinner one has been, the greater grace and mercy one can find.' The Cross is the fount of all grace. Likewise he said to me: 'Whoever wishes to find grace, let him not lift his eyes from the cross, whether I grant or permit him to be or to live in sadness or in joy.'"

[110] Ch. 36. "On a certain occasion I was gazing at the cross with the crucified; and while gazing at the crucified with the eyes of the body, suddenly my soul was kindled with such a fervent love that even the members of the body felt it with great joy and delight. Blessed Angela is admitted into the embrace of Christ crucified. For I saw and felt that Christ was embracing my soul with that arm with which he was crucified, and I rejoiced with the highest joy, more than I had ever been accustomed to. And from that time there remained in me a joy and a clear illumination by which my soul knows and comprehends how we see this flesh of ours to have been made into a fellowship with God; Our flesh is the companion of Christ's flesh. and this is the true and unspeakable delight of the soul. And this joy and illumination is more continual and clearer than I have received at other times. For there remains in me such security and certification of my state that no doubt remains in me that this state is most certainly from God, and that the utterances which I sense in me are from God. And I marvel how I have hitherto doubted about this; for I have been perfectly certified about this state of mine in such a way that if all the people of the world were to tell me the opposite, I would not believe them, because I cannot even doubt about this. And I delight so much to see that hand which he showed with those signs of the nails, and which he will show when he says: 'Behold what I endured for you.'"

[111] "Now also when I am in this vision and embrace, my soul perceives such great joy that I cannot have any sadness over the Passion — even though I see it to be that hand of the crucified and it wounded. And all my joy now is in this God-man who has suffered. The soul of Blessed Angela enters into the side of Christ. And sometimes it seems to the soul, from that most close embrace described above, that the soul enters within the side of Christ; and the joy which it receives there, and the illumination, cannot be told. For it is so great that sometimes I could not stand on my feet, but I lay down and lost the power of speech. Whence also when the passion of Christ was represented in the piazza of Santa Maria, it seems that one should then have lamented; but for me then, on the contrary, I was touched and delighted with such miraculous joy that I lost the power of speech and lay down, after I had that unspeakable experience of God. And I tried to withdraw at least a little from the people, and I counted it as a miraculous grace that I was able to take a little delight. And I lay down and lost the power of speech and the use of my members; and it seemed to me that then the soul entered within the side of Christ. And there was no sadness, but rather such great joy that it cannot be told."

\* Printed edition: "afflicted" masculine.

CHAPTER VII.

Seven consolations from the holy Eucharist.

[112] Ch. 37. "On another occasion, while the Mass was being said, I was striving with deliberate thought to consider the humility of God and his supreme goodness, that he should wish to come to us in the Sacrament of the altar; and I was raised up in spirit and received a new and clear understanding Man cannot comprehend in this life the power of God seen in the Eucharist. of how God comes in the Sacrament of the altar. And it was said to me first that the body of Christ could be on every altar on account of the divine power, which cannot be comprehended in this life. And although Scripture says much about that power, yet those who read it understand little; those, however, who have some experience of me understand more. And neither these nor those understand it in this life, but the time will come when you will comprehend. Afterward I received an illumination, and I understood how God comes in that Sacrament, in a way that had never been demonstrated to me so clearly either before or after. And I saw how Christ came with a most beautiful company, and I was greatly delighted in seeing that company. I marveled, moreover, how I could be delighted in that company, because I was not accustomed to be delighted except in Christ; and although I was delighted in Christ and in that most beautiful company of his, yet I understood differently and was delighted differently in Christ She sees Christ in the Eucharist with the company of the Thrones. and differently in that company of his. While I was marveling at the beauty of that company and desiring to know who they were, it was said to me that that company was the Thrones. And that company was most brilliant, and a host of such multitude that, were it not that I understand God does all things with measure, I would have believed that company to be without number and measure and innumerable. It had, however, no measure in breadth or length, but was ineffable."

[113] Ch. 38. "On the feast of the Angels in September, while I was in the church at Foligno and wished to receive communion, I asked the holy Angels, She asks the Angels for the grace of receiving communion worthily. and especially St. Michael and the Seraphim Angels, saying: 'O administering Angels, who have the power and office of God to minister him to others, conferring the knowledge and love of him, I supplicate you to present him to me such as the Father of mercies gave him to men, and such as he wills and willed to be received and revered by us — namely, one who was poor, sorrowful, despised, wounded, bloodied, crucified, and dead on the cross.' The Angels themselves said to me with unspeakable pleasure and sweetness: 'O you who are pleasing to God, behold, he has been ministered to you, and you have him present; and moreover it has been given to you that you may present and minister him to others.' And indeed I then had him present, and I saw him most clearly with the eyes of my mind in that Sacrament, She sees Christ in the Eucharist nailed to the cross. as I had asked — namely, sorrowful, bloodied, crucified, and then dead on the cross. And then I had the most acute sorrow, so that it seemed to me that my heart wished to burst from the presence of such a sorrowful vision; and on the other hand there was for me a delight and joy from the presence of the Angels — something I would never have believed had I not seen it — that Angels could be so pleasing and could give such great joy to the spirit."

[114] The unworthiness of certain priests. "While the Mass was being said, however, a certain priest who was celebrating was near Communion, and while he was consuming the body of Christ and breaking the host, I heard a voice saying mournfully: 'Alas, there are many who break me and even draw blood from my back!' Then I thought that perhaps the priest was not in a suitable state for consuming the body of Christ, and I prayed, saying: 'Grant that that friar may not be such.' And immediately the voice answered: 'He will not be so for eternity.'"

[115] Ch. 39. "On another occasion I was standing in the church hearing Mass, and near the elevation of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, when the people were kneeling at the elevation of the body of Christ, I was made in spirit, and the most blessed Virgin Mary appeared to me in a vision and said to me: 'My daughter, sweet to my Son and to me, [The Blessed Virgin teaches Blessed Angela about the presence of Christ in the Eucharist.] my Son has already come to you, and you have received his blessing.' And she gave me to understand that her Son Jesus Christ was already on the altar after the consecration of the host, as if she were telling me news of a new joy. These words, moreover, gave me such joy and gladness that I know not, nor do I believe that there is anyone who could express it. For the most blessed Virgin Mary said the aforesaid words to me with great humility and with a new experience in my soul and with the greatest sweetness. Whence I also marveled afterward how I could have remained standing on my feet while having such great joy. And afterward she said to me: 'Since you have received the blessing of my beloved Son, it is fitting that I should come to you and give you my blessing.' She therefore blessed me, saying: The Blessed Virgin blesses Blessed Angela. 'Be blessed by my Son and by me, and strive diligently and carefully to love as much as you can, because you are greatly loved, and you will come to an infinite thing.' And then my soul received as much joy as I had ever received. At the elevation, moreover, of the body of Jesus Christ, the aforesaid joy was increased for me. Then, however, I did not see anything in the body of Christ as I was accustomed to do, but I felt Christ truly in my soul."

[116] "I recognized moreover in this that there is nothing which so binds the soul with burning fire and with the delight of love Angela feels Christ present to her like fire. as when Christ is in my soul. And then it was not like the fire which was sometimes accustomed to burn in my soul, but it was a gentle fire of love. When, moreover, such a fire is in the soul, then I recognize that God is truly in the soul, for by another this cannot be done. For all the members then feel a dislocation, and indeed the members even make a sound when they are dislocated. And I feel this dislocation more while the most sacred body of Christ is being elevated, and especially the hands are dislocated and opened."

[117] Ch. 40. "When on another occasion I came to receive communion, a divine utterance was made to me and it was said to me: 'Beloved! every good is in you, Christ in the Eucharist is every good for those who receive worthily. and you go to receive every good.' I began, however, to think: if every good is in you, why do you go to receive? And immediately the answer was made, saying: 'The one does not repel the other.' And when I was approaching to receive communion, it was said to me thus: 'Now the Son of God is upon the altar, both according to his humanity and his divinity, and he is accompanied with a multitude of Angels.' And since I had a great desire to see him with the Angels, as had been said to me, then God was shown to me; as I saw him, however, I did not see him according to any form, but I saw a fullness, a beauty, in which I saw every good. And it was said to me: 'O beloved, thus you will stand before him in eternal life.' How great a consolation my soul then received cannot be explained."

[118] "For some time now, when I receive communion, the host extends in the mouth and does not have the taste of bread, nor of this flesh which we eat, but has another taste of flesh — a taste of the most savory kind — which I know not how to compare to any thing of the world. She senses a wonderful taste in the sacred host. And the host is not hard as before, nor does it go down in pieces as it was accustomed to, but whole, with such sweetness that, were it not that I have heard one ought to swallow it quickly, I would most gladly have held it in my mouth for a great while. And so it descends whole with that unknown taste of flesh, nor is it necessary afterward to drink in any way, unless it be customary, so that it may be better consumed. When, moreover, it descends, it gives me a great pleasing experience; and it is discerned outwardly in the body, so that it makes me tremble most vehemently, so that with great labor I can receive the chalice."

[119] "Now moreover when I make upon myself the sign of the cross and place my hand on my head, when I say 'In the name of the Father,' Signing herself with the cross, she is stirred with divine love. I feel nothing new; but when I place my hand upon my heart, saying 'And of the Son,' immediately I feel there a love, a consolation, so that it seems to me that I find him there. This, however, I would not have said, nor would I have had it written, as with the other things, unless I had been admonished to do so."

[120] Ch. 41. "During a certain illness, while I greatly desired to receive communion on the feast of the Angels, and there was no one who could bring me the most sacred body of Christ, I began to grieve greatly. And behold, in that very grief and desire to receive communion, I began to think of that feast of the Angels and their praise — how they praise God continually — and I began to consider the office which the Angels have in praising God and in ministering to him and attending upon him. And behold, suddenly I was raised up, and immediately there was present a very great multitude of Angels, and they led me to a certain altar and said to me: 'This is the altar of the Angels.' And upon the altar they showed my soul the praise of the Angels, namely him who is all praise; and the Angels said to my soul: 'In him who is upon the altar is the perfection and fulfillment of the sacrifice which you seek. And therefore prepare yourself to receive him Christ betrothed Angela to himself with the ring of his love. who has betrothed you with the ring of his love, and the marriage has already been made; and therefore anew he now wishes to make the conjugal union and coupling.' I cannot, however, express how great a joy I received, because my soul felt all this in truth, for all this was an ecstasy, much more fully than can be expressed in words. Through this, moreover, it was signified to me that I was soon to depart from this world; for this happened near the beginning of my last illness."

[121] Ch. 42. "On another occasion I saw in the consecrated host Christ as a child. He seemed to be a great child and very much commanding, as if he held a scepter and dominion. She sees in the host a child of royal appearance. For he seemed to hold something in his hands as a sign of dominion, and to sit upon a throne. But I know not how to say what he held in his hand; and this I saw with the eyes of the body. And I, seeing this, did not kneel when the others knelt. I had, moreover, the greatest delight in seeing him. And I had great displeasure and great weariness that the priest replaced the host on the altar too quickly; for it was of such beauty and such adornment that it is ineffable. And he seemed to be twelve years old. And the vision of him was of such joy that I do not believe I shall lose it for eternity; and it was of such certainty that I do not doubt in any way that it was in truth. So great, moreover, was the delight in the vision of him that I did not say that he should help me; and I said nothing, neither good nor evil. But I was so delighted in seeing that beauty that I knew not what to say."

[122] Ch. 43. "Likewise on another occasion, while the Mass was being said, being raised up in spirit, I asked the Lord, saying: 'Behold, Lord, you are in this Sacrament of the altar; tell me, Lord, where are your faithful?' And opening my understanding to me, he answered and said: Where Christ is, there also are his faithful. 'Where I am, my faithful are with me.' Then I myself saw that it was so, and I most clearly perceived myself wherever he was. But that being is not being in God within, but it is that which is being outside; and he alone is the one who is everywhere, comprehending all things. I saw, moreover, the body of Jesus Christ frequently under diverse forms in this blessed Sacrament. For in this Sacrament I sometimes saw the throat of Christ with such splendor and such beauty She sees in the host the brightness of the body of Christ. that the splendor which emanated was more than the splendor of the sun; and from that great beauty I was given to understand with certainty that God is there. For the beauty is incomparably greater than the beauty of the sun, and much greater. Although at home in that gullet or throat I saw an even greater beauty — so great that I do not believe I shall ever lose the joy of that vision of the gullet or throat — I know not how to manifest it except by the likeness of the host of the body of Christ. But I have great suffering that I cannot manifest it. At another time, two eyes. I also sometimes saw in the host two most brilliant eyes, so large that nothing of the host seemed to remain except only the rim. In seeing these things, moreover, I am refreshed with such great joys that I know not how to compare one to another, but each is so great that it does not seem to me that I can ever lose it henceforth."

CHAPTER VIII.

Consolations from the vision of the Mother of God.

[123] Ch. 44. "I was raised up on a certain occasion, and I was not then at prayer, but I had laid myself down to rest, because it was after the meal. Hence I was not even thinking of these things, but suddenly my soul was raised up, and I saw the Blessed Virgin in glory; and understanding a woman placed in such nobility and glory and dignity as she stood, I was delighted in a wonderful way, for to see her was an ineffable joy. For the blessed Virgin Mary stood praying for the human race, Mary prays for the human race. and I saw the suitability of her humanity and her power, which was unspeakable, whence I also delighted ineffably. And while I was thus gazing at the aforesaid things, suddenly Jesus Christ appeared there, sitting beside her in his glorified humanity. And understanding that flesh — She is supremely delighted at seeing the sufferings of Christ. how it had been tormented and reviled and crucified — and understanding all the sufferings, injuries, contempt, and ignominy which he had endured for us, which I then also wondrously understood, I then in no way grieved over them; rather, there was for me such great delight that it cannot be told, and I lost the power of speech and thought I was dying. And it was for me a more than greatest suffering that I was not dying and that I was not arriving immediately at that unspeakable thing which I saw. And this vision lasted for me for three continuous days, She remains rapt in ecstasy for three days. and I was not impeded by eating, which was very little — for I lay continually with a languishing body and said nothing. I was not impeded by any other thing either; but when God was named to me, I could not sustain it on account of the immense delight."

[124] Ch. 45. "On the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, while I was in the morning in the church of the Friars Minor at Foligno, an utterance was made to me, saying: 'This is the hour in which the Lady the Virgin Mary came with her Son to the temple.' And my soul heard this with great love. The Virgin Mother of God entrusts the child Jesus to Blessed Angela. And then my soul was raised up, and I saw Our Lady entering at that hour, and my soul went to meet her with great reverence and love. And although I somewhat feared to approach her, Our Lady herself gave my soul great assurance, and she stretched out toward me her Son Jesus and said: 'O lover of my Son, take him.' And she handed him to my arms, and he seemed to have his eyes closed, as if he were sleeping, and he was wrapped or swaddled in cloths."

[125] "Our Lady herself, as if wearied from the journey, sat down, and she made such beautiful and delightful gestures and showed such modest and pleasing manners, and it was so sweet and delightful to see her, The modesty of the Blessed Virgin. that my soul not only could gaze at the child Jesus, whom I held so tightly between my arms, but was also compelled to gaze at Our Lady. While therefore I stood thus, suddenly the child remained in my arms completely naked, and he opened and raised his eyes and looked about; and immediately at the sight of those eyes I felt and had such great love The eyes of the child Jesus. that it conquered me entirely. For from those eyes there went forth such a splendor and fire of love and joy that it is unspeakable to me. And then suddenly there appeared an immense and ineffable majesty, and it said to me: 'He who does not see me small will not see me great.' And it added: 'I have come to you Angela offers all she has to Christ. and offered myself to you, so that you might offer yourself to me.' And then my soul in a wonderful and unspeakable manner offered itself to him. Finally, I offered myself entirely, and I offered my sons and followers perfectly and totally, reserving nothing for myself, neither of myself nor of my own. And my soul understood that God greatly accepted that offering and received it with great eagerness. Concerning the eagerness indeed and the ineffable joy and the delight and the unspeakable sweetness which I had in perceiving that God with such great benignity was receiving and accepting my offering, I can say nothing, because it is impossible for me to make it manifest. On another occasion I saw the Blessed Virgin exhorting me to knowledge and blessing me, and telling me of the sorrow of her compassion which she had for her Son."

CHAPTER IX.

Concerning the spiritual children of Angela.

[126] Ch. 46. "On a certain occasion, raised up and at the same time attracted and absorbed into the uncreated light, I saw things which I cannot express. She sees Christ taken down from the cross. As this influence remained, however, there appeared to me the image of the blessed God-man crucified, as if he had just then newly been taken down from the cross. His blood appeared so fresh and red and flowing through the wounds, as if it were then immediately flowing from fresh wounds. And there appeared in his joints such a great dissolution of the sinews from the dire stretching of the extension on the cross that the joints of the bones seemed utterly loosened from their proper place. At the sight of which my inward parts were transfixed, more than can be said, and I grieved more than I had ever before been affected by any pains."

[127] "While therefore I stood thus wholly absorbed by that pain, behold, suddenly around the crucified a multitude of sons appeared, who were devoted to preaching and imitating the poverty, contempt, and pain of the crucified. The Lord blesses the preachers of his Cross. The blessed Jesus therefore called them to himself, and having drawn them with such great love, embracing each one, he applied and pressed their heads with his hands to the wound of his side for kissing. The joy born from this in my soul — from the heartfelt love shown over them — made me forget the aforesaid sorrow. There were, moreover, different degrees in the application of the sons to his side, because some he applied more frequently, some he pressed in more than others, and some he totally absorbed within. And there appeared on their lips a redness from the red blood, which in some adorned and colored the cheeks and the whole face according to the degrees expressed above. And pouring out generous blessings upon each one, he said: 'O blessed sons, uncover the way of the Cross — namely, of my poverty, my contempt, and my pain — for which temporal collaborators now abound; because I have singularly chosen you so that through you my truth, which has been trampled upon and hidden, may be uncovered and manifested by your word and example.' And my soul understood that, just as the application to the side appeared in diverse degrees, so also the words concerning the individual sons were proposed diversely. It would, moreover, be impossible to express the heartfelt love which shone forth in the gaze of the eyes of that blessed face of the God-man Jesus Christ upon these sons, and in the application to the sacred wound, and in all the signs, words, and blessings made and pronounced over them."

[128] Ch. 47. "On another occasion, while I was in a certain procession, I felt that abyssal attraction of the uncreated God, in the manner which has been described above, in an ineffable manner. She sees God dwelling in the minds of her sons. And I saw the blessed God, three and one, in his majesty, dwelling in the minds of these sons, transforming them diversely into himself according to the degrees expressed above; and to see this was truly a great Paradise. For he seemed to pour himself out over them so heartfully that I myself could not be sated in looking at them; and so great was the blessing, so most sweetly and so heartfully pronounced, which the uncreated God poured out upon these sons, that all of it is ineffable. And then he required of his sons, saying: 'Be, O my beloved sons, a sacrifice of total holocaust in mind and body.' Consider, brothers, how much he who so heartfully gives himself to us ought to be loved through affections and works — he who so lovingly and possessively requires us totally."

[129] "When likewise the representation of the God-man crucified was made to me with the dissolution of the joints, as has been described, it was carried before my eyes through the air in the entire procession, borne by no hand's assistance. When the sons had been gathered together and applied to the wound of his side as has been said, he himself said: 'I am he who takes away the sins of the world, and I have taken away all your sins, nor shall they be imputed to you for eternity. This is the bath of true cleansing. This is the price of your redemption. This is the house of your habitation. Whence do not fear, O sons, to defend and uncover this truth of my life and way, though it be assailed by evildoers with words and deeds, because I am continually with you as helper and defender.' There was also shown to me the cleansing of all the sons in a threefold degree, on this occasion and many times before. The Lord distributes a threefold grace to his lovers. One is the special grace of certain ones: namely, the conferral of a great grace and strength to easily avoid sins. Another is in the conferral of grace to delightfully perform works of virtue. Another is in every perfection of the soul and transformation into the crucified. And although much beauty is given to the soul in each of these changes and graces, yet in the second there is the greatest and most delightful beauty. In the third, however, there is such an excess that it is entirely ineffable to me, for I can say nothing else. But they seemed transformed into God, so that I saw almost nothing other than God — now suffering, now glorified — so that he seems to have totally transubstantiated and abyssed them."

[130] Ch. 48. "In the same procession, as we were approaching a certain church of the Blessed Virgin, behold the Queen of mercy herself and the Mother of all grace, inclining herself over these sons and daughters — she who previously appeared raised up on high — in a new and most gracious manner, blessing them, The Virgin Mother of God embraces her spiritual children. redoubled the sweetest blessings upon all and kissed them all on the breast, some more, some less. Some she embraced with the aforesaid kisses with arms of such charity that, just as she appeared entirely luminous, so also she seemed to absorb them into a certain infinite light within her breast. It did not seem to me, however, that I saw arms of flesh, but a certain wondrous light, in which she absorbed them, enclosing them within her breast with the greatest heartfelt love toward them."

[131] Ch. 49. "Likewise on another day, while the Mass was being said, among many other things which I saw, Blessed Francis appeared to me all-glorious, offering the customary greeting, She is greeted by St. Francis. which is this: 'The peace of the Most High be with you.' He greets, moreover, always with a most holy, most humble, gracious, and affectionate voice. Then, in certain sons who were burning with zeal for observing the poverty of the Rule, he greatly praised their resolve, but asked that it might grow through works. And he said: 'May the eternal, complete, and abundant blessing which I have received from the eternal God St. Francis strengthens his religious in their resolve. come upon the heads of these most beloved sons of yours and mine. Tell them that they shall live — namely, by following the way of Christ, manifesting it through works and through words — and let them not fear, because I am with them, and the eternal God is their helper.' And with such great affection did he praise those sons for their good resolve and strengthen them to proceed with confidence and to assist him in his intention, and so lovingly did he bless them, that he seemed to be entirely heartbroken with love over them."

[132] "Many other things I saw concerning me and concerning the sons which I cannot express. But this I say — that which I saw, what I perceived. For I saw most certainly that the blessed God himself pours himself out heartfully over us, and his most sweet Mother likewise; and they wish to bear the burden of our penance. They ask only that you, O sons, be luminous examples of his luminous, sorrowful, most poor, and despised life; and they wish The manner in which our conversation is reckoned to be in heaven. and desire to see you dead and alive, and that your habitation should be in heaven and only the use of the body should be in the world — so that, just as a dead man is not altered either by honor or by dishonor, so you should be entirely immutable with respect to the outward being of the world, and you should preach to others by the mortification of your life more than by contentious speech. And always your intention in all your acts should be in heaven, in this blessed God-man crucified, so that working, speaking, and eating outwardly, you should inwardly always be intimately united to that blessed God, who wishes to carry you continually within himself and in all your acts to attend always upon him. May he deign to fulfill in you these things who mercifully deigns to require them of you, through the merits of his most holy Mother. Amen."

a The MS adds: And although she saw all of them individually in their degrees, she was unwilling, however, to say anything here specially about any one of them; nor indeed did it seem fitting to me that this should be asked, except that each one should strive as much as he can to be fastened to this blessed crucified and to embrace with all his might his commandment of following the way of contempt, poverty, and the cross. She said, moreover: "It would be impossible to express," etc.

b The MS adds: And I who write secretly observed that she seemed in her face to be wholly altered into an angelic, wonderful, and glorious joy; and so great was the blessing, so most sweetly and heartfully pronounced, which the uncreated God was pouring out upon these sons, that the manner is more honored by silence on account of its ineffability.

c The MS adds: Through the intercession of his beloved handmaid, through whose merits he has deigned to graft us as little branches, so that through her as through a ladder of saving examples and radical merits we may continually ascend to the summit of her most excellent life and the transformation of her most sacred passion, until entering together with the blessed Jesus into the bosom of the Father, we may rest with him who is all rest for ever and ever. Amen.

CHAPTER X.

Concerning tribulation and those who do not advance.

[133] Ch. 50. Who are the children of God. "On a certain occasion I asked God to give me something of himself. And I made upon myself the sign of the Cross. And I also asked him to show me who his children are. And among other things this example was said to me: Suppose that someone who had many friends invited them to a banquet prepared with great diligence; if many of those invited were to remain behind, unwilling to come, would he not grieve over those not coming, since he had abundantly prepared the banquet and at great expense? But would he not receive those who came with great joy? Who, although he receives all with gladness, yet such a one places those whom he loves more at his own table beside himself especially; and still with those whom he loves more intimately, he eats from one dish and drinks from one cup. How all are invited by God to the wedding. I, moreover, was asking with much spiritual pleasure, saying: 'O Lord, when do you invite all? Tell me.' And he answered, saying: 'I have invited all to eternal life, and those who wish to come, let them come, because no one can be excused from having been called. Some of those called come and are placed at the table' — and he gave me to understand that he himself was the table and the food which he gave."

[134] Those who were invited came by the way of tribulation. "I, moreover, was asking about these called ones who had come — by what way they had gone there. And he answered: 'By the way of tribulation,' he said — 'such as virgins, chaste ones, the poor, the sick, the patient' — and he named many other kinds of the tribulated who are to be saved. And I in every word understood the reason and the explanation, and was greatly delighted. In general, however, all of these were called and named 'children.' It was said to me, moreover, in that utterance, how virginity, poverty, fever, the loss of children, the loss of possessions and temporal things, and tribulation were given to the aforesaid children by God for their good; but they did not perceive or recognize this at the time. And although at the beginning they were troubled, yet afterward the true children bore it with patience and thanksgiving. Such in general are all who attain eternal life, nor is there any other way."

[135] "Those, however, who are invited to the spiritual table, whom the Lord leads with him to eat from one dish and to drink from one cup, are those who wish and strive to know Lovers of the cross sit at the same table with Christ. who is this good Father and Lord who has invited them, and who strive to please him by the imitation of his Cross and by the voluntary acceptance of poverty, contempt, and affliction. For to these children God permits many tribulations to happen, and this he does for them as a special grace, so that they may eat from one dish with him. 'For to this table,' Christ said, 'I was called to drink the chalice of the passion, which was sweet to me on account of love for you, although in itself it was most bitter.' These children therefore, recognizing this grace, although they sometimes feel bitter tribulations, yet all becomes sweet for them on account of the love, grace, honor, and value which are in them; indeed, they are troubled when they are not afflicted, and the more they feel tribulations, the more they delight and feel of God. I say therefore and affirm that the children of God feel divine sweetness mixed with persecutions, tribulations, and penance. And this was said and shown to me wondrously in the aforesaid preaching made to me by God, whence I myself have experienced this on innumerable occasions. Angela exults in tribulation. Whence when I was troubled by the friars and by those who despised me, I could not manifest the sweetness which I then felt, nor the tears of joy anointing me which I then felt."

[136] "Again, during a certain great illness, as I lay very weak and afflicted, God the man Jesus appeared to me, very much a consoler, and he seemed to have great compassion on me, Christ consoles the sick woman. and said: 'I have come to serve you.' The service, moreover, which he rendered was that he stood before my bed and showed himself to me so gracious that it is entirely ineffable; and I saw him with the eyes of the mind far more clearly than anything could be seen, and there was for me such great pleasantness and delight that I can say absolutely nothing about it; indeed, it is all ineffable."

[137] "Again on Holy Thursday I said to my companion that we should seek Christ, She seeks Christ in the hospital. and I said: 'Let us go to the hospital, and perhaps we shall find Christ among those poor, suffering, and afflicted people.' We took all the coverings of our heads which we could take — for we had nothing else — and we told Giliola, the servant of the hospital, to sell them and buy something for the poor of the hospital to eat. And she, although she greatly refused to do this and said that we were disgracing ourselves, yet because of our great insistence, she sold those little cloths and bought fish with the proceeds, and we brought bread which had been given to us for the love of God as our food. After therefore we had offered these things to them, we washed the feet of the poor women who were there [She washes the feet of the women, the hands of the men and of a leper, and drinks that water.] and the hands of the men, and especially of a certain leper who had hands that were very foul, withered, disfigured, and corrupted; and we drank from that washing water. We felt, moreover, such great sweetness in that drink that for the whole way we came in great sweetness, and it seemed to me in every respect that I had tasted a wonderful sweetness, as to the sweetness which I found there. And because a certain scab* from those sores was lodged in my throat, I strove to swallow it, as if I had received communion, until I swallowed it. Whence I found such great sweetness in this that I cannot express it. Great consolation in penance. On account of which I say that in penance and in affliction and tribulation accepted for God's sake, although at the beginning a person is distressed, at the end, however, the greatest consolation is found."

[138] "On another occasion I stood troubled with a spiritual tribulation, and it did not seem to me that I felt anything of God for a whole month; indeed, it seemed to me She is vexed by scruples and anxieties of conscience. that I had been almost abandoned by God. And I could not confess my sins; and on the one hand it seemed to me that this had happened to me on account of my pride, and on the other hand I saw my many sins so deeply that it did not seem to me that I could confess them with due contrition, nor even say them with my mouth alone. It also seemed to me that I could not manifest them, and therefore I could not praise God nor remain in prayer. But this much alone seemed to have remained to me from God: namely, that I was not troubled as much as I ought to have been troubled, on account of the fact that I had resolved not to depart from God by sinning, nor to offend God for all the evils or goods of the world, nor to consent to evil. And thus I was troubled and afflicted strongly and horribly for the whole aforesaid time."

[139] "And at length, by the mercy of God, an utterance was made to me thus: God is present to one who suffers tribulation. 'My daughter, beloved by Almighty God and by all the Saints of Paradise, God has placed his love in you and has a love for you greater than for any woman of the valley of Spoleto.' And my soul answered, crying out: 'How can I believe this, since I am full of tribulation and it seems to me that I am almost abandoned by God?' And he answered: 'When it seems to you that you are most abandoned, you are most loved by me and nearer to God.' And then he added: 'A father who has a very dear son administers him temperate food and does not permit him to drink undiluted wine or to eat harmful things, lest they harm him, but he tempers the wine with water so that it may benefit him. So God does: for he mixes temptations and tribulations with consolations, and in temptations and tribulations he holds the soul. For if he did not hold it, it would stumble and fail; and when it seems abandoned, then it is loved more.' Tribulations do not vanish suddenly but gradually. Then therefore my tribulation was somewhat tempered, yet not wholly taken away; for I did not yet have the desire to confess, but the desire to confess and receive communion began to come to me, and in a short time the tribulation was totally removed. And then an utterance was made to me, saying: 'It pleases me that you should receive communion, because if you receive me, you have already received me; and even if you do not receive me, you have already received me. And receive communion with the blessing of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And do this in reverence and honor of Almighty God, and of Holy Mary the Virgin, and of this Saint, namely St. Anthony, whose feast it was that day; for a new grace will be given to you which you have not yet had.' The grace of confessing was therefore restored to me, and the desire to receive communion; and I confessed. While, moreover, the Mass was being said, I saw myself wholly full of sins and defects, so that I could not speak; and I thought that the communion which I wished to make would be to my judgment."

[140] "After these things, however, a wonderful disposition was made in me by which I could cast my whole self into Jesus Christ; In communion she is admitted into the intimate love of Christ. and then I cast myself into him with such confidence and security as I had never experienced before; and I cast myself into him and his merits, as one dead, with wonderful certainty that he would make me alive. I received communion therefore in his confidence, and after communion I had a wonderful experience. And he left in me a peace by which I was given to understand and also to feel that all the tribulation which had befallen me had befallen me for my good. And this communion which I made caused my soul to come to this seeing and desiring: namely, that I should give my whole self to Christ, because I saw that Christ had given his whole self to us. And now anew I delight in the desire of martyrdom, She burns with the desire of martyrdom. and I desire it, and in the sufferings and tribulations which befall me I delight; and I rejoice more than I was accustomed to. On account of which I say that God at last consoles every soul existing in tribulation."

[141] "For on another occasion also, when I was so troubled that it almost seemed to me that I had been abandoned, such an utterance was made to me, saying: 'O beloved, know that you are not abandoned, but Almighty God is nearer to you in tribulation, and you to God.' My soul, however, cried out: 'If it is so that I am nearer to God in tribulation, let it please him to take away from me every sin and give me absolution through the merits of his Passion, Christ forgives her sins. and give me his blessing, and to my companion, and to the friar who is the writer of these words.' And it was said to me thus: 'Your sins are taken away from you, and I give you my blessing with that flesh of that hand which was nailed to the cross.' And then I saw that hand blessing over our heads, and I delighted in the sight of that hand, because truly it was most delightful to see it. And he said to us three thus: Christ bestows his blessing on her, her companion, and the writer. 'May you have the blessing of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit eternally, and may you be comprehended.' And he said to me: 'Tell that friar, your writer, that he should strive to make himself small, for he is greatly beloved by Almighty God; and therefore let him strive to love him.' Thus therefore he deigned to console me in manifold ways, he who consoles all the afflicted; to whom be and is honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

[142] Ch. 51. Illuminations are not to be spurned. "On a certain occasion, while I was praying in my cell, these words were said to me: 'All who are taught by God are illuminated to understand the way of God; and in this light and instruction which is given to them spiritually by God, they close their ears lest they hear and their eyes lest they see, and they do not wish to pay attention, and they do not wish to hear what Christ speaks to them in their soul, but they become entirely dull and follow a doctrine other than the instruction which they understand to have been given them by God; and they wish to hold the common way against their conscience — they have the curse of Almighty God.' Many times, moreover, this aforesaid word was said to me. I, however, was horrified to hear it, since it seemed to me very grave, and I feared it was a deception — namely, that to those to whom God gives light and grace, he should afterward give a curse. Then an example was set before me, Those who desert their former piety are abominable to God. and I was frequently commanded to have it written down. The example, moreover, is of a scholar who is placed by his father in school, and the father pays him lavish expenses and honors him with garments and books; and when he has been trained under a lesser master, he afterward arranges for him to be transferred to a higher master. If after these things the aforesaid scholar should act negligently and not care about the learning he had acquired, but should return to the secular state and to some lowly occupation and ministry of great labor, and nothing should remain to him of what he had thus learned — such a father, I say, ought to have great disturbance and indignation over such a son. Such a son is he who is first taught through preaching and through the Scriptures, and afterward is spiritually illuminated by God, and is given to understand by a spiritual light and divine inspiration how to follow the way of Christ — for the learning of which God first causes him to be taught by others, and afterward God teaches him with his own spiritual light and doctrine, which can be taught only by God; and this he does so that the person might direct himself and also be a light to others. If such a one should act negligently and become dull and fat and despise his light and the doctrine of God and the divine inspiration, God takes away from him that light and grace, and he has the curse. And it was commanded to me that I should have this word written down and should say it to a certain friar to whom I made my confession, because it concerned him."

[143] "Again it was said to me in another divine utterance: There is a certain generation which knows God solely from the great abundance of goods which he has done for them; and these know little. And there is another generation of men who, although they know God through the aforesaid goods of his, yet know him much better through the goodness of God which they experience in themselves. Again in another utterance I received knowledge and heard a voice crying out and saying: 'O how great they are, The doers of the law are pleasing to God, not its readers. O how great they are — but not the great readers of my Scripture, rather its fulfillers and doers.' Again he said that all of divine Scripture is fulfilled in the example of the life of Christ. On a certain occasion while I was praying I said to God: 'I know, Lord, that you are my Father, that you are my God; teach me therefore what you wish me to do, and instruct me in those things which please you, because I am ready to obey.' When therefore I had remained in these words from morning until the third hour, I both saw and heard — but what I saw and understood I am in no way able, nor would I know how, to say. The straight way to salvation is to follow Christ. But it was an utterly ineffable abyss, and he showed me what he is, and who live in him and who do not. And he said to me: 'In truth I say to you, there is no other straight way except that which follows my footsteps, because in this way which is mine there is absolutely no deception.' This word, moreover, in truth and with great clarity, was said to me often and in many utterances."

Here ends her manifold consolation.

\* MS: "scarpula," perhaps "squamula" small scale.

CHAPTER XI.

Instructions of Blessed Angela concerning the presence of God.

[144] Ch. 52. Signs of the presence of God in the soul, not altogether certain. It should be known therefore that God sometimes comes to the soul uncalled, unsought, and unasked by it, and he places in the soul a fire, a love, a sweetness otherwise unaccustomed, in which the soul greatly delights, rejoices, and believes that this is from God working presently within it; yet this is not certain. [I.] Likewise the soul knows God to be in it because, although it does not see him to be in the soul, it sees, however, his grace to be in the soul, in which it greatly delights; and yet this is still not certain. [II.] Likewise it knows that God has come to it because God speaks to it the sweetest words, in which words the soul greatly delights, and it feels him with a very delightful feeling, in which feeling the soul greatly delights. III. But still some doubt remains, although it is small; for the soul is not yet perfectly or entirely certain that God is in the soul, because such utterances even with feelings can be made by another spirit. A doubt therefore remains for it; and it seems to me that this happens either on account of its great malice and defect, or on account of the will of God, because God does not wish to make it more certain or secure.

[145] Signs of the presence of God, certain. The soul is certified, however, that God is within it when it feels him in a way different from its accustomed experience, and feels him with a notable and redoubled feeling — and with such love and divine fire that all love of soul and body is taken away from it — and it speaks, knows, I. To be carried away in mind and body into God. and understands things which it has never heard from any mortal, and it understands them with great light; and it is the greatest suffering for it to be silent about them. And if it is silent, it is silent out of zeal lest it displease the Love, and lest it cause scandal, and out of humility, because it does not wish to say such lofty things lest it be remarked upon. As has also happened to me sometimes: for out of the burning desire for the salvation of my neighbor I said certain things and was rebuked, and it was said to me in this manner: 'Sister, return to the divine Scripture, for we do not understand you.' Likewise in this feeling by which the soul is certified that Almighty God is in it, there is given to the soul so perfectly to will that the whole soul truly agrees in this, and in all things and in every way, and all the members of the body agree with the soul and become truly one with the soul, and they do not resist its will, and it wills perfectly those things which are God's, which, however, before it did not truly will entirely. And this will is given by grace, in which the soul knows Almighty God to be in it, and it gives it security; for there is given to the soul to will God, and those things which are God's, truly, after the likeness of true love, as God loved us; and the soul feels that the immense God is mixed with it and has made a fellowship with it.

[146] Likewise when the Most High God comes to the rational soul, sometimes there is given to it to see him; and it sees without bodily form in itself, and it sees him more clearly than a mortal man could see another mortal man. II. God is seen in oneself without bodily form. For the eyes of the soul see a spiritual fullness, not bodily, about which I cannot say anything, because words and imagination fail. In that seeing, moreover, the soul is delighted with an ineffable delight, and then the soul looks at nothing else except that; for it is that which fills the soul inestimably. And this looking and seeing, by which it thus sees Almighty God and can look at nothing else, is so profound that I grieve that I am able to make nothing of it manifest; for it is not a tangible thing, nor an imaginable one, but it is inestimable.

[147] The soul further knows that God is in it without doubt in many ways, of which let us mention two. One is a certain anointing which so suddenly renews the soul and renders all the members of the body gentle and in agreement with the soul, that it cannot be touched III. The soul is subjected to God, and the senses to the mind. or harmed by anything by which the soul could be troubled even slightly; and it perceives and hears that God is speaking to it. And in this so great and utterly ineffable anointing, the soul understands most certainly and without doubt that Almighty God is in it. For no Saint from paradise, nor any Angel from paradise, could do this; but it is so ineffable that I greatly grieve that I cannot say anything in comparison. And may God pardon me, because I do not do this willingly; for with my whole heart I would gladly make known something of his goodness, if I could and it pleased him. Another way in which the rational soul knows Almighty God to be within it is a certain embrace IV. To be admitted into the embrace of Christ with supreme delight. which God makes of the rational soul, because never could a father or mother embrace a child, nor any other person embrace another person, with such great love as Almighty God embraces the rational soul. For with such great love our Lord Jesus Christ unspeakably embraces and presses the rational soul to himself, and with such sweetness and gentleness, that I do not believe any person in the world could say or express it, nor even one who has experienced it believe it; and although someone could perhaps believe something of it, yet not in that manner. For Jesus Christ brings into the soul a most gentle love by which the whole soul burns in Christ; and he brings with him a light so great, by which it understands such a fullness of the goodness of Almighty God as it proves in itself, that it understands much more than it experiences in itself. And then it is assured and certified that Jesus Christ is in it. But we say nothing of all these things in comparison to what they are. Then, moreover, the soul does not have tears, neither of joy, nor of sorrow, nor of any other kind or state; for it is a much lesser state when the soul has tears of joy. Likewise God brings with him into the soul such a superfullness of joy that the soul does not know what more to ask; indeed, if it lasted, it would have here a paradise. And this joy results and overflows into all the members of the body; and every injury that is inflicted or spoken is counted as nothing and becomes sweet. And on account of such an alteration made in the body, sometimes I have not been able to hide it from my companion, nor from others, because sometimes I become, as my companion told me, The face of Blessed Angela was seen to shine. resplendent and all ruddy, and my eyes shining like a candle; or pale, as if I had died, according to the variety of visions and revelations. The aforesaid joy, moreover, does not end for many days; and there are certain joys which I never believe I shall lose for eternity, but I believe they will be fulfilled and perfected; and now in my life I am never without them. Whence also when any sadness comes, immediately remembering those joys, I am in no way troubled. There are, moreover, so many other ways by which the soul knows that God is in it that I could in no way say and narrate them all.

[148] Ch. 53. How the soul receives God as a guest. In all the aforesaid ways the soul knows God to have come into it. But we have not yet said anything about how it hosts him; and all that we have said is very much less than that which occurs when the soul knows that it has hosted the pilgrim. For then, when the soul has hosted the pilgrim, it comes to such a knowledge of the infinite goodness of God that sometimes, when I have been brought back to myself, I have known most certainly that those who feel most of God are those who least presume to speak of God, because by the very fact that they feel something of that infinite and unspeakable One, they less presume to speak of God, counting in comparison whatever they say, or can say, as almost nothing. Whence if any preacher of divine things understood, as I have sometimes understood, he would know how to say nothing, nor would he presume to say anything about God; rather, he would fall mute and be silent. For it so surpasses the understanding and all things that can in any way be thought, said, or estimated, that his goodness cannot be perfectly explained. This, however, does not happen because the soul has lost any bodily sense, The understanding is borne into God independently of the senses. or because the soul has left the body, but it perceives those things apart from the senses. Whence a person seeing through the understanding sees those things so efficaciously in such great wonder, in comparison to what can be said in bodily words, that if any preacher were in this state and wished to speak of God, he would say to the people: 'Go, because I know not how to say anything to you about God,' however capable he might be. Those who understand God more perfectly can speak less about him. And therefore I understand and say that all the things which have been said through Scripture or through all men from the beginning of the world do not seem to me to have said anything of the marrow of that divine goodness — not even one half grain of millet in comparison to the whole world."

[149] "When moreover the soul is made secure by God and is refreshed by his presence, similarly the body receives satiety and nobility and is refreshed along with the soul, although much less. For reason and the soul speak to the body and the sensuality when they are thus refreshed, saying: 'See now what good things these are which you experience from God through me; but infinitely greater are those which are promised A sweet conflict of soul and body over the sweetness of God. and will be faithfully paid out, if you consent to me. And now recognize what goods, and how great, we have lost — you and I — by not consenting but by contradicting me; whence henceforth it is altogether necessary for you, in those things which are God's, to obey entirely.' And immediately the body subjects itself to the soul and the sensuality to reason, feeling a share of the delight of the soul, and it answers the soul, saying: 'My pleasures were sometimes bodily and base, because I am a body; but you, who were of such great nobility and capable of divine delight, ought not to have consented to me, nor to have caused me and yourself to lose such great goods.' And the body laments against the soul, and the sensuality against reason, in a long and most sweet lamentation, feeling the sweetness and delight of the soul to be greater than it could have suspected; and it becomes obedient to it."

CHAPTER XII.

Causes and remedies of illusions.

[150] Ch. 54. The deceptions of spiritual persons. There are certain ways, moreover, in which there can be deception in spiritual persons. One way, and the greatest, is when love in the soul is not pure but is mixed, and there is present some personal and private love — that is, some of one's own will; for there is then something of the love of the world present, and the world invites and commends the person; and yet all the commendation of the world 1. From a love of God that is not pure. and its invitation to such devotion is false. And such a person, in this — that the world sees and commends her — seems to be fervent in devotion, and those tears and sweetnesses and trembling and crying out which occur in that impure spiritual love grow; and although in that impure spiritual manner the person has tears and sweetnesses, yet such things do not happen inwardly in the soul but outwardly in the body, and that love does not enter inwardly into the soul; and quickly that sweetness fails in the person and is quickly forgotten — indeed, sometimes it even brings bitterness. And all these things I have proved in myself; and I would not know how to discern the aforesaid things well, except that my soul has come into a certain truth: because when love is pure, it counts itself entirely dead after such feelings, What pure love is like. and it sees itself to be nothing, and it renders itself dead and putrid to God, and it leads to reverence of God and humility. And it does not remember at all any praise or any good of its own; indeed, it sees itself to be so deficient and full of evils that sometimes it does not believe it can be fully freed by any Saint, but only by God himself. Although sometimes it more quickly asks the Saints to help it before God, because on account of its own unworthiness it dares not ask God; and therefore it has recourse to the holy Virgin Mary and to other Saints, that they may help it. And when it is commended by anyone, it entirely counts it as mockery. And this right and pure love from God is inwardly in the soul and makes it see its defects and the goodness of God. And the tears and sweetnesses which then occur and are had never bring bitterness, but certainty and sweetness; and such aforesaid love brings Christ inwardly into the soul, and the soul understands that no deception can exist or take place there.

[151] 2. Deception from excessive security in graces received from God. Another way is one in which God permits deception to happen in spiritual persons, and it is this: when a spiritual and devout person feels herself greatly loved by God, and feels spiritual goods in herself, and does good spiritual works, and speaks of them — yet because she makes herself too secure and goes beyond measure, therefore God permits some deception to happen in her, so that through these things she may recognize God himself and herself. Another way is when a spiritual person feels much of God [3. From an insufficient knowledge of oneself and of God who gives the consolations.] and is in a good love, pure, and with the best heart does good works, and has resolved in no way to please the world any longer or to have a reputation for sanctity, and has resolved entirely to please Christ, and places her whole self in Christ, and then is wholly within Christ with great and unspeakable joy, and feels herself wholly embraced by Christ. Yet it is necessary that the soul know how to keep what is its own and to render to God what is God's; which if it does not, then God permits some deception to happen in it, in order to preserve it; and because God is jealous over it, lest it should transgress. And still what has been described does not suffice for the soul until God leads it into a full knowledge of itself and into a full knowledge of the goodness of God; and there then no deception can take place. Rather, the soul is led into a full knowledge of the truth. A full knowledge of the truth is called such in this manner, What full knowledge of the truth is. because the soul sees itself so filled that it seems to it that it cannot be more filled. First with the knowledge of itself, so that it cannot see anything else or remember any other thing; and then suddenly it comes into a knowledge of the divine goodness, and then it sees both things simultaneously, in an utterly unspeakable way. Yet even then the aforesaid does not seem sufficient, but God is jealous over it by permitting it tribulations.

[152] Ch. 55. "The thing, moreover, which does not permit the soul to be deceived in such experiences is poverty of spirit. For in a divine utterance made to me by God, I heard poverty commended as such a great instruction and such a great good that it entirely surpasses our understanding. For God said to me: True poverty is founded upon humility. 'If poverty were not such a great good,' said God, 'I would not have loved it so much; and if it were not so noble, I would not have assumed it. For pride can exist only in those who have something, or believe themselves to have something. For the first man who fell, and the Angel, became proud and fell for this reason: that they esteemed and believed themselves to have something. Yet neither Angel nor man has anything of himself, but only God alone. Humility, however, exists only in those who are so poor that they see themselves to have nothing; for the greatest good is poverty. It is illustrated by the example of Christ. For God himself made his dearest Son poorer than any other man has ever been or will be, and yet he is the one who has being more than we can say; and yet God made him so poor, as if he did not have being. This, however, seemed to sinners and mortals, who were deprived of the true light, a kind of folly; but it did not seem so, nor does it seem so, to the wise and to those who truly understand. The aforesaid truth is so profound, and this truth of this virtue — namely, poverty — and how poverty is the root and mother of humility and of every good, is so profound that it cannot be written. For whoever has poverty It is the fount and wellspring of all goods. can never stumble or fall through deception. And whoever were to see the good of poverty would be beloved by God; and whoever were to consider its immense value could never retain anything temporal for himself; and whoever were to see how much God loved true poverty would retain nothing. This instruction, moreover, is an instruction of divine wisdom, which first causes one to see one's defects and poverty, and to believe and truly consider oneself poor of all merits and goods; and consequently it causes one to be poor and to love poverty. And thus, illuminated by a certain gift of grace, when one has seen and insofar as one has seen the good of poverty, one may love poverty. And afterward it causes one to see the divine goodness, and thus one loves Almighty God entirely, since one esteems oneself to have nothing that one might love; It teaches us to trust in God alone. and as one loves, one acts; and thus all confidence in oneself is taken away, and one trusts only in the Most High God. And consequently, since one trusts totally in God, all doubt about God is taken away, by his illumination. For whoever were to have this truth, It frees from every spiritual deception. all the demons and all other things we could name could not deceive that person, because in this poverty of spirit the soul receives a most clear and most luminous instruction for all the use of this life, so that it could never be deceived while it had this truth."

[153] Poverty is the mother of virtues. "And therefore I understand that poverty is the mother of all virtues and is an instruction of divine wisdom. For just as divine wisdom taught us mortals through the Incarnation, so also through poverty of spirit it teaches us to be blessed; just as divine wisdom taught the Incarnation of Christ to the Blessed Virgin, who first caused her to know herself; and after she knew herself, all doubt about God was taken away from her; and immediately she trusted in the goodness of God; and knowing herself and the goodness of God, she said: 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done unto me according to your word.' And similarly, divine wisdom teaches us in the humanity of God. For although he was God, yet he willed that humanity to be bound to the obedience of the Father in every will of the Father. And therefore all the wisdom of the world, unless it is introduced into this truth, is nothing and is turned to damnation; and all the wise of the world, unless they are introduced into this truth, are absolutely nothing and go to damnation. And when the soul understands this truth, then it works without any intention of vainglory and without regard for any merit."

a The MS adds: And in the aforesaid love, no love of the world can in any way mix itself. And while I the writer was telling her in these words the story of Moses, when he struck the rock, before I finished speaking, that faithful one of Christ said:

b The MS adds: And she said that she understood the matter concerning Moses in the aforesaid manner — namely, when I had finished telling her that story.

CHAPTER XIII.

Concerning ecstasy and the knowledge of oneself and of God.

[154] Ch. 56. Ecstasy or ineffable rapture. The soul therefore understands and apprehends nothing in comparison to the rapture, when it does not understand or apprehend except that to which it can inwardly attain. For when the soul is raised above itself, illuminated by the presence of God, and is placed in the bosom of God, and God in it, then it understands, delights, and rests in those divine goods which it can in no way relate. For they are above the understanding and above every mode of speaking and above all words. But the soul swims there in joy and knowledge, and thence, being illuminated, it understands the meanings of obscure and difficult words which Christ spoke. It likewise understands In rapture she understands the supreme sorrow of Christ. why and how in the soul of Christ there was sorrow without mitigation. For my soul, as has been said, illuminated and transformed into the passion of Christ, found no mitigation in it: so great was it. Whence my soul, recollecting the sorrow of the soul of Christ, cannot then find any joy; which does not happen when it recollects the passion of the body, because then, after sadness, it finds joy again. And it understands these reasons from the aforesaid elevation. It also understands that there was an acute sorrow in the soul of Christ while he was in the womb of his mother, just as he had afterward on the cross, except that he did not then have the experience. The soul also thence understands the judgments of God and other ineffable things from the presence of God raising it to himself. And many times God works wonders in the soul which I understand no creature could do except he alone. For sometimes the soul is suddenly raised up into God in such great joy that, if it were to last, I believe the body could not endure it; indeed, it would lose all its senses and members. And God often plays this game in the soul and with the soul, and immediately withdraws when the soul desires to hold him; yet a great joy and security remain in the soul, and such great joy remains that it in no way doubts that God is present. And about that seeing or feeling, I know not how to give any likeness, or even to name it. Visions and revelations do not always happen in the same manner. And this illumination, elevation, and delight or joy has been accustomed to happen to me in one way on one occasion and in another way on another, so that there is almost always novelty there; and all this is unspeakable. For revelations and visions are of one kind on one occasion and of another on another. Similarly the delight, gladness, and joy; nor can I say anything else. Indeed, to say this is more to curse, to devastate, to express defectively, and to blaspheme than to manifest anything."

[155] "I am blind and darkened and without truth; therefore, my little children, regard all the words which you have from me as suspect, as from a malignant person; and note everything well, Ch. 57. and believe none of my words except only those which are like the footsteps of Jesus Christ and provoke and lead to the imitation of his life. Now therefore, my little children, it does not delight me to write, but rather to bewail constantly my sins and their redemption which was accomplished through the passion of the immaculate Christ. But on account of the letters which you send, I am compelled to write back to you. This, however, I write to you which has been newly impressed upon my heart. Know, O children, that nothing is necessary for you except God; for God to come and for your mind to be gathered together in him, this is necessary for you. To this end, therefore, that your mind may be better gathered together in God, Things to be avoided by the spiritual person. all superfluous habit, all superfluous familiarity with men and women of whatever kind, all superfluous learning, and the desire to know many new things, and all superfluous work and occupation must be cut off. And in brief, what is required for this is that a person should separate himself from all things by which the mind is scattered. Things to be considered and repeated in the mind. Consequently, moreover, let him strive to enter this abyss of his own miseries and to think about what he has done in time past, what he does in the present, and what will happen to him and how, according to his merits, in the future after death, which will be without end. And let no day pass without his thinking on these things, or at least let no night pass. And consequently let him reconsider, revolve, and strive to know the mercy of God — how Christ Jesus has dispensed mercifully with him in all his miseries — and let him take care not to forget this benefit. For to know God and oneself is our perfection; and in the whole world nothing now delights me to write or to say except only these two things: to know God and oneself. And this means for a person to lie continually in his own prison and never to go out of his prison; and if from his own prison he does not have good, let him seek what is another's, and nothing will be placed above him."

[156] "O my dearest little children, every vision, every revelation, every contemplation is nothing unless a person has a true knowledge of God and of himself. Without the knowledge of God and of oneself, every revelation is nothing. In truth I say to you that without this, those things do not profit. And therefore I marvel that you seek letters from me, because I do not see that my words ought to, or can, console you, unless I write to you about this knowledge; and nothing delights me to say except this, and upon all other things silence has been imposed on me except this. I ask therefore that you pray God to give this light to the whole offspring and to make you remain always in it. The knowledge of God is necessary to attain our end. That the knowledge of God is necessary for you is manifest; for since our end is the kingdom of heaven, and we cannot and ought not to obtain it except according to the form by which God and man obtained it, it is necessary for us to know this God-man and his life and his works and those things on account of which he obtained glory, so that through the imitation of his works and transformation into him, we may likewise, after him by his merits and grace, possess the kingdom with him."

[157] The knowledge of God crucified is necessary. "It is above all necessary for us to know and recognize the God-man as he was crucified for us and suffered, and insofar as he gave us the form of living. For thus his infinite charity and inestimable love were made known to us, more than in any other benefit conferred on us by God. On account of which it is necessary for us, And transformation into God. lest we be ungrateful, to be transformed into his love: namely, that we should love him as he loved us, and our neighbor likewise, and that we should grieve for our own beloved, because he was made to suffer, and because he was crucified for us and for our most pure love. Knowing also how great are the things God has done for us, And the memory of the benefit of redemption. especially for our redemption, we are provoked and led and instructed to consider what our condition is: namely, that we are of the most noble condition, inasmuch as we are so loved by the Most High God that he willed to deliver himself to death for us; for unless man were a most noble creature and of great price, he would not have done these things. We are also provoked through this knowledge of the God-man crucified to procure our salvation; for seeing that God himself, so lofty and remote and alien from us, was so diligent to procure our redemption and salvation, we ourselves rightly ought to take care of ourselves and of our salvation, and to assist the Lord God himself in his will by doing penance. From the knowledge therefore of the God-man crucified we obtain infinite other benefits, especially since through his passion we are saved and are inflamed to the highest love."

[158] "For this, moreover, constant consideration and profound knowledge of the God-man crucified is necessary. For as we see, so we love; therefore the more we see of that God and man crucified, the more perfectly and more purely we love him, and through love we are transformed into him. [From a more perfect knowledge of the love and torments of Christ, greater love and sorrow arise.] According to love, moreover, and transformation into his love, we are likewise transformed into the sorrow which the soul sees in this God-man who has suffered. And just as one loves as much as one sees and knows, so the soul grieves as much as it sees of the sorrow of the beloved, and is transformed as much into the sorrow of the beloved. And similarly, the more one sees of this God-man who has suffered, the more one loves and the more one grieves for his sorrow, and is transformed into him through sorrow. For just as the soul is transformed into this most sweet God-man through love, so also it is transformed through sorrow; and all this happens through the perfect vision and knowledge of God and of oneself. For after the soul sees the super-infinity of the divine loftiness — which in naming I seem more to blaspheme than to name — and sees the vileness and unworthiness of sinners with whom he deigned to make friendship and kinship, and to undergo the most shameful death for them; then the soul, the more it knows these things and the more profoundly it considers and sees them, the more heartfully it is transformed into the very love of this God and man, Jesus Christ. When it also sees sinners and the creature itself so full of such defects that it even becomes blind in seeing, because the soul has so many defects that in comparison to them it can comprehend nothing; when the soul also sees afterward, illuminated by the divine light, that it alone was the cause of such excessive and such infinite sorrow as Christ Jesus endured for it; and seeing the super-infinity and super-goodness of God, that for such a most vile creature he should so incline himself as to become mortal man and should wish to be tortured with such ineffable sorrow continually while he lived, and he who was the creator of heaven and earth should die so vilely — when the soul sees and knows this well, it is wholly transformed in sorrow, and the more it knows and considers more deeply, the more it is affected with sorrow. For if at any time in the world a man cares to satisfy another man, he is most solicitous near death. But the King of Kings — although his whole life was an unspeakable cross because of the ineffable and continual sorrow which he bore — yet in death, in place of a gilded chamber with purple beds, he had an abominable and most vile cross, on which he could not be supported except by the nailing of the nails supporting him on the cross. For those nails through his hands and feet held him on that cross; otherwise he could not have been supported on it. In place of servants most solicitous and ready to satisfy him, he had the satellites of the devil most solicitously and continually ready to afflict him more cruelly and to lacerate him more heartlessly, so that even in death they would not give him a little water when he asked for it and even cried out that he was thirsty."

[159] Christ bore our sins by enduring contrary punishments. "And furthermore, when the soul sees that wretched man had incurred poverty of all goods because of his sins, and had merited everlasting sorrows, and had come into the contempt and mockery of that unspeakable divinity and of Angels and demons and all creatures; and it sees that the Most High God and man Christ Jesus, most rich, was made most poor, so as to raise man from the contrary poverty; and he, most happy and most delightful, was made most sorrowful, so that by his almost infinite sorrow he might redeem man from everlasting and infinite sorrows and make satisfaction for him and endure for him; likewise he, God most glorious and super-praiseworthy, was made obedient and humble and willed to be despised, vilified, reviled, and reputed and seen as the most despised, so as to make man, who was despised, honorable and glorious — when the soul well considers and sees these things, it is more affected and transformed in sorrow, and the more it sees and considers, the greater the sorrow into which it is transformed."

[160] "Therefore the more the soul knows the loftiness and dignity and mercy and infinite goodness of God, which he has made known to man and shown through its effect, and the more it sees the misery and defect and unworthiness and ingratitude, unfaithfulness, and vileness of man, the more it is affected in love of the God-man and in the sorrow of the passion, and is transformed into his likeness, which is the whole perfection of man. Thus therefore to know God and oneself is supremely necessary and useful for us above all things; and around this kind of knowledge one must continually dwell day and night. And let a person contemplate these things as deeply as he can; for then he is more perfectly transformed into the likeness of Christ, both in love and in sorrow, as has been said. Therefore, my son, with my whole mind I humbly beg you that you do not lift the eyes of your soul from this God-man who has suffered, because this vision and consideration has the power to illuminate the soul and to set it afire in love and the fervor of devotion The mind must always be directed toward Christ crucified. if you keep them there. And if they are scattered, strive to keep them and fix them there. Furthermore I exhort and ask with my whole mind that if your mind is not raised up to see this God-man who has suffered, that you begin again and ruminate on all the ways of the passion and cross of this blessed God-man who has suffered. And if you cannot do this with the heart, at least say with the mouth those things which pertain to the passion, carefully and frequently; because that which is frequently said with the mouth finally gives to the heart warmth and fervor. For whoever has perfectly seen this God-man who has suffered, as he was — most poor, despised, full of unspeakable and continual sorrow, and wholly emptied out and annihilated for our sake, just as he was (which seeing is by grace) — I am certain that he would follow Christ through poverty and continual sorrow and through contempt and vileness. Concerning divine grace, moreover, no one can excuse himself from being able to have and find it, for God, since he is most liberal, most liberally bestows it upon all — that is, upon those who seek and desire it."

[161] "I desire therefore, my son, that you fill your heart with nothing except this uncreated God and the knowledge and love of him, and that in your mind there should be no other content except this — namely, the uncreated God. If, however, you cannot have this, then hold and have what I mentioned above — namely, the God-man who has suffered and been crucified. And if both should be taken from you, do not rest, my son, until you recover and find one of these contents, which truly fill and satisfy the heart and mind with every good. The twofold knowledge of God. Therefore, my son, hold most firmly and believe me that whoever desires to hold the way of God, and desires to approach God and to enjoy him in this life and the other, first it is necessary that he know God in truth and not only outwardly and superficially, as if through the color of scripture or words or the likeness of some creature — which manner of knowing, according to the manner of speaking, is a certain simple knowledge of God; but it is necessary that he know him in truth, understanding his supreme value, his supreme beauty, sweetness, loftiness, power, goodness, liberality, mercy, and pity, and that he is the supreme good and supremely so. For a wise person knows a thing in one way and a simple person in another; for the wise person knows the thing in truth, but the simple person knows the thing as it appears, in appearance. Just as when a gem is found, a simple person desires and seeks it on account of its brilliance and beauty and for no other reason, for he is ignorant of its true nature; but a wise person, having found it, desires and covets it with the greatest fervor, because beyond its brilliance and beauty he knows its value and power in truth. So the wise soul is not content merely to know God, as it were, in some superficial outward consideration, but strives to know him in truth and to savor the supreme goodness and value of him — that he is not only good but the supreme good. And thus in knowing him, The true knowledge of God begets a perfect love of him and union with him. it entirely loves him for his goodness; and in loving him, it desires to have him; and then he, the supremely good, gives himself to it, and the soul feels him and tastes his sweetness and enjoys him with supreme delight. And then the soul, participating in the supreme — since he is supreme love — is affected by him with supreme love, enamored of that most beloved with love, and desires to hold him, and embraces him and presses him to itself and unites itself with God; and God draws it to himself with the supreme sweetness of love. And then the power of love transforms the lover into the beloved and the beloved into the lover — that is, the soul inflamed in divine love transforms itself through the power of love into God, its beloved, who is loved by that soul with such great sweetness. As iron placed in fire, so the soul is united to God. Just as iron placed in fire receives in itself the heat, color, power, value, and form of fire, and almost becomes fire, and gives itself entirely and not in part, and tears itself from itself, remaining in itself substantially inflamed; so the soul united with God through the perfect grace of divine love almost entirely becomes divine and is transformed into God, not changed in its own substance, but it transforms its whole self in its life into the love of God, and almost entirely becomes divine. Behold what great goods the knowledge of God brings us. For it is necessary (as has been said) that in the way of God and in him who wishes to have God, the knowledge of him should precede, and afterward love should follow, which transforms the lover into the beloved. This is the soul that knows God in truth and loves the known good with fervor."

[162] The knowledge of God is given freely by God. "This knowledge, moreover, the soul cannot have by itself, nor through scripture, nor through learning, nor through any created thing, although these can help and dispose; but only through the divine light and through the grace of God. I believe, moreover, that the soul cannot find more quickly or easily, nor obtain and have from the supreme God, who is supremely good and the supreme light and supreme love, this knowledge, than through devout, pure, continual, humble, and violent prayer — It is obtained through prayer and meditation on the life of Christ. not only of the mouth, but of the mind and heart and all the powers of the soul and senses of the body — requesting and desiring with the greatest longing. Consequently, the soul that wishes to find this stone and the true knowledge of God and to find the aforesaid light should make its prayer by studying, thinking, and reading continually in the book and upon the book of life; which book of life is the whole life of Christ, as long as he lived in this mortal life. For God the most high Father shows and teaches the soul the form and manner and way by which it can have the knowledge of God himself, and by which it can come to God through love; and this example and instruction God the most high Father shows and teaches in his most loving Son."

[163] "Therefore, most beloved children, if you desire the light of divine grace, if you wish to distance your heart from anxieties, The way of the cross of Christ is the true way to God. if you wish to restrain harmful temptations, if you wish to be made and to be perfect in the way of God, do not be slow to flee to the cross of Jesus Christ. Truly there is no other way reserved for the children of God which can find God and, having found him, retain him, except the way and life and death of this God-man who has suffered, which I have been accustomed to call and to declare to be the Book of Life, to the reading of which no one can approach except through continual prayer; And the Book of Life. for continual prayer illuminates the soul, raises it up, and transforms it. For the soul, illuminated by the light received in prayer, clearly sees the way of Christ, prepared and trodden by the feet of the crucified, through which, running with an enlarged heart, it is not only distanced from the burdensome anxiety of the world, but is even raised up above itself to taste the divine sweetness. Raised up therefore by the divine fire and set alight with love, it is transformed into God himself; and all this is found in the gaze upon the cross through continual prayer."

[164] "Whence, dearest son, fleeing to this cross, ask to be illuminated by him who dies on it for you; go to him, to know yourself fully, so that, sunk deep in the knowledge of your own defect, you may be able to rise to taste the divine sweetness. And in this you will appear incomprehensible to yourself, since he has thus redeemed you despite your defects and has assumed you to his sonship and has promised to be a father to you. Be not therefore ungrateful to him, but strive to fulfill in all things the will of so great, so honorable, and so lovable a father. Who are the legitimate children of God, and who the illegitimate. For if the good pleasure of God the Father is not fulfilled in his legitimate children, how is it fulfilled in the illegitimate? Those children are called illegitimate who wander outside the discipline of the father through the concupiscence of the flesh. But the legitimate children are those who strive to be conformed in all things to their master and father who suffered for them — namely, in poverty, sorrow, and contempt. Which three things, dearest son, know and hold as the foundation and fulfillment of all perfection. For by these three the soul is illuminated, perfected, and most clearly prepared for divine transformation. Dearest son, know that all the perfection of man is in the knowledge of God and of oneself: The highest perfection is in the knowledge of God and of oneself. namely, to see the immensity of God in every perfection and good, and oneself as nothing. Such manifestation and knowledge — namely, of God and of oneself — however, belongs only to the legitimate children of God, who have true prayer and reading and fervent meditation in the book of life. For before these true children God the Father has spread out and placed the book of life — namely, the life of God and man, Jesus Christ. In which, whatever they wish to know, let them consider well, and they will find it there: there they will be filled with that blessed knowledge which does not puff up, and they will find all doctrine necessary for themselves and for others. Whence if you wish to be super-illuminated and taught, read in this book of life; and if you do not rush through it or pass lightly in reading, you will be illuminated and taught in all things necessary for yourself and through you for others of whatever state. And if you read and meditate well there, not rushing through it, you will be set on fire* with the divine fire to such an extent that you will receive every tribulation as the greatest consolation and will cause yourself to see yourself unworthy of tribulation. And even — what is more — if any human praise or prosperity should come to you on account of some sufficiency which God has given you, you will not be puffed up or exalted on high, because reading in the book of life you will see in truth and know that the praise is not yours. A sign of the grace of God is not to be vainly exalted by any gift. And this is one of the signs by which a person can know that he is in the grace of God: when he is puffed up and exalted by nothing, but is super-humbled. Before all things therefore, my son, one must strive to know God and oneself truly, which is not done nor obtained except through assiduous and fervent prayer and reading which is assiduously exercised in the book of life."

\* MS: "you will be inflamed."

CHAPTER XIV.

Christ, the book of life. His poverty.

[165] Ch. 58. Christ is the book of life. "Know therefore that this book of life is nothing other than Christ the Son of God, who is the Word and Wisdom of the Father, who appeared for this purpose: that through his life and death and teaching he might instruct us. We must see what his life and conduct were, which he carried out and ceaselessly maintained in his mortal body. For his life is the example and form for everyone who wishes to be saved. His life, moreover, was nothing other than the most bitter penance, The continual and most bitter penance of Christ. with which he was continually associated in this present life, so that from the hour in which the soul of Christ was created and infused into his most holy body in the womb of the most pure Virgin, until that last hour in which that most holy soul departed from that most holy body through the most bitter death of the cross, he never stood without that fellowship. This the Apostles did not do, nor the Blessed Virgin, nor the other Saints."

[166] "The fellowship, moreover, which God the most high Father, according to his most wise dispensation, willed that his most beloved Son should have in this world The threefold fellowship of Christ in this world. is this: First, the most perfect, continual, and supreme poverty. Second, the most perfect, supreme, and continual contempt. Third, the most perfect, continual, and supreme sorrow. This was the fellowship by which Christ was accompanied in his whole life, so as to give us an example of choosing and loving and enduring this above all things even unto death; for by this way he, insofar as he was man, ascended to heaven, and by it the soul can and ought to go to God, nor is there any other straight way. For it is fitting and proper that the way which the head held, the members of the body should hold; and that from the fellowship by which the head was accompanied, the members also should be accompanied."

[167] Ch. 59. The three degrees of the poverty of Christ. "The first fellowship, therefore, of Jesus Christ, the book of life and our salvation, was continual, supreme, and most perfect poverty; and this was in three ways: one great, another greater joined with the first, but the third, joined with the first and second, was most perfect. The first degree therefore of the most perfect poverty of Christ — I. Want of temporal things. who is the book and way and master of the soul — was that he willed to be poor of all the temporal things of this world, so that he had neither land, nor vineyard, nor garden, nor any possession, nor gold, nor silver, nor money, nor any property; nor did he receive, nor wish to receive, of the things of this world except to relieve the extreme need of his bodily life, with hunger and thirst and want, cold and heat, with much labor and austerity and hardship. Nor did he wish to receive the necessities of the body from delicate and exquisite things, but from coarse and common things which, according to place and time, were found in that province in which Christ, without house or dwelling, begged and lived. The second poverty of Christ was greater than the first, II. Rejection of the goodwill of the great and of any friends. because he willed to live and to be poor of friends and relatives and of all familiarity with the great and powerful, and of all temporal friendship, so that he had no friend, nor wished to have one — neither on the part of his mother, nor on the part of Joseph his putative father, nor on the part of his disciples, nor of any friends whatsoever — on whose account a single slap was remitted to him, or a single stroke of the hammer, or of the scourge, or a single injurious word. And he willed to be born of the poorest and most humble mother, and to be raised under a putative father who was a poor carpenter; and he stripped himself of the love and familiarity of kings, the powerful, and Pontiffs, and scribes, and the love of friends and relatives, so that neither for his mother, nor relative, nor for anyone did he wish to omit anything that pleased or could please the will of his most high Father. The third and supreme poverty was [III. The assumption of our misery and the restraining of the splendor of his divinity.] that he stripped himself of himself, since Christ showed himself poor in power. And first, he made himself poor and destitute of his own power; for although he was most almighty, to whom nothing was impossible, he willed to appear and live in this world as one powerless, as a weak and feeble man. For besides human miseries, infantile helplessness, and the other infinite weaknesses which he assumed for our sake — apart from guilt and sin — he appeared and lived as weak. For he was wearied from journeys and from preaching and from healings, from visitations, and from reproaches."

[168] Christ even gave irrational creatures power over himself. "And what is more, not only did sinful men receive power over him; indeed, all the elements and insensible bodies received from him who had created them the power of inflicting passion and affliction upon him, and he, as though powerless, did not resist, but endured all things, like a man powerless to resist, for our sakes. For he gave power to those thorns to enter and to pierce most cruelly that awe-inspiring and most divine head of his. He gave power to those chains and bonds to bind and hold him with the pillar, and one hand with the other — he who shook the earth at his death. Gladden me, O children of God, by being faithful to this most faithful God of yours; and over this faithfulness humbled for your sakes and this most faithful humility, pour out your whole selves. Behold, solely for your sake the author of all life so cast himself down in order to exalt you, that even insensible things should strike and tear their author in every way, and he who is entirely uncircumscribed should be held fixed to a place. He gave the veil power to cover him who is the true light and true radiance illuminating all things. He gave the scourges power to beat him most harshly. He gave the nails power to pierce and enter his hands and feet, with which he had given sight to the blind and restored hearing to the deaf. He gave the cross power to hold him up, suspended — bloodied, beaten, and pierced — and to expose him naked to all, and finally there to endure the most cruel death. He gave the vinegar and gall power to make his mouth bitter. He gave the lance power to enter, open, and pierce — which is stupefying to hear — that most divine side and heart and inward parts, so as to pour out blood and water from his inward parts and from the depths of his heart upon the earth. For those creatures ought to have obeyed, and could have obeyed, their Lord, their very own maker, and not the creature abusing them. But let the most profound, most faithful, and unwonted humility of this most high majesty cast down and confound the pride of our nothingness. For the author of all life, who alone gives being to all creatures, willed to be subjected and annihilated even to insensible things, so that you, who were dead and had been made insensible to divine things, might have life through this most humble abasement of his. And you, O man, who knew nothing — so most faithfully and most purely did he love you, he who alone, solely for love of you, willed to empty himself, in order to give you the most perfect being. For the lance itself ought to have bent and could have bent and not obeyed the creature abusing it, and not struck, not pierced that most divine side of its very own Lord and maker. So also the other insensible things could have and ought to have not obeyed against their Lord and maker, except that they had received power over him."

[169] "He gave the crucifiers, the soldiers, the Jews, Pilate, and the other most wicked men power to judge him, accuse him, blaspheme him, insult him, scourge him, mock him, and kill him — he who with a single word could have prevented all things, or with a single nod could have overturned and annihilated all things, or could have commanded one of his least Angels among the infinite thousands of his powers and virtues to cast all these things with one blow into the depth of the sea. For unless he himself had given the power and had shown himself as passible and infirm, without doubt no creature could have — indeed, would have shuddered to — inflict harm upon its creator. Christ bore injuries to invite us to patience. What more? To the elements, to cold, to heat, to hunger, to thirst he subjected himself, and to other insensible creatures, and he hid his power and stripped himself in the sight of men, so as to instruct us — wretched, mortal, and passible — about having patience under tribulations; so as to redeem man, who had deprived himself of power, and through the glory of the resurrection to make him impassible and unconquered."

[170] "And what is more, he gave the devil power over himself, to tempt him and lead him about, and with his worst members — wicked men — to persecute him even unto death, so as to free man from his power. The unconquered Lord and first mover of all things therefore showed himself as passible; and the creator of all things showed himself as powerless; and the most mighty King made himself weak. Nor did he repel, but subjected himself to the devil, to insensible creatures, and to all tribulations, injuries, punishments, sorrow, and affliction — in this confounding us wretched ones, who are so delicate that not only do we not voluntarily take on tribulations and penance, but we even repel as much as we can the afflictions and tribulations which come upon us by the ordinance of God, and we most wickedly murmur against Almighty God."

[171] He stripped himself in a manner of his own wisdom. "In a second way he stripped himself of himself and made himself poor of his own wisdom. For our Lord Jesus Christ willed to appear as a simple man, ignorant, foolish, and fatuous among all the men of the world; and he did not wish even to appear as a philosopher, or a verbose doctor, or a bombastic disputant, or a scribe, or one famous in learning, or glorious in wisdom, but in truth he went about with humble conduct and in simplicity and supreme gentleness among men, showing the way of truth by the power of a life of virtues and miracles. For although he is the Wisdom of God the Father and the Lord of knowledge and the maker and inspirer of the prophets, he could have used and displayed the subtleties and ingenuity of knowledge and reason and made himself glorious, if he had wished; but he brought forth the truth so simply that he was considered by almost everyone to be not only simple and illiterate, but foolish, fatuous, and a blasphemer. By Christ's example we should not glory in wisdom. He showed us the way of truth: that we ought not to glory in knowledge or wisdom, nor, puffed up by it, to wish to acquire before men the name of mastery or to consume vainglory."

[172] He stripped himself as it were of his own reputation. "Third, he stripped himself of himself and made himself poor of his reputation for sanctity, goodness, and innocence — which is most wonderful. For he willed to hold the mystical way in such a way that he was considered by almost everyone not only not as a saint, but as a sinner and a friend of sinners, and as a traitor and seducer and a conspirator against his country and a blasphemer; and he willed to be condemned and numbered among thieves and the wicked, provided only that he could work our salvation in the midst of the earth. For he could have acquired for himself a reputation for sanctity, so that he would have been universally held by all as the Saint of saints, as a holy one — inasmuch as he never committed a sin, but bore all sins — and what he had given to John the Baptist, his servant, as regards the reputation of sanctity, Christ's example against hypocrites. he, the highest of the Saints and the king of virtues, could have kept for himself among all men. But this he did: he willed to strip himself of the reputation of sanctity (saving the truth of his doctrine, life, and justice) and to make himself poor, in order to refute our hypocrisy — we who even for those goods which we neither have nor do seek glory before men; and we strive by right and wrong, as much as we can, to claim a reputation for sanctity and innocence, falsely excusing ourselves of evils and mendaciously arrogating good works to ourselves."

[173] He stripped himself of his own sovereignty. "Fourth, he stripped himself of himself — namely, of his sovereignty and principate over all things and dominions which he possessed. For although he was King of kings and Lord of lords, and a King whose kingdom has no end, he willed to live and be among all men as a cast-down, sold, and purchased servant. Nor when they wished to make him King did he wish to be King, but he willed to be always subject and obedient even unto death to the most impious kings in those things which they demanded — namely, paying taxes — and he willed to be subject and to submit himself to courts and judgments and their burdens. And not only to kings, but even to the vilest servants and retainers and their ministers he was always obedient even unto scourging and the death of the cross. And he, the King of kings, declared before Pilate that his kingdom was not of this world, because he did not care about the temporal kingdom and dominion of this world among men, but always wished to be subject and not lord, nor King, nor prince, but a most humble servant. He utterly emptied himself. He was also subject to his most humble and poorest Mother and to his putative father, humbly waiting upon and serving them until his thirtieth year. Nor among his disciples — whom he chose to be few, ignoble, and very poor — did he wish to be either King or Lord, but he declared that he had come to serve, not to be served, until he should give his life for the redemption of them and the rest of sinners. Indeed, being the head and master of those poorest disciples in their miseries, he was the first to hunger and thirst and be troubled; for he was not their master so as to seek first place among them, but so as to be the first among them to sustain affliction and abasement. And he lived so humbly among them that he served them at table and washed their feet and hands. By Christ's example we should strive to be subject to all, to preside over none. O our immense madness, that after such and so great a Lord and King of kings — who was ignominious and despised among men — we continually aspire to dignities and prelacies, wanting freedom and living without a yoke; we wish to be subject and obedient to no one for love of him, but to preside over others as much as we can. Not so, not so did you, O Christ, wish to do, knowing that the harshest judgment will fall upon those who preside, and that the powerful will suffer punishments powerfully, and that the strictest account will be demanded of the life and governance and sins of their subjects. Let this living book, therefore, bearing in himself the example for us, confound our pride; and let us wish always (as he did) to be subject to those who preside, retaining our own will in no way, but for the love of him who was subject to all for our sake and willed to be so; and for the sake of our security, let us not merely tolerate the state of subjection, but, fleeing prelacies, let us seek subjection and a humble state from the heart with great desire."

[174] The most perfect poverty of Christ is set forth for imitation. "This therefore is the supreme, continual, and most perfect poverty of the God-man Jesus Christ, the Savior of all, who, although he was the Lord of riches, willed to be the poorest among us, so as to provoke us to the love of poverty. For he was poor in things, in will, and in spirit, beyond all estimation of any creature, on account of the most infinite and sweetest love with which he loved us: poor, I say, and a destitute beggar. Poor in temporal things and in friends, poor in power, poor in worldly wisdom, poor in the reputation of sanctity, poor in the state of dignity, poor in all things. Being poor, he preached poverty and declared that the poor are blessed and will be the judges of the world; the rich he condemned, and he preached with all his strength, by deed, word, conduct, and example, that riches and the aforesaid abundances are to be despised. Few lovers of true poverty. But alas, what sorrow! But alas, what shame! This poverty of spirit today has been expelled and is almost universally put to flight; and — what is more detestable — by those who read and understand in this book of life, and who preach and glorify this poverty, this poverty is totally assaulted in deed, will, study, and act. For the world hates this poverty, but Christ loves it and chose it for himself and for his own, establishing it as most blessed. But what man, what woman, what creature today could say that it is associated with such a fellowship, so glorious, as Christ willed to be associated with? Blessed is the one who in his penance, in this world, by the example of Christ, has chosen it. Alas for me! Alas for me! We know, we have heard, we firmly hold, what kind of food and drink satisfied the Son of God, our Creator and Redeemer, who was made our master and illuminator and example; how he was clothed, with what garments adorned, in what chambers and palaces lodged, with what retinue and friends attended, to what studies and learning devoted — and so with the other goods of this world. And yet we call ourselves Christians and wish to be so named, being in no way willing in fact to be poor after Christ, nor desiring to be like him; although in words we speak, calling his state and poverty blessed, yet in deed and fact we detest the state of Christ and the perfection of his poverty. Woe to us who, after so great an example, teacher, and master, in fact repel such great salvation and from his state and teaching go wandering after temporal abundances, and remain finally empty. And therefore our penance and the state of our Christianity does not go by the straight way of Jesus Christ; indeed, it shamefully deviates from it."

[175] Who are the blessed poor. Matthew 5. "Blessed, moreover, and truly blessed — as he himself also declared — is and will be the one who loves the poverty of all the aforesaid things; who in fact and not only in word wishes to be poor in temporal things, and in friendships and familiarities, in pleasure, various learning, curiosities, the reputation of sanctity, and every prelacy and dignity. And if someone cannot totally strip himself of the aforesaid things, let him at least lay aside the affections for the aforesaid things as much as he can. For truly such a poor person is blessed, because his is the kingdom of heaven. And whoever does the contrary in fact, whatever he may have preached and discoursed in word, is unhappy and cursed, because his is the extreme poverty and the perpetual hunger of the houses of hell, where there is perpetual hunger and thirst, where neither friend, nor brother, nor father will be able to redeem or help, nor will the power of escape be present, nor will worldly wisdom avail; but he will be deprived in fact of all these things who in fact wished to obtain these things contrary to the teaching of Christ, and he will be tormented for everlasting ages."

CHAPTER XV.

The voluntary contempt of Christ.

[176] Ch. 60. "The second fellowship with which the Son of God, Jesus, was continually accompanied as long as he lived was voluntary and perfect contempt, abasement, ignominy, The supreme self-contempt and self-denial in Christ. and shame, which he willed to endure continually in this world. For he lived as a cast-down, sold, and unredeemed servant; and not only as a servant, but as a servant who is considered evil and wicked. For he was exiled and reproached, mocked, bound, beaten, cudgeled, In bearing reproaches and injuries. scourged; and finally, without reason, without a defender, like a vile and wretched man, he was reckoned with the wicked and with thieves, and condemned with them, and died the most shameful and abject death. And while he lived, whenever anyone wished to confer temporal honor upon him, In fleeing honors. he always refused either by words or by deeds, and he always fled the honor of the world and always bore shames, and accepted them willingly, without giving on his part any occasion or cause. For nearly all persecuted and mocked and derided the ruler of the world without reason, without cause, without offense, without injury. For from his swaddling cloths and cradle they persecuted him and drove him into the land of barbarians. In bearing mockeries and insults. When he was grown, some called him a Samaritan and an idolater, some a demoniac and possessed and a glutton and a seducer and a false prophet. For they said: 'Behold a glutton and a wine-drinker, for he is not a prophet, nor righteous, nor does he work miracles by the power of God, but by the prince of demons he casts out demons.' Some led him to mountains and precipices to cast him down; some took up stones to stone him. Among these were diverse cries against him, diverse mockeries and derisions, slanders and wicked counsels, saying: 'Because he blasphemes.' They prepared many tricks and deceptions in words and deeds against him, driving him from their places and refusing to receive him. And finally they vilely seized him, exposing him bound to diverse judges and courts and councils; and some spat in his face, In undergoing a most ignominious and most cruel death. others struck him; others wrapped him in a cloak; others crowned him with thorns and fell down and bent their knees mocking him, striking his head with a rod and veiling his face, heaping upon him every form of mockery; others beat him with scourges; others, like blood-devouring dogs, gnashed their teeth at him, condemning and reproving him as an evildoer. And finally he was led to his passion naked, and all his disciples abandoned him. And indeed one denied him, another betrayed him, and the rest fled; and he stood alone, naked, in the midst of those crowds — for it was a feast day which then gathered all together. And like a malefactor in the midst of malefactors they raised him up, stripped, on high, and vilely killed him. One mocked and derided him as he died, weeping and praying, saying: 'Ha! You who destroy,' etc. Another despised him, saying: 'He saved many others; he cannot save himself,' etc. Another gambled for his garment. Another gave him vinegar and gall to drink and offered it to him as he was dying and humbly asking for water to drink. And another, after he was dead, pierced his side with a lance. And when he was taken down from the cross, he lay naked on the ground and without a sepulcher, until someone asked to take him and bury him. Others spread a complaint against him, saying: 'We remember that that seducer said.' Others concealed the resurrection; others denied it. And thus in life, in death, and after death there was nothing but continual contempt, ignominy, and vileness; and this he sought and endured so that he might thus, insofar as he was man, arrive at the glory of the resurrection, and might exalt us to the highest glory."

[177] By Christ's example the glory of the world is to be avoided. "Therefore the glorious Son of God was made our form and example, teacher and master, so that we might despise temporal glory and not only not seek it, but even refuse and reject it when presented and offered. For he never sought his own glory, but the glory of his Father; indeed, he rather repelled and despised it, and humbled himself from heaven even to the feet of his disciples, and emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and was made obedient even unto death — not just any death, but the most shameful, despised, and bitter death of the cross. But alas, what sorrow! What person is found today who loves such a fellowship — namely, to flee honor and to love the shame which is had on account of poverty, a humble state, a humble office, and other humble things — and who wishes to be annihilated, abased, and despised without wishing to be commended and praised for the good which he has, or does, or speaks, or thinks he has; who does not follow or applaud flatterers? Truly every one has turned aside to his own way, nor is there even one who does this good. And truly if anyone is such, it cannot be unless he is joined with Christ the head through true love, as a living member of his. For seeing that Christ, his King and master and head, loves and wills such a fellowship, he also wills the same."

[178] Contempt and self-denial are to be sought. "But many are found, each of whom says: 'I love and seek to love God, and I do not care if the world does not honor me; but I do not wish it to put me to shame, nor do I wish to be abased, vituperated, or to receive confusion in the presence of the world.' But this is a manifest sign of little faith, little justice, little love, and great tepidity. For either one has committed that on account of which one is worthy to sustain confusion, punishment, and shame — from which few can justly excuse themselves — or one has not committed it. If one has committed it, on account of one's manifest or hidden works, one ought to sustain it, if one is truly a penitent or a just person, with patience — indeed, even with the pleasure of soul and body — It cancels the punishment of sins. and this for two reasons: first, because that shame, confusion, and punishment which one sustains with patience makes satisfaction to God and to neighbor according to the will of divine justice. If, however, one has not committed evil works, neither by will nor by deeds, one ought to bear and tolerate all shame and confusion It merits an increase of grace and glory. if God permits it, and this a hundredfold with greater patience and joy than in the first case, because that suffering, confusion, and shame is entirely placed as an increase of grace; and as the merit of grace increases, the gift and reward of glory increases. And thus without doubt, by the toleration of shame and confusion which come without the person's fault, holy souls and friends of God grow and are perfected, just as those are perfected who tolerate poverty and other afflictions for God's sake. Therefore Christ loved shame and fled honor, in order to teach his friends how they could grow in merit and grace. This second fellowship, therefore, was continually with the life of Christ. For if we wish to see well the beginning, middle, and final end of the life of Christ the Son of God, the whole of it was humility, and living in this world without honor, and being despised and rejected by the world and by those who love the world."

CHAPTER XVI.

The supreme and continual sorrow of Christ.

[179] Ch. 61. "His third fellowship, more experiential and continual, was supreme sorrow, by which the soul of Christ, as soon as it was infused into his most holy body, was also accompanied. For in that moment in which that soul was united to the human body and to the divinity, it was immediately filled with supreme wisdom; From the first moment of the Incarnation Christ began to suffer. and therefore Christ was immediately both a wayfarer and a comprehensor. And immediately in the womb of the Virgin his mother he began to feel supreme sorrow, knowing, seeing, considering, and understanding universally and individually all the sufferings — and each one by itself — which that soul with its flesh was to experience and to endure for us. And just as when he was made near to death he was in agony and in such sadness that his body emitted bloody sweat down to the ground — on account of this, that he foresaw the bitterness of death — so the soul of Christ, foreseeing those torments coming upon him, grieved with supreme sorrow, although the body did not experience as much as when Christ was near to his passion."

[180] He foresaw all the tortures and torments of his death with continual sorrow. "That holy soul foresaw the knives of those most wicked tongues and the barbed words of each individual tongue; and it knew and continually considered by whom, and when, and how, and how much it was to be afflicted, killed, deluded, and slaughtered; and it saw itself born for this purpose and to have come into the world for this. Whence it could not be except in sorrow, when it considered how it was to be sold, betrayed, captured, denied, abandoned, bound, buffeted, mocked, beaten, accused, blasphemed, cursed, scourged, judged, condemned, and led like a thief to the cross, stripped, denuded, crucified, killed, and pierced with a lance. And it knew all the blows of the hammers, and all the strokes of the scourges, and the holes of the nails, and all the drops of blood, and the drops of tears which it was to shed, and all the sighs and weeping and sorrowful lamentations of himself and his mother. All of which that holy soul of Christ always foresaw and considered; and when it was thus disposed, without doubt it could not be without sadness and supreme sorrow of heart and mind. And thus the whole life of Christ was accompanied by supreme sorrow, sadness, and affliction."

[181] Sorrows and torments endured at his birth. "Besides this, Christ the Lord, the true book of life, endured innumerable sorrows. For immediately at his birth he was placed not in a bath, nor on feathers, nor wrapped in furs, but on hay, in a stable, and in a hard manger among beasts; and thus the most tender little infant immediately at birth began to endure according to the body the afflictions of the body. In the flight into Egypt. Consequently he undertook pilgrimages with his most sweet and most tender Virgin mother and the aged Joseph all the way to Egypt through the most vast desert, in the crossing of which the children of Israel remained for forty years without humanly prepared food. In the pilgrimage to the temple of Jerusalem. Consequently he made pilgrimages to the temple according to the statutes of the law, still as a little boy, continually walking on his own feet, although his home of Nazareth was distant from Jerusalem by more than two days' journey."

[182] "And having become a man, immediately after his baptism he entered the desert, and there he fasted for forty days and hungered, to such an extent that the devil believed he could incline him to sin on account of his hunger. In fasting and temptations of the demons. Whence he first tempted him about this. He went therefore on his own feet through towns, through places, through cities, enduring hunger, thirst, rains, heat, scorching, cold, sweating, wearying himself, sustaining many vexations, In the conversion of the Jews and in preaching. and finally enduring the torments of death. And he sustained all these labors in order to preach the way of truth and to exterminate the falsehoods of the demons and their dominion, and to demonstrate to men the most humble penance and to lead them to it, and to show that in the toleration of sorrows and afflictions lies the happiness, the good, and the glory of men, and to give us an example that the aforesaid things are to be endured."

[183] "Concerning the sorrows, moreover, which he sustained in the time of the passion, no tongue suffices to speak, nor heart to think. For in Christ there was a manifold ineffable sorrow. The sorrow in Christ from compassion for the human race was infinite. There was also in Christ an most intense and acute sorrow from the compassion which he had for the human race, which he loved with the highest love. And not only in general did he grieve for the whole human race — lost, cast down, and damned — but he had compassion on each individual person of the human race with the greatest sorrow; and not only for the sins of each person in general, but also according to the measure of the magnitude of each offense and the punishment which he knew most certainly they had incurred and would incur in the future. As many therefore as there were or are men, and as many sins as each man has committed or will commit, and as many sins as each has or will have, so many sorrows Christ had, arising from his supreme mercy and compassion. Since therefore men and their sins and the punishments which they had incurred and were to incur were infinite, it is manifest that he sustained a supreme and infinite sorrow for the love of us. For Christ loved each of his elect ineffably; and with this heartfelt love toward them, according to the measure of each, sensing presently and continually their committed and yet-to-be-committed offenses, and the punishment and punishments which they ought to sustain on account of such offenses, he grieved and had compassion on them, sustaining their punishments with supreme sorrow. With such, namely, and so great sorrow and compassion was the most sweet Jesus afflicted for our sake, that that supreme compassion with which he grieved for us drove him to sustain the torment of the cross and a horrible death and infinite sorrows, so as to make satisfaction for our offenses and to redeem us and to relieve us from our punishments."

[184] From his own compassion, foreseeing each torment to be endured. "There was also in Christ the sorrow of his own compassion — namely, for himself. For he had the greatest compassion on himself for the sorrowful and ineffable suffering which he saw coming upon himself in an ineffable way. For Christ, seeing and considering that he had been sent by the Father for this purpose — to bear in himself all the sorrows and punishments of all his elect, and that it was impossible that he should not sustain such an excessive and ineffable sorrow, and that he had been totally given over to this — had compassion on himself with the greatest sorrow. For if anyone were to know most certainly and ineffably that a most great sorrow and punishment were coming upon him, and were to have that sorrow before his eyes without intermission, without doubt he would have compassion on himself; and the more so, the more he recognized a greater sorrow coming upon him; and still more, the more he understood and felt what kind and how great such a sorrow was. All these things were supremely in Christ, more than I can say. But I give this example on account of the dullness of human understanding."

[185] From compassion for the eternal Father who commanded his death. "There was also in Christ the sorrow of compassion for his most merciful Father. For Christ loved and loves his Father, the Lord of mercies and of all piety, infinitely. For seeing God the Father, whom he loved infinitely, to be so moved by compassion and mercy over us that he willed to give and deliver to death himself and his most beloved Son — who was to him an infinitely most dear thing — he had infinite compassion and sorrow over the Father's great compassion. On account of which, in order to apply a remedy of sorts to the will of the Father, he humbled himself, being made obedient to him even unto the death of the cross. And this kind of sorrow it is impossible to explain. The ineffable sorrow of Christ, ordained by divine dispensation. I say therefore that the sorrow in Christ was ineffable; which ineffable sorrow was granted and permitted in him and dispensed by the ineffable wisdom of the divinity. Which ineffable and eternal divine dispensation, accompanying and united with Christ ineffably and eternally, dispensed that he should suffer sorrow supremely; and the more wonderful the divine dispensation was, the more acute and intense was the sorrow of Christ resulting from the divine dispensation, so that no intellect is so capable as to have ever been able to comprehend that sorrow. For this divine dispensation was the origin of all his sorrows, and in it they arise and end. And just as it is impossible for any intellect to comprehend the infinity of the charity which he showed in this — that he willed to redeem us through his death — so it is impossible to comprehend the infinite sorrow dispensed in him, with which he grieved. For this sorrow resulted from the ineffable light given to Christ. For the divinity itself, as an ineffable light ineffably illuminating Christ, and living in him with this divine dispensation and in that divine light transforming him into sorrow, rendered such sorrow to him that it is all ineffable. For Christ saw a certain ineffable measure of such excessive sorrow given to him, which sorrow, by its ineffability, would be hidden from every creature. For the divine dispensation was the font and origin of this sorrow — namely, of the divine light given to him."

[186] From compassion for his Mother who was most tenderly grieving. "There was also in Christ the sorrow of compassion for his most sweet Mother, because Christ loved his Mother more than any other creature, inasmuch as from her alone he drew his virginal flesh, and because she herself grieved for her Son more than any other creature — on account of the most noble and most profound capacity which she had more excellently than any creature. Therefore Christ grieved and had compassion for her, because he saw her grieving and lamenting supremely in body, heart, and mind. For that Mother grieved in the highest degree, and Christ himself bore her sorrow in himself; and the foundation of this sorrow was in the divine dispensation."

[187] On account of the Father offended by the sins of men. "There was also in Christ the sorrow over the offense against his Father, whom he loved supremely. For he saw how in his passion, when man was crucifying his Lord and his maker, God the Father was supremely offended. For the greatest sin that ever was or will be was to kill and crucify the Son of God; and consequently God was more offended — over which Christ without doubt grieved immensely. Whence, moved by sorrow and compassion both on the part of the Father who was offended and on the part of men who were offending him, he was moved to say that word: 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.' For perhaps God the Father would again have damned the whole human race on account of this, had not Christ, as if forgetting all his other sorrows, in his death, by a kind prayer made with tears and crying out, appeased God the Father."

[188] From compassion for the desolate Apostles. "There was also in Christ the sorrow of compassion for his Apostles and disciples. For the Apostles and disciples and the women who had followed him were grieving with the greatest sorrow. Since therefore Christ loved them with the highest love, Christ bore in himself the sorrow of his dispersed and troubled disciples."

[189] The fourfold kinds of Christ's sorrows. "Besides these sorrows, Christ sustained manifold sorrow. For this God-man Christ Jesus was wounded and crucified by a fourfold kind of swords and arrows. The first was the perverse cruelty of obstinate hearts: I. The cruelty of the obstinate. for their hearts were continually and most vehemently obstinate against Christ, and they were in continual zeal and diligence, thinking and scheming how they might more shamefully and more cruelly exterminate him from the earth, together with his name — he who had come to save them — and all his fellowship. The second kind was the malice and wickedness of those most great angers and hatreds 2. The hatred of the crucifiers. which those crucifiers continually bore against him; for as many thoughts, perverse intentions, and wicked wills as there were against him, so many were the knives and arrows piercing the soul of Christ. 3. The blasphemies of the accusers. The third kind was the malice and deceitfulness of tongues crying out against him; for as many as were the accusations, slanders, wicked counsels, derisions, mockeries, reproaches, blasphemies, curses, false sentences, and false testimonies, so many sorrows did he sustain afflicting his soul. 4. The most cruel torments of the passion. The fourth kind was the most cruel work of the passion, which they most direfully exercised upon him; and this is evident by going through the whole passion. For as many as were the pullings of the hair, the beard, and the head, as many the pushings, bindings, slaps, buffets, spittings, and beatings, so many passions did he sustain and endure, especially from the nails: and especially the crucifixion. for they took the thickest, uniform, rough, and square nails, with which — most cruelly piercing, transfixing, totally lacerating and destroying his hands and feet — they most cruelly nailed him fast. For from such a form of nails a most excessive pain resulted. And even supposing that his hands and feet had not been nailed to the wood, the passion would still certainly have been most severe; but still not content, pulling his hands and feet, and stretching, dislocating, and laying bare all his body, bones, and sinews, they pressed him most tightly against the hardest wood, nailing him fast. And not even thus content, raising the cross on high and exposing him naked to the cold, wind, air, and the people, the heaviness and weight of his whole body hung from his hands and was supported on his feet, so that the hardness of the nails might be felt more, and he might emit blood without ceasing from the nails lodged in the wounds, and thus die in the greatest torment, and thus all their malice might be fulfilled."

[190] "And so that he, God and man, might manifest something to us of such excessive sorrow, and might make known that he endured it not for himself but for us, and so that he might instruct us always to grieve over that sorrow and to have the most heartfelt compassion — for these three reasons he cried out that word while he was in that sorrow, The reasons why he cried out: My God, my God, why, etc. saying: 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' For God could not forsake him, since he was God. But he manifested himself as man when he proclaimed himself forsaken in his sorrows; for then by crying out he manifested the most acute and ineffable sorrow which he was enduring for us. 1. To manifest himself as man. For God indeed felt Christ's sorrow likewise, because he bore it; therefore he cried out solely for us, to indicate that he was suffering the supreme sorrow not for himself 2. To stir us up. but for us, and thus to provoke and admonish us always and constantly to grieve and have compassion. And lest anyone think that he suffered only when he was on the cross: since the formation of his body and its organization and the infusion of the soul and the union of the Word all occurred simultaneously and at once, from which super-wonderful union that soul was filled with supreme and ineffable wisdom, From the instant of the Incarnation Christ had this supreme sorrow. it represented to itself all things present and future. And therefore it saw the most acute and utterly ineffable sorrow coming upon it immediately when it was formed and conceived; and therefore, continually grieving over this (the divine wisdom dispensing), it endured this sorrow from the infusion of the soul until the separation of the soul. And his words testify to this, since he frequently says that he bears the cross, and since he says to his disciples that he endures the cross not for himself but for them and for us, and that he is sorrowful. And therefore: 'My soul is sorrowful even unto death' — this was said so that he might more efficaciously provoke us to sorrow over his sorrow."

[191] "And this sorrow, together with all the aforesaid, was vehement and acute on account of the most noble soul which he had; for the holier, gentler, and nobler that soul was, [The sorrow was more intense: 1. on account of the greater sanctity and nobility of Christ's soul.] the more acute and intense was the sorrow by which it was tormented. For that supremely most noble soul was tormented with the greatest sorrow from all those injuries and afflictions — all those sorrows drawing their origin from that supreme and ineffable dispensation of the deity tormented the soul of Christ in such a way that every sorrow by itself overflowed into the body of Christ, most vehemently afflicting it bodily. 2. On account of the more delicate constitution of his virginal body. That sorrow was also more intense on account of the nobility and delicacy of his virginal body, which was nobler than any other born of woman; and therefore more sensitive, and more afflicted by the aforesaid sorrow. The sorrow was also most acute in Christ by reason of his person, because he was true God. Whence every affliction and injury inflicted upon him contained an infinite offense: 3. By reason of his person, because he was true God. for it was done not only to a man but also to the true God, on account of which he had an infinite reason for grieving, and he grieved ineffably over every insult and affliction inflicted upon him."

[192] The ineffable gentleness and patience of Christ. "And in all these things the Savior of the world himself, the God-man Christ Jesus, when he suffered, did not threaten, nor curse, nor defend himself, nor avenge himself; nor when he was accused did he excuse himself; nor when he was spat upon in the face did he hide it; nor when his hands and arms were stretched out on the cross did he pull them back; nor when he was sought for death did he hide himself. But he delivered himself wholly and in every way to their will, so that through their wickedness — even though they were unwilling and ungrateful — he might minister the work of redemption. Indeed — what is ineffable to think — in the very worst work of the passion which they exercised upon him who was innocent, he was giving an example of patience, teaching them the truth, praying to the Father for them most intently with tears, weeping, and crying out. And for that most great sin of theirs — for which the whole world and human nature rightly ought to perish — he then bestowed greater benefits, inasmuch as by that very sorrow and passion which they were administering, he made satisfaction for all our sorrows, and then redeemed us, and opened the gates of paradise to his crucifiers and to all others, and reconciled us to his Father, and made us pleasing to such a degree that we are children of God, entirely reconciled to him in the very work by which the whole world and every creature was worthy of damnation — namely, because a creature was found to have inflicted such great injury upon its creator. O piety! O immense mercy! O inconceivable benignity — that where infinite iniquity superabounded, there grace also should superabound, of such a kind and so great that it truly has no end!"

[193] His example is to be followed. "This whole mystery was wrought by that infinite benignity and mercy, so as to be for us an example of patience in every tribulation and adversity, and not only that we should not return evil to our enemies, but that we should even confer goods upon them for the love of the Redeemer. For if any Patriarch, or holy Prophet, or Angel, or other saint had given such an example, certainly it would rightly have been to be accepted; but since the infinite Wisdom of God appeared among us incarnate, and the infallible Truth — which can neither be deceived nor deceive — gave us such an example of living, it must in no way be passed over with negligence, but must be fulfilled most perfectly with the greatest diligence."

[194] "We know, we have heard, we say and discourse all day that the Son of God spent his whole life in sorrows — and in such and so great sorrows — and not only did he endure with patience tribulations that befell him by chance, but he who had not committed sin chose them, voluntarily assumed them, sought them out, loved them once found, and subjected himself to them by enduring them in deed, and by preaching that they and those who endure them are blessed. The royal way to life is the way of sorrow and tribulation. Nor did he praise and call blessed the afflictions of body and soul assumed for God's sake, or tolerated with patience, merely in idle speech; indeed, he assumed them in his body and soul — such as no other has sustained — and he says that through them and on account of them he entered his glory and his kingdom. And he declared absolutely that by no other way, by no other means than through sorrows, punishments, and tribulations is it possible for anyone to attain eternal glory; for this is truly the royal way which God assumed. And he is most foolish who doubts or is negligent — since the Son of God, our creator, went by it — about following his Lord, the infallible guide and likewise redeemer."

[195] "For he knew, and truly knew and understood, what good lay hidden in sorrows and tribulations; therefore he assumed them, chose them, fleeing pleasures, detesting temporal consolations, and preaching them to be detestable. And indeed, before the true God and man had chosen and assumed them in himself — although he had long since shown the same through his holy Prophets — yet those who flee tribulations Those are inexcusable who flee tribulations sent by God. and pursue pleasures might in some way seem to be excusable. But since the Son of God chose such and so great adversities, who will be so unhappy and foolish as to doubt or be negligent after such great truth so clearly shown, so loftily preached, and exemplified in manifest deed by so great a Lord and manifested to the world by his example? Truly no one, unless he is most foolish and worthy of all damnation. With what damnation and confusion therefore are we wretched ones worthy, who, being the vilest sinners, not only do not assume tribulations in penance, nor care to receive them; indeed, those which God, out of his supreme mercy and wisdom, sends or permits to come upon us in order to draw us back and purge us from evil — those we flee with impatience, repel, and complain with murmuring, and fortify ourselves against them with the greatest zeal, and seek consolations and remedies by which we may be relieved from tribulations?"

[196] "O unhappy and truly wretched, who not only do not care about the afflictions and temporal punishments which are remedies and cures for sins; indeed, we refuse them when offered by the most wise Physician! For if, by the supreme wisdom of God ordaining and disposing, a little cold occurs, The excessive concern of men in repelling bodily ills and injuries. immediately fire is sought, garments are doubled; if heat or warmth arises, cooling is sought; if we have a headache or stomachache, we cry out, lament, sigh, run to physicians, remedies are sought, a soft bed is prepared, delicacies are applied; and to have them mitigated we importune God and the Saints and beseech them most earnestly, and we promise and vow fasts, pilgrimages, and prayers. And we do so many and such things to remove such pains and afflictions that are useful for us and administered by God — things which we would not do for the remission of sins or for the good of the soul. If also, by God's disposition and permission for our benefit, we suffer adversity or injury from some person, we are immediately troubled, disturbed, angered; we complain, judge the person malicious, curse, slander; and as we can, we avenge ourselves, repel every injury, flee and avoid every annoyance; nor do we wish to tolerate with patience and pleasure anything of sorrow, affliction, or adversity which is administered to us by the eternal and heavenly Physician."

[197] Tribulations sent by God are more meritorious than voluntary ones. "O how many and how great things are done and have been done, spent and expended, so that sorrows, afflictions, and adversities which God mercifully either sends or permits might be avoided! Which, however, would without doubt be salutary and more meritorious, if they were tolerated as if voluntarily assumed, than many other afflictions and penances which are assumed at one's own choosing. For the heavenly Physician knows better what afflictions and adversities are required for purging, instructing, and perfecting the soul than the sick and foolish man himself. For such afflictions and penances sought and assumed at the choosing of the will are sometimes very much subject to vainglory. But those which befall by divine disposition and are accepted with great patience and pleasure are hidden from men, as if they were endured out of necessity and compulsion of the will. I say therefore and counsel the children that we should endure cold, rigor, heat, scorching, fleas, sweat, sunburn, headaches, stomachaches, and other bodily pains, saving its integrity, and that we should not be anxious to seek remedies except in the greatest necessity which would entirely impede the good of the soul. I say the same if, by God's disposition or permission, poverty, deaths of friends, oppressions, persecutions, reproaches, beatings, and plunderings come and happen — we should not grieve. Indeed, not only should we endure them with patience, but we should accept them as chosen and administered to us by the supreme Physician and our Savior, for the love of him and for our supreme good, with great pleasure — as if they had been spontaneously and voluntarily sought and accepted by ourselves. And then without doubt they will be as meritorious, indeed more so, than if — when they would not otherwise have befallen us — we ourselves had taken them up at the choosing of our own will in order to perform penance. O wretches, what more shall we say? We who not only flee the sorrows, afflictions, and adversities administered to us by God most wisely and mercifully, as he himself endured them; indeed, we strive toward the contrary — for day and night we pursue bodily pleasures and sweetnesses, we seek temporal consolations with the greatest zeal and diligence, and we continually meditate upon vain joys. Truly this is not the way of the God-man Jesus Christ, the Savior of all. For how does that wretched soul which in this world always wishes to have consolation go to him who is the way and example of sorrow? In truth, the soul that is wise and that wisely wishes to live ought to seek nothing in this world other than sorrow. Indeed, if it would attend to its beloved Jesus and had a spark of love, it ought to seek no other gain, nor any other state in this world, except that which he had — namely, of sorrow, anguish, and affliction. And this would be its entire consolation."

[198] Consolation is not to be sought from God even in spiritual things. "And I say this not only concerning earthly, temporal, and bodily things; indeed, I say it also concerning spiritual things. For in the service of God we ought not to care much about the consolations which are found there. Did Mary, the most beloved Mother of Jesus, seeing her beloved Son on the cross, weeping and dying, then ask him for sweetness or consolation? Certainly not at all; but she received from him anguish, bitterness, and sorrow. So it ought to be in our soul; for it is a sign of little love — indeed, it is great presumption — if the soul desires to feel from Christ in this world anything other than sorrow. For the service of a poor man who serves God faithfully for love's sake without pay and benefit pleases God more than the service of a rich man who every day makes great expenditures and serves him in the hope of receiving a spiritual benefit. So the soul that is fat and rich from the great sweetness which it tastes of God in his service, if it has run to him through love and serves him, is not of as much merit as the soul which runs to God and serves him likewise and with like love, yet without consolation but with sorrow. Thus therefore it seems to me that the divine light which comes from the life of Christ teaches me — Through afflictions the members are conformed to Christ the head. which life is the way of going through sorrow to God and into God — that by the way which our head went — namely, Christ Jesus — by that way the hands, arm, foot, and other members ought to go. And so the soul will finally find through temporal poverty eternal riches; through contempt and shame, the highest honor and the greatness of glory; and through a little perfect penance with suffering and sorrow, it will possess the supreme good with supreme sweetness and consolation — although the soul ought to serve God for his own sake, because he is worthy to be loved infinitely, and because it is right that he should be served with the highest reverence by every creature, on account of his supreme and most lofty goodness. To whom be honor and glory through infinite ages of ages. Amen."

[199] Angela blesses God in various ways. "Let there be glory therefore to Almighty God, to whom it was pleasing to bring us into being when we were nothing and to create us in his own likeness. Let there be honor, power, and glory to him, the most merciful, because when we were wretched, captive, exiled, and damned, he willed to redeem and exalt us through the passion, sorrow, contempt, and poverty of his Son. But let there be glory again to God, most benign and most merciful, in whom mercy and goodness so prevailed that he willed to give his kingdom in whatever way to us, wretched and unworthy sinners, so that it could be obtained by us in whatever manner. But still let there be glory and praise to our most sweet God, This way of the cross is accessible to all. to whom in his piety it was pleasing to wish to give us his kingdom and the fellowship and enjoyment of himself through tribulation, sorrow, contempt alone, and poverty. For if we could have his kingdom with gold, silver, gems, riches, strength, wisdom, and power — since not all of us are such as to have those things — the kingdom of heaven could not be for all. But now it has pleased him that through things which men can easily have at all times, and with which we can abound, we should obtain his kingdom. For there is no one who, if he wishes, cannot be poor for the sake of Christ; who cannot labor, or sustain at least in heart penance and contempt. For no one can pass through this life without some of these things, which at least when they happen, if they are borne patiently and graciously for Christ's sake, And of but a few years in this life. merit the kingdom of God. And still further let God be blessed, who has not placed the price of his kingdom in the much and long endurance of these things, but in the very brief duration of this life, which truly is as a moment compared to the eternity of his kingdom. And certainly if for a thousand thousands of years, or the longest ages, we had to endure here the harshest, hardest, and most painful things for the love of God and of such a kingdom, truly with immense joy, desire, and thanksgiving it would certainly have been to be accepted with joined hands. How much more now, where it has been granted and permitted to us by the most merciful God that we should sustain the aforesaid things only and merely in the brief span of our life which now is? For this life of ours is truly nothing if it is measured against the eternity and duration of his kingdom, which is without end. Let our glorious God be blessed still further, who willed to promise to us such an exchange and commutation of his kingdom, by appearing visibly in this world in his own person, by his word, and firmly to establish it and to confirm it by his example. These things are certain from the promise of Christ. For the rest, it must in no way be doubted that through the brief labors and afflictions and penances of this brief life we can and must obtain his kingdom, since he himself has directly promised this to us, and — what is more — has confirmed it by his example. For he himself willed to endure tribulations, and not otherwise than through the endurance of supreme sorrow and poverty and contempt did he wish to possess his kingdom."

[200] An exhortation to patience. "Come therefore, come, O children of God, run to the cross of Christ, to sorrow, contempt, and poverty; and be transformed with all your strength into this God-man who has suffered, who loved us so much — O children of God! — that for our sake Christ most bitterly endured so ignominious and utterly ineffably sorrowful a death; and this solely to redeem us and to give us an example of enduring hard things for love of him. For it is the perfection and the true sign of his children to love God and neighbor; and just as this God and man who has suffered loved us most faithfully and most purely, having no pity on himself but spending his whole self in sorrows for the love of us, so — insofar as is possible — he absolutely wills to be answered in some way by his legitimate children. Blessed Angela, admonished by God, repeatedly impresses this way of the cross. Now therefore, O children of God, know that this God and man who has suffered continually says to me that I should admonish and exhort you to be faithful to him who is most faithful, and also to be united and joined to your neighbor with the most faithful love. For whoever is entirely faithful to God is faithful to his neighbor. How, moreover, and how much this God and man who has suffered loved us most purely and most faithfully, he has most openly demonstrated to us through his manner of life, through his teaching, and through his death."

[201] "But because we are unfaithful, therefore we do not see — livingly and continually — his most poor and most despised birth for us, nor his most sorrowful death, nor his most harsh manner of life, nor his most sweet and most true teaching. And because we do not behold the aforesaid most divine and most salutary things with our hearts, therefore his death — although it was the poorest, most humble, and most despised — does not make us dead to the world, nor to sins. And who is the man that responds to this most faithful and most divine fidelity which the Son of God showed us, even with the slightest living and continuous faith? Indeed, we have cast this behind us as if it were nothing. Come therefore, my blessed children, and look upon this cross and Christ who died upon it for our iniquities; weep with me, because we are and have been the cause of such great sorrow on account of our innumerable crimes. But you who have not offended God as I have — All must grieve over the death of Christ, sinners and the just alike. I who am wholly sin — do not weep or grieve any less, because you yourselves did not resist sins, but the grace of God preserved and defended you by the merits of the cross of Christ. And therefore for you who are holy and innocent, there is no less cause for grieving in your state than for me, a sinner, and for those like me. For the greater grace you have received, the more you are debtors to him; and therefore, because you have not been as grateful to him as you ought, you have somewhat stained your life and somewhat lost your purity. And therefore all must grieve, all must weep, and the eyes of the mind must be raised to this cross. For in this gazing upon the cross, Through the continual gaze upon the cross one receives the knowledge of sins. to which the soul can attend only through continual prayer (as has been said), the full knowledge of sins is received, and sorrow and contrition for them, and the light is profoundly humbled. For the soul, seeing in this gaze upon the cross all its sins, each and every one, and Christ so afflicted and tormented for all and each of those sins, likewise grieves and is saddened itself; and from such sorrow it is provoked to punish and reform itself and each of its members and powers."

[202] Angela exhorts to the gaze upon the Cross. "Look therefore, blessed children of God, and see the exemplar of life in this God-man who has suffered, and from it draw the form of divine perfection. Look upon the book of life — namely, the life and death of this God and man crucified — the gaze upon whose passion and cross gives the soul the knowledge of sins, contrition of heart, and profound humility. The soul also sees and knows the multitude of sins and how it has offended God with all its members; it also sees upon itself the ineffable pouring forth of the divine mercy — namely, how this God-man sustained the most cruel punishment in the individual members of his blessed body for the sins of each of our members. The soul therefore considers in this cross how much and how it offended God with the head — namely, by washing, combing, anointing, and doing other vain things to please men against God — and afterward it beholds how this God and man did penance for sins of this kind in his own head and sustained a grievous punishment. For in place of washing, combing, anointing, and curling, his most holy head was stripped of its hair, pierced and perforated by a crown of thorns, struck with a reed, and made all bloody with his precious blood. It sees similarly concerning the other members, as we have said in a certain vision: that the God-man himself, in a certain address, as it were murmuring and complaining against us, goes through all the members. And not only does the soul see the multitude of sins, but all the members, and indeed also their gravity. For the infinite gravity of each sin is manifestly shown when the soul, gazing at the cross, attends and recognizes that that guilt could not have been erased in any other way, nor the offense remitted, nor the punishment, unless God had done such and so great a penance for it — which is ineffable to think."

[203] Christ by his death made satisfaction to divine justice for our sins. "The soul also sees in this book, more clearly than in any other, the divine justice — how it is impossible that sin should remain unpunished. And it sees that God the Father willed that his Son should sustain the punishment of death and the torments of the cross rather than that the sins of the human race should remain unpunished. The soul also sees the infinite goodness and piety of God in this book — how he had such great compassion on us that, when he saw that we could not make sufficient satisfaction for our sins, nor any other creature, he himself, rather than that we should remain in damnation, contempt, and perpetual sorrow, willed to make satisfaction for us. For it sees there the infinite will of God and the infinite diligence and care which he had for saving us and bringing us back to our fatherland, so that nothing was burdensome for him to do — even unto such a death — provided only that he could justly place us in eternal happiness and his most blessed fellowship."

[204] The wisdom of God in this satisfaction. "The soul also sees there the infinite wisdom — namely, that by a manner ineffable and inconceivable to every creature, he knew how to save and exalt us through his infinite mercy without doing any injury to his justice. He knew how to exalt and save us through his death without diminishing anything in his divine nature. He knew how to bring it about that, just as the seducer and murderer of our race condemned us through the forbidden tree, so he, true God and man, should overcome on the tree and save us. He knew how to bring it about that while he was believed to be dying and failing, he was then vivifying all things and destroying the death of all; and through torments, sorrows, and contempt he was preparing and meriting everlasting glory for the whole world — delights, joys, and glory. He knew how to bring it about that through the torment of the cross, which seems to men the most foolish thing, he should confound all the wisdom of the world, and through such folly manifest the divine wisdom. All these things, moreover, are manifested in the cross to one who considers it carefully, through the grace of God, along with other infinite and ineffable things."

[205] The gentleness of God is seen in the cross, and his humility, etc. "Likewise the soul sees there in this book the infinite gentleness of God — how, when he was being killed, he did not curse, nor avenge himself, but through the sin and the most great injury committed against him, he merited eternal glory for those very ones who committed it and crucified him. The soul also sees in the cross the infinite humility of God, which could not be greater than for the King of glory to endure so vile a death. It sees how the torment of the cross was at the same time the rescue and redemption from hell, the acquisition of Paradise, the reconciliation of the Father; it was likewise our example and instruction in virtue, a stronghold against enemies, and the price of everlasting joy, by which we wretched ones can be saved; nor is any other way possible for us in any manner. Infinite, moreover, are the things which can be read in this blessed book, because our Lord Jesus Christ, the blessed Son of Almighty God, is the true book of life and of ineffable truth — to whom be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

CHAPTER XVII.

The counsels of Blessed Angela concerning prayer.

[206] Ch. 62. Prayer is necessary for the knowledge of God. "Since therefore the knowledge of the uncreated God and of the God-man who has suffered — which is entirely necessary for transforming the mind into his love — can in no way be had unless one reads constantly in the aforesaid book of life — namely, in the life and death of Jesus Christ — and since such reading or understanding can in no way be had without devout, pure, humble, violent, attentive, and constant prayer — which prayer should be not only of the mouth but of the heart and mind and all the powers of the soul — therefore, after the aforesaid things about the book of life, something must be said about prayer."

[207] Prayer is threefold. "Prayer is that with which and in which the Lord is found. There is, moreover, a threefold prayer, outside of which threefold prayer God is not found. For there is prayer that is bodily,* mental, and supernatural. Bodily prayer is continually with the sound of words and bodily exercise, Bodily prayer. such as genuflections or other bowings. And this I never abandon; for since sometimes I wished to exercise myself in mental prayer, and was sometimes deceived and assailed by laziness and sleep, and thus lost it, therefore I exercise myself in bodily prayer. This bodily prayer, moreover, sends one to mental prayer, which indeed must be done with attention, so that when you say the Our Father, you consider what you are saying, and do not rush, striving to complete a certain number, like little women who do some work for a price. Mental prayer. Mental prayer, moreover, is when the meditation on God so occupies the mind that it thinks of nothing else but God; and if any other thought enters the mind, I do not call this mental prayer. This prayer, moreover, cuts off the tongue so that it cannot speak, for the mind is so entirely full of God that it cannot be occupied in thinking about anything else except God; and therefore from this mental prayer one comes to supernatural prayer. Supernatural prayer. Supernatural prayer is that in which the soul, from this thought of God and fullness, is so raised up that it is extended above its own nature and comprehends more of God than it could comprehend by its own nature, and in comprehending it knows; and that which it knows it cannot explain, because almost everything which it sees and feels is above nature. In these three degrees of prayer, therefore, one knows oneself and God; and from the fact that one knows, one loves God; and from the fact that one loves, one desires to have him whom one loves. And this is the sign of true love: that the one who loves transforms not a part but the whole of himself into the beloved."

[208] "Since, however, this transformation is not continuous and does not last, the soul takes up every effort to seek out all the ways by which it can be transformed into its beloved and return again to that union. Order is necessary in prayer. Divine wisdom, moreover, is most orderly and has imposed its order on all things; and the ineffable wisdom has ordained that no one should arrive at mental prayer unless one first has bodily prayer, and it has ordained not to give the supernatural to anyone unless one has the bodily and the mental. And this most orderly wisdom wills that the prayers of the hours should be rendered to the hour suitable for that prayer, unless they have been entirely impeded by such a supervening joy of mental or supernatural prayer that the tongue is entirely absorbed by it, or unless they are so burdened by such great infirmity that they absolutely cannot; and it also wills that they be rendered according to one's ability and that they be discharged with mental quiet (as is fitting), solitude, and bodily care."

[209] Prayer should be whole, not divided. "When we pray, it also wills that we pray with integrity and not in a divided way; let us therefore have our heart whole in prayer and not divided, because if we have a divided heart, we lose the fruit of true prayer. In other exercises, however, which we do, we ought not to be wholly absorbed — that is, in eating and drinking and doing other such business — but while we carry on such business outwardly, let us have our heart wholly in God, if we desire to feel the fruit of true prayer; for the reason we are tempted in prayer is that we do not have our heart wholly in God. Prayer should be constant. Pray therefore, and pray constantly; for the more you pray, the more you will be illuminated, and the more profoundly, clearly, and nobly you will see the supreme good and the supremely good thing. And the more profoundly and excellently you see it, the more you will love it; and the more you love it, the more you will be delighted, and the more you will comprehend it, and you will become more capable of comprehending it. Afterward you will come to the fullness of light; for you will know things which before you could not know."

[210] "We have, moreover, the example, teaching, and form of this glorious prayer — Christ teaches us to pray. that we should persevere in it supremely — from the Son of God himself, the God-man Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray by word and deed in manifold ways. For with his words he admonished us to pray, when he said to his disciples: 'Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.' And in many other places in the Gospel you will find how he instructs us in manifold ways about this venerable prayer, and indicates to all that it is most dear to him, since he so often admonished us about it — as one who truly loves us and wishes us great good. He promises the most abundant fruits of prayer. And so that no excuse should remain for us if he did not confer his grace, since he placed the effect of being heard in our prayer, saying: 'Ask and you shall receive,' he himself also willed to pray, so that at least moved and drawn by his example, we would love this above all things. He himself prays constantly. For the Evangelist says: 'And being in agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.' Place this mirror before your eyes and strive to have yourself, with your whole self, from the example of this prayer, because he prayed not for himself but for you. And he said: 'Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me; yet not my will but yours be done.' See therefore that Christ in praying submitted his will to the will of the Father; do you also according to his example. He also prayed when he said: 'Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.' What more? His whole life was prayer, because he remained in the continual prayer, knowledge, and manifestation of God. Did Christ also pray in vain? Why then do you neglect, since without prayer nothing can be had? Since therefore Christ prayed, man and true God — not for himself, but so that you might take the example of true prayer — if you wish anything from him, it is necessary that you pray, because without prayer you will not be able to obtain it. For if he, the true God, willed to receive what pleased him only by praying and humbly asking, do you, a wretched creature, wish to receive without supplication and humiliation? Therefore pray."

[211] Through prayer the light and virtues of God are obtained. "You know, my son, that without the divine light and grace no man is saved. For the divine light causes man to begin, to advance, and to be brought to the height of perfection. And therefore if you wish to begin and to have this divine light, pray; if you have begun to advance and wish this aforesaid light to be increased in you, pray; if you have arrived at the height of perfection and wish to be super-illuminated so that you can remain in it, pray. If you wish faith, pray; if you wish hope, pray; if you wish charity, pray; if you wish the love of poverty, pray; if you wish obedience, pray; if you wish chastity, pray; if you wish any virtue, pray. You shall pray, moreover, in this manner: namely, by reading in the book of life — that is, in the life of the God and man Jesus Christ — which was poverty, sorrow, contempt, and true obedience. Through prayer temptations are overcome. And after you have entered this way and made progress, many tribulations and temptations of the flesh, the world, and the demons will afflict you in manifold ways, and will vex you, and will horribly persecute you; and if you wish to conquer, pray. When, moreover, the soul wishes to pray, it must strive to have cleanness of mind together with cleanness of body, Cleanness must be procured before praying. and examine the good and evil it has done, and search out the intention of the good things it has done in fasting, in prayers, and in tears; and concerning all the other good things it has done, considering how it performed the work of God negligently, deficiently, without reverence, and with defect, but evil things with great diligence and contempt. And let it confess its sin and recognize it diligently and repent abundantly. And in this confession and contrition of heart the soul will find cleanness, and thus let it go to prayer, like that publican, and not like the Pharisee; and thus in prayer you will be illuminated. Those therefore who wish to be ordained by the Holy Spirit, let them pray; for he descended upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost upon none but those who were praying."

[212] "Pray therefore, and guard yourself lest you give place to enemies who are continually watching you; for then you will give place to enemies when you cease to pray. And the more you are tempted, the more persevere in prayer. For sometimes it happens that one is tempted on account of prayer — namely, because the demons are striving to impede the prayer; but care for nothing except that you pray, because you continually merit to be freed from temptations. For through prayer you are illuminated; through prayer you are freed from temptations; through prayer you are cleansed; through prayer you are united with God. Prayer is nothing other than the manifestation of God and of oneself. Humble prayer obtains a more abundant grace of God. And this manifestation — namely, of God and of oneself — is a perfect and true humiliation; for the state of humility is when the soul sees God and itself as it ought. For then the soul is in profound humility, and from this profound humility the divine grace is more infused into the soul and grows there; for the more the divine grace sinks the soul deep in humility, the more from this depth of humility the divine grace grows; and the more the divine grace grows, the more the soul is sunk deep in true humility and lies there through the continuation of true prayer. And thus the divine light is increased in the soul, and grace always sinks the soul deep in true humility, by reading as has been said and by meditating on this life of the God-man. For to know the greatness of God and that oneself is nothing — this is the perfection of man. How, moreover, this happens, has been said above through the gaze upon this book. Therefore, my son, you will utterly repel from yourself all laziness and negligence."

[213] When grace is withdrawn, one must pray all the more. "I desire therefore, my son, and I exhort you, that you pray no less, keep vigil no less, and do other good works no less when grace and the fervor of devotion have been withdrawn from you than at another time when you were obtaining the grace of fervor. For it is very acceptable to God if you pray, keep vigil, labor, and do other good works with the fervor of divine grace. But then, my son, it is entirely most pleasing to God and the most acceptable sacrifice when, in the withdrawal of grace and fervor, you do not abandon prayer, nor pray less, nor keep vigil less — performing those same things without the grace of fervor as with its grace. Whence, my son, if the divine fervor and warmth impels and compels you sometimes to keep vigil and pray and labor, strive also on your part while you have the fire. When, however, it pleases God himself to withdraw from you the fervor and warmth — whether on account of your defect (as most often) or to enlarge and increase his grace more in you — you must pray, keep vigil, and attend to good work no less. And even if a temptation or tribulation — by which God is accustomed to punish and purge his children — should come upon you, and the grace of fervor be withdrawn from you, strive then to pray no less, to keep vigil no less, to attend to good work no less, to resist and fight against temptations no less, in order that you may conquer — so that at least by your total and continual prayer, your vigils, your tears, your total importunity, you may compel yourself so that God may deign thus to restore to you the fervor and warmth of his grace. Do what is yours, my son, and God will do well what is his. For forced, compelled, and exacted prayer is most acceptable to God. Persevere therefore in prayers, and do not fill yourself with other occupation once you begin to experience more of God than usual, because your palate is better disposed to savoring God than it was before, and a most lofty light of seeing God and oneself has been given to it. And beware that you give yourself to no one until you first learn to separate yourself from others; and beware of your fervors — that is, of the spirit which is given with fervor — before you follow the fall. And see that the beginning, middle, and end agree, and insofar as it conforms to the book of life, follow it and no further. Again, beware of those who have sweet words and make themselves pleasant especially in their conversation and display revelations which are snares of malice to draw others after them. Again, beware of those who have the appearance of sanctity and the appearance of good works, lest by this way they draw you. Whence see and review and test, and insofar as it conforms to the way of the book of life, follow it and no further."

[214] One must beware of the spirit of freedom. "And beware of those who say they have the spirit of freedom, who are openly against the life of Christ, who was made under the law although he was the founder of the law. And he who was free was made a servant; and therefore it is necessary for those who wish to follow Christ to conform themselves to the life of Christ, not seeking freedom in loosening the law and the divine precepts, as many do, but subjecting themselves to the law, the divine precepts, and even the counsels. And they make for themselves a circle, which circle gives them an order — namely, the Holy Spirit gives them an order as to how they ought to live and binds them. And many things would be permissible for them to do which are not against God, which the Holy Spirit does not allow them to do on account of the great ordering which he gives them."

\* MS: "vocal."

CHAPTER XVIII.

Counsels concerning the virtue of humility.

[215] Ch. 63. "Without humility prayer is vain; therefore after prayer it is supremely necessary for man. Look therefore, blessed children of God, at the exemplar of humility in the God-man who has suffered, Christ is the exemplar of humility. and from it draw the form of all perfection. See also, attend to his teaching — not merely verbal, but demonstrated by true works and strengthened by wondrous virtues. With the whole affection of your mind, therefore, run after him who, though he was in the form of God, emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, and humbled himself, being made obedient even unto death, even the death of the cross. For he set himself before us as the exemplar of humility with the affection of the mind; and he exhorts us earnestly to look upon him, saying thus: 'Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.'"

[216] He willed that humility be learned from himself alone. "O my children, attend and see, and with lofty and savory contemplation inspect the depth and utility of this teaching, the sublimity and value of this instruction — where it is rooted, where it is founded. 'Learn,' he says, 'from me' — not from Angels, not from Apostles, but 'from me,' he says, whose humility is the greater as his majesty is the more sublime. 'Learn,' he says, 'from me.' He did not say 'to fast,' although he himself fasted forty days and forty nights for our example; nor did he say 'Learn to despise the world,' nor 'to live in poverty,' although he himself lived in the greatest poverty and commanded his disciples to live in it; nor did he say 'Learn from me how I made heaven'; nor did he say 'Learn from me to work miracles,' although he himself worked miracles by his own power and willed that his disciples should work miracles in his name; nor other things of this kind; but only this: 'For I am meek and humble of heart' — as if to say: if I have not shown you an example of humility in deed and work, do not believe me. And it is wonderful that he again proposed an example to us on this matter and provoked us entirely to do and attend to the example of his humility. For when he had washed the feet of his disciples with his own hands, he said: 'Do you know what I have done? If therefore I, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet; for I have given you an example, that as I have done, so you also should do. Amen I say to you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If you know these things,' he says, 'blessed will you be Humility is the foundation of all virtues. if you do them.' Truly the Savior of the world placed humility and meekness of heart as the foundation and root of all virtues. For neither abstinence, nor the harshness of fasting, nor poverty, nor vileness of clothing, nor having works that are virtuous in appearance, nor working miracles, is anything without humility of heart. Then, however, abstinence will be blessed and pleasing, the harshness and vileness of clothing will be blessed, and works will be living and stable, when they rest upon this foundation. This humility of heart is the mother in which the other virtues and the operations of those virtues are generated and proceed, just as we see the trunk and branches proceed from the root. Because therefore this virtue is so precious and is so firm and stable a foundation upon which the whole perfection of the spiritual life rises, the Lord especially willed that we should learn it from him. And because it is the root and guardian of all virtues, therefore the Virgin Mary — The Blessed Virgin Mary was most zealous for humility. as if she had forgotten the other virtues existing in her soul and even in her body — commended herself for this alone, and on account of this especially declared that God had become man from her, saying: 'Because he has regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold,' she said, 'from this — and not from other things — all generations shall call me blessed.'"

[217] The peace of the soul is gained through humility. "In this humility, O my little children, you ought to be grounded and in every way established, so that as members united and joined to the head by a natural and true connection, you may be able to find in him and through him rest for your souls. O my little children, in what will any creature be able to find rest or peace except in him who is the supreme rest, the supreme peace, the supreme pacification, the supreme tranquility of souls? To which no soul will be able to arrive unless it has been grounded in this humility, without which all the virtues by which one runs to God are truly nothing. Humility is the light for the knowledge of God and of oneself. For this humility of heart which the God-man wished you to have and to learn is a certain wonderful and clear light, by which the understanding of the soul is opened to know its own vileness and nothingness, and the immensity of the divine goodness. The more it knows the greatness of his goodness, the more it will advance in the knowledge of itself. Seeing, moreover, and knowing itself to be nothing, and destitute of all goods of its own, then it rises the more to praise and proclaim the ineffability of the divine goodness which it sees and understands through this humility, and thence the graces of God begin to flow down to it and virtues to arise."

[218] Humility kindles the love of God and neighbor. "For the greatest and most principal of all virtues is the love of God and neighbor, and from this light this love draws its origin or birth — by which the soul, seeing itself to be nothing and seeing God inclined and brought low for such a vile nothing, and also so heartfully united to its nothingness, is kindled in love. And kindled by that very love, it is transformed into God; and being transformed into God through love, what creature is there that it does not love according to its ability? For out of love for the Creator, every creature created by him — once it is thus transformed — it loves as is fitting, because in every creature it understands God and sees how it is loved by God. And consequently, thus transformed, it loves everything that God loves. And hence it is that it rejoices and is glad at the goods of its neighbor, and grieves and is saddened at its evils. And because it is benign in seeing the evils of the neighbor, it is not puffed up to judge and despise him, because, illuminated by the aforesaid light, it sees itself perfectly, and in seeing itself, it perceives and recognizes that it has fallen into similar or greater evils than those which it sees in the neighbor. And if it has not fallen, it recognizes and understands that it could not have resisted by itself, but by the help of grace holding it by the hand and strengthening it against evil and temptation, or lightening the temptation. And therefore it judges no one, but is more humbled from this, because in seeing the defects of the neighbor it turns back to itself, and thus sees and considers most clearly the evils and defects into which it has fallen; or if it has not fallen, that unless it were held by God, it could have fallen more easily than its neighbor. As for bodily evils, if it sees them in the neighbor, through the affection of transformed love it reckons them its own and grieves and has compassion, as the Apostle said: 'Who is infirm,' etc."

[219] Humility is the foundation of faith, hope, etc. "And as I have said of this virtue of love, that it draws its origin from the root of humility, so it can be said of faith, of hope, and of each individual virtue according to their proper characteristics, that they have their beginning and birth from this foundation of humility — concerning which it would take long to discuss individually. For seeing itself in the understanding to be nothing and to be lacking in divine things, it believes those things which are handed down according to our faith. Seeing also through humility that it can do nothing and is not powerful in anything, then it places all its hope entirely in Almighty God. And so with the others, which you can better think about and see for yourselves, the unction teaching you, than if they were handed down in writing. This therefore, little children, I say to you only: that you should stand in this foundation, be grounded in it, and strive to grow in it. For truly whoever is grounded in humility has an Angelic, most pure, most benign, and peaceful manner of life. And because this precious virtue of humility makes the spirit benign, The humble person is pleasing to others. therefore the humble person is made estimable to all and lovable to all, and especially to the elect of God, for whose conversion he is placed as a light and example, who on account of this meekness are more quickly converted. And because he is pacified with an interior pacification, At peace with himself. he is troubled by no adversity and can say truly with the Apostle: 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?' etc. O my children, do not rest from this search until you find this foundation, without which every work collapses and without which you cannot advance in the way of God. For I see this search to be most useful and most necessary for you, because without this humility I see all virtues to be nothing. Fulfill, my children, the desire of the eternal King, our Lord Jesus Christ, who so earnestly asked you to learn this virtue from him. Stand in this foundation, and be sunk deep in this profound knowledge of your vileness and nothingness. Fulfill the desire of the eternal truth and wisdom, which hid the value of humility from the wise of this world, and did not reveal it, but rather preached it and showed it by example to the little ones. This is my desire, by which I vehemently thirst and hunger: that you be abyssed in the profundity of your nothingness and the immensity of the divine goodness. For if you establish yourselves in the immensity of the divine goodness and the knowledge of yourselves, It avoids quarrels and contentions. then it is necessary that you will have for your foundation only the humility which I have described. And then you will not be so prone to quarrels and contentions, but rather you will be with this God-man who has suffered, like the deaf who do not hear and like the mute who cannot open their mouths; and thus you will be true members of Jesus Christ, whose custom it is, according to the Apostle, not to serve contentions nor carnal rivalries."

[220] The goods that arise from humility. "O what great goods this humility produces! It makes those who are filled with it peaceful and quiet, pleasing to God and full of graces. For such persons are so peaceful from their interior quieting outwardly that when they hear harsh things, whether against themselves or perhaps against some truth, they cannot answer to excuse themselves except briefly and submissively; and to what is sometimes falsely imputed or said to them, they rather confess their own ignorance and are prepared to yield rather than to serve contentions. This silence, moreover, I see proceeding from no other root than from this double abyss — namely, of the divine immensity and of one's own vileness — which abyss the soul finds in the light of the aforesaid humility."

[221] True humility is acquired through prayer and meditation on the life of Christ. "But where, I ask, is this humility? Where is this usefulness? Where is this light? Where is this silence found? Or by what way does one come to these things which I have described? Surely in fervent, pure, continual, and heartfelt prayer all these things are found; and from the gaze upon the book of life of Jesus Christ — namely, upon his life and death, looking with compassion — the soul is given the knowledge of sins; and by seeing the multitude of sins — how it has offended God with all its members — the soul is humbled from this, as was shown above. O therefore, most dear ones to my soul, I desire of you what I desire of myself: that you should always be of the same mind, and that there should be no schisms or dissensions among you. That, moreover, which causes all who are in discord to agree as one, I desire that your soul should know. And this is To be little removes quarrels. 'to be little'; and this 'being little' does not cause one to look at any sufficiency of knowledge or natural sense, but only inclines the soul to see its own defects and miseries, and moves it to raise questions, inquiries, and disputations against itself, so as to confront its defects and strive to amend them. This 'being little' also suggests presiding over or being set above no one, nor does it make a person burdensome or contentious in words — although his life may convict all who are contrary to this littleness and make them uncomfortable. And this is what I desire, O my children: that your life, even with the tongue silent, should be a clear mirror to the adversaries of truth in the way of this littleness, zeal, and discreet compassion. O dearest ones, if I were to hear of you that 'being little' had made you one heart and one soul, my soul would be at peace about you; for without unity I do not see, in truth, that you can well please God. Forgive, children, my pride, that I have dared to provoke you to the virtue of humility, because zeal and your charity cause me to speak."

CHAPTER XIX.

Concerning the virtue of charity.

[222] Ch. 64. "Charity and the love of God is the greatest of all virtues, and without it prayer is of no avail; indeed, without it prayer is vain and displeasing to God, Prayer without charity is displeasing to God. and the other virtues are without any fruit. That prayer without it is of no account, hear the book of life, Christ Jesus, saying: 'If you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, go first and be reconciled to your brother.' The gift of prayer, therefore, is of no avail unless it is offered in the bond of charity. Likewise he said, when in the Lord's Prayer the remission of sins and debts is sought: 'Forgive us our debts as we forgive,' etc. — as if to say: your debts will be remitted through your supplications in prayer in the same manner as you have remitted the injuries and offenses done to you by your brothers, pardoning them, and you have placed yourselves in a state of the most united charity."

[223] Love should be suspect to the spiritual person. "Know moreover, children, that just as in love every good and merit is enclosed, so also every evil, demerit, and sin. Whence, dearest children, there is nothing in this world — neither man, nor devil, nor any thing — which I hold so suspect as love, because love penetrates the soul more than anything else, nor is there anything which so occupies the mind and so penetrates the whole heart as love. And unless one has weapons by which it is governed, the soul is easily cast headlong into a thousand dangers and suffers a great ruin. And I do not say this of evil love, because evil love ought to be guarded against and refused by all as a diabolical and dangerous thing; but I say it of good spiritual love, which is between God and the soul and between neighbor and neighbor. That the love which is between God and the soul ought to be suspect to every soul is evident, because love which the soul has for God, unless it is armed with great knowledge and discernment, but is taken up with indiscriminate fervor, either quickly fails, or is deceived, or goes to an unfitting end; for those things which are undertaken inordinately cannot be continued well or healthily. For there are many who believe they stand in the love of God and stand in the hatred of God and in the love of the flesh, the world, and the devil. The impure and evil love of God and neighbor. Whence when someone loves God in order that he may preserve him from infirmities and bodily tribulations and temporal dangers, he loves himself and God inordinately, putting God after — who ought to have been loved before all things, and all things for his sake — and because he has made his body and himself his own God, since he loves God only for his own sake. Likewise, such a person who loves himself thus loves all other things for his own sake; for he loves temporal things for the usefulness of his body, which he has established as his God. For he loves his relatives for his own usefulness and for the honor which they bring him. He also loves holy and spiritual men and persons so as to make for himself a cloak from their sanctity, since he does not truly love them for their goodness. And because such love is not pure, therefore the fruit of those who love in this way is the concupiscence of the flesh and the body with its vices and lusts. Such a person also loves bodily abilities and aptitudes — the ability to read well and to sing for the pleasure of others. He also loves having great learning so that he may know how to confute others rationally and scientifically, and not charitably, and so that he may correct others with pride, so as to be thought someone."

[224] "There are also others who believe they love God and do love him, but with a weak and imperfect love. For they love God so that he may spare their sins and free them from hell and give them the glory of paradise — and not for his goodness. Another imperfect love of God and neighbor. They love God so that he may preserve them in a good state and they may not offend more, lest they lose paradise. Others love God so that they may have divine consolations and sweetnesses and spiritual experiences and consolations. Others love God so that they may be loved by him. Others love friends and relatives spiritually because they desire them to be spiritual and good, not so that dishonor may result to them from this, but so that they may have usefulness and honor. They also love God so that he may give them understanding, learning, and knowledge of scripture — those who are literate; and those who do not know letters desire to know how to speak spiritually, not for the honor of God or the usefulness of others, but so that they may be more loved and honored. They love being spiritual so that they may be counted among the spiritual and loved by the spiritual — and this for their own special usefulness and honor. They love having poverty, patience, obedience, outward humility, and virtues, so that they may surpass others in virtues; and they desire that no one else should be able to approach their perfection. And because they do not wish to have an equal, in this they seem to be like Lucifer, who did not wish to have any creature as his equal. Some love having a universal reputation for sanctity, so that they may be commended by the good and the bad for their sanctity; they also commend all spiritual and non-spiritual persons, so that they may not be judged for rash judgment."

[225] The love of a devout person is dangerous. "Some also love their male or female devotee with a spiritual and perfect love, because they love them entirely according to God. But this love sometimes grows too much and becomes evil unless it is governed by the arms of great discernment; and it sometimes becomes carnal, or useless and harmful, from too much mutual association and wasting time unprofitably, because their hearts are indiscreetly bound together. For this love grows, and in growing it has what it desires to have — namely, the presence of the beloved — without which it becomes sick; and if it has it, it grows too much, and in growing it is entirely transformed into the beloved, so that all things that please the other please it, and what displeases the other displeases it. And because the soul does not have sufficient arms to govern the fervor of this love which continually grows, and does not have perfect order or discernment, it must finally be converted into disorder. And if the beloved in such disorder also lacks the aforesaid arms and is wounded by the same sword of love, then it is far more to be feared; because then they begin to manifest to each other the secrets of their love, and among other things they manifest to each other how they mutually love one another, saying to each other: 'There is no person whom I love so much in the world, nor carry so much in my heart.' For they say such things because they must discuss what they feel; and thus they desire to love each other mutually, even on account of devotion and on account of the spiritual usefulness which they believe to be in such love. When temptations occur, however, regarding something illicit which may follow from such love, reason at first resists, because it is not entirely suffocated by love. But afterward, as love grows more, reason begins to be clouded Sensual love gradually suffocates reason and the spirit. and the spirit to grow weak, and it begins to believe that the touch of the beloved and such things are not a sin, nor do they harm the soul; and therefore it allows this to be done, and thus begins to decline and fall from the state of perfection little by little. After reason has somewhat declined, suffocated by love, it begins to consider dangerous things as if they were nothing, and to say: 'This can be done, because I intend no evil, because it is not a great sin.' And little by little they consider such things lawful; and thus, as love grows further, each is transformed and transferred into the will of the other, so as to do everything the other wishes, with no other reason contradicting; so that one entirely follows the beloved to everything the other wishes. And on account of the aforesaid disorder, if one is invited to evil, one cannot resist; and if one is not invited, one invites, sensing this to please the beloved. And then one is drawn away from prayer, abstinence, solitude, and all the virtues in which one was accustomed to exercise oneself, and one changes all divine love into this miserable love. And sometimes such love grows so much that the words of the beloved and its presence no longer satisfy one for whom words and mere presence used to be sufficient. But moreover the lover desires to know whether the beloved is wounded by the arrow of love as the lover is; and if this can be known, then there is the danger of both. For then one, confident and secure about the other, after words and presence no longer suffice, the lover and beloved are inclined to every idle and wicked deed. And therefore I say that love is suspect to me above all things, and in it every evil is contained; wherefore beware of the serpent."

[226] "On account of evil love, therefore, I wish to hold suspect even good love between neighbor and neighbor, because good love becomes evil in the aforesaid manner. The love of God also becomes evil The arms by which love is governed: the threefold transformation of the soul. unless it is governed by discernment and protected by its own arms. The arms, moreover, by which the good love of God or of the neighbor in God ought to be governed, are given to a person in the transformation of the soul. There is, moreover, a threefold transformation by which the soul is transformed into God. For sometimes the soul is transformed into the will of God; sometimes with God; sometimes within God, and God within it. The first transformation is when the soul strives to imitate the life of this man who has suffered, because in this the will of God himself is manifest. The second transformation is when the soul, beyond this, is united to God and loves God not only through the will, but in addition has great experiences and great delights from God — which, however, can be expressed in words and thought. The third transformation is when the soul is so transformed within God, and God within it, that it feels and tastes the loftiest things of God, to such an extent that the things it feels could in no way be expressed in words or thought, except only by the one who feels them. The first transformation, therefore, although it greatly governs the love of lovers, yet not as much as is necessary, because one could still be deceived. The second transformation, however, if it is truly alive, suffices to govern love. The third, moreover, is supreme in the governance of love. For this third and also the second is perfectly infused and conferred upon the soul by grace; and this third and second, although it may not be perfect, is a certain wisdom by which the soul knows how to govern the love of God and of the neighbor. For the experiences of God, the sweetnesses and fervors arising from the grace of God in the soul — the soul through this wisdom knows how to compose them in such a way that love endures, and in those things which it begins it can persevere, and it does not show outwardly through laughter, jumping of the body, or other gestures. Similarly also in love of the neighbor or devotee it knows how to conduct itself wisely and maturely, showing and directing when, how much, and how one should condescend to the neighbor, and when not. For in the union of the soul to God, the soul acquires the said wisdom, This transformation confers upon the soul maturity and discernment. and a certain maturity and gravity of wisdom, and a savory discernment, and a certain light; so that with these it knows how to govern the love of God and of the neighbor in such a way that it cannot be deceived or cast down. And whoever does not feel himself infused with such wisdom ought never to join himself with anyone in such singular and heartfelt love, however much it might be done for God's sake and with good intention, on account of the aforesaid dangers which arise from such love; nor ought anyone to bind himself to another by love except where he has learned and knows and is able easily to separate himself from whomever he wishes, whenever he wishes."

[227] The properties of true love toward God. "As for how the love of God is governed through the aforesaid wisdom, it should be known that love has various properties; for the soul, loving God, first becomes tender; second, it grows weak; third, it is strengthened. For when the soul feels the fervor of divine love, the soul cries out and makes noise — like a stone placed in a furnace to be dissolved into lime, which when touched by fire crackles, but if it has been fired, it makes no noise and does not crackle. In beginners, when consolation is withdrawn, love grows tender and complains. So the soul at first seeks divine consolations, which, if they are withdrawn, it becomes tender and cries out against God himself and complains, saying: 'You, Lord, cause me this languishing; why do you do this?' And it says similar things. And this boldness arises from a certain security which the soul takes from God; in this state, moreover, it is content with consolations. For know that God, having his created love toward the soul, gives it blandishments, and sometimes wonderful and ineffable consolations, which the soul ought not to desire with importunity. If, however, they are given by God, they are not to be spurned, because they make it run after its beloved and are its food, and weariness is taken from it. And from these the soul ascends and is drawn to love and to transform itself into its beloved In those who are advancing, love grows weak and seeks God in earnest. and to seek him. From the lack of him, however, love grows and begins to seek the beloved; and if it does not have him, it grows weak. Nor is it then content with consolations, because it seeks the beloved alone; and the more it has of consolations and experiences, the more love grows and the more it grows weak and languishes, unless it has the presence of the beloved."

[228] "But after the soul is united and placed in the seat of truth — which truth is the seat of the soul — it does not cry out, nor complain about God, nor grow tender, nor grow weak. Rather, it recognizes itself unworthy of every good and every gift of God, and worthy of a greater hell than the one which has been made. And a wonderful wisdom and maturity is placed in it, and it becomes stable and ordered, Love in the perfect holds the heart stable, subject to no changes. so strengthened that for the love of the beloved it would go to death; and it has in fullness as much as it can receive from such a union. And God himself causes the soul to grow so that it may be capable of what he wishes to place in it; and it sees him who is, and it sees that all things are nothing except insofar as they are from him who is. Then the soul holds all things that preceded as nothing in comparison, and even all created things; it does not care about death, or infirmity, or honor or disgrace; and it is so pacified and quieted that it desires nothing and loses its desires, nor can it work, because when it has the aforesaid vision it is joined with God. And so it sees in that light of God that God does all things in an ordered and proper way, so that it is not weakened even by his absence. And so it becomes conformed to his will that it does not seek him when absent, but is content with all things which he does and entrusts* all to him as well-ordered. Then, moreover, these things are true: namely, that the soul becomes so strengthened and quieted in this love, and loses desire, and cannot work, when it has the aforesaid vision of God in the said fullness. When, however, such a vision is taken from the soul — for to no one is it granted in this life to persevere in it — there is given to it, and there remains in it, a new ignited desire of working without suffering the works of penance, stronger than before; for this state is more sublime than the others. Perfect love of God induces a perfect imitation of Christ crucified. This ignited love, moreover, is perfect, and it causes the loving soul to imitate its beloved, the God-man who has suffered, which is the perfection of all perfection. His passion, moreover, always lasted as long as he lived in this mortal life; there it began and persevered and ended. For he was always on the cross of poverty, sorrow, contempt, obedience, and other arduous works of penance. And because whoever loves someone perfectly strives to be transformed into his ways and to do those things which most please the one he loves, therefore whoever loves Jesus, God and man, strives to be transformed into him and into his ways, to do what pleases him, and to become like him in his manner of living. The more perfect, therefore, anyone is and the more he loves God, the more he strives to do those things which he did, wills, commands, and counsels to be done, and to avoid all things which could be displeasing to him. And he must continue for the whole time of his life, because this God-man, as long as he lived in this world, lived in the continual and most bitter cross of penance. And this ought to be the length and time of the penance which we ought to perform according to his model — namely, as long as a person lives. Its greatness, however, is as much as a person can with discernment. This, moreover, is the transformation into his will, which he showed not only by words but by always living in the works of the cross and penance, which the God-man always had in himself. When, however, the soul is transformed in God and is within God, and is in that perfect union and fullness of vision, it is quieted and does not work. But when it returns to itself, it strives to be transformed into his will until it returns to that vision. He himself, moreover, shows his will through the said works of the cross and penance, which he always had in himself."

[229] "By the aforesaid vision, moreover, as by arms, the love of God and of the neighbor is directed. For there the soul sees the being of God, and how every creature has its being from him who is the supreme being. And it sees how there is nothing that has being except from this supreme being. Led into which vision, the soul draws through that vision a wonderful wisdom and ineffable knowledge and mature gravity. And it draws from that vision a true knowledge of how whatever is from that supreme being is most good, and it cannot contradict, because in truth it sees that all things which are from him are most well made. But it is badly done when we destroy those things which have been most well made by that supreme being. [On account of the love of the divine being in itself, all created things are to be loved.] This vision, moreover, of this supreme being excites in the soul a love corresponding to it, and this supreme being incites us to love everything that has being from it — such as all goods and good deeds — and it teaches us to love every creature, rational and irrational, with the love of the supreme being. And it teaches and incites us to love everything that has being from it and that it itself loves and wills to be. And it teaches us to love above all rational creatures, especially those which we see to be loved and cherished by the supreme being itself. For just as the soul sees the supreme being itself inclined through love in creatures, so it itself is inclined toward those same creatures."

[230] The sign of those who are in the friendship of the supreme being. "The manifest sign, moreover, of those who are in the friendship of this supreme being is that they are true followers of the Only-begotten of this supreme being, and they are always intent with the eyes of their mind on loving, following, and transforming themselves wholly and entirely into the will of the beloved — namely, the Only-begotten of this supreme being. The love, moreover, created and excited by the vision of this supreme being, knows and is able to love this supreme being; it knows and is able to love creatures according to their suitabilities, and more or less according to the inclination of this supreme being; and in nothing can it pass beyond its limit. And therefore all things that belong to love are entirely suspect, until this love has been given to the soul by God. For after the soul has the vision of this being of God and the love corresponding to it and sufficient for this being, then it remains solidified, so that although other visions and elevations come, they do not change it. The being of the supreme God must be strictly pondered. And not only those who have this ineffable vision of God, but whoever would have a strict pondering of this being of God — it can suffice and is sufficient to expel every malice of every other love, and it can well resist the sword of every illicit love. Not only, moreover, in the aforesaid vision is the created love given, of which we have spoken; indeed, the vision of the uncreated being itself leaves in the soul an uncreated love, to which love the soul can do nothing, because the soul is totally absorbed by the vision itself. But that illustrious love itself works."

[231] "It should be noted, moreover, that when this vision was given to the soul, the soul was working and wholly desiring how it might be better united to the supreme being itself. But afterward, the uncreated love itself was working in the soul and inspiring it as to how it should withdraw from every creature, so that the soul might be better united to it. Whence the uncreated love itself works the operations of love. The uncreated love works in the perfect soul. The beginning, moreover, of this love in its operation is to illuminate and to give new desire. For there is a strong new love, to which new love the soul does nothing; for the uncreated love itself works every good that is done through us. And through ourselves we work every evil; but the good is not from us but from that uncreated love. And this is true humility and annihilation: to see in truth that we are not the workers of any good. And whoever feels thus has the spirit of truth. The love of God, moreover, never stands idle, for it compels one to follow the way of the cross bodily."

[232] Signs of the working of the love of God. "And this is the sign of the working of true love: to rise up and bring the cross to the soul — that is, long penance as long as one lives, and great and hard as much as one conveniently can. This true love does not bring laughter to the mouth, nor is it disordered in eating or drinking, nor does it bring any vain cheerfulness, nor does it say: 'I am not bound by any law.' But it always subjects itself to the law; indeed, even where there is no law, it makes for itself a law. And when love has worked the works of the cross and of living, long, and arduous penance — as long as one lives and as much as one can — then one will see in truth that one is useless and in truth that one works nothing but evil. God himself, however, one will know to be wholly love, and oneself to be wholly hatred. And having truly had this knowledge, it is necessarily the case that one must do bodily penance. Whether, moreover, penance is easy or difficult for a person to bear, the uncreated love itself works all, in diverse ways, however, for the benefit of the soul. Let the work of penance, therefore, not weigh us down, because God himself works it in us. And to provoke our will and our consent to God working it in us, the true master came for us to do penance and to give us an example of it, for in the whole time of his life he lived in the most bitter penance. And those who are raised up to the vision of the uncreated and to the vision of the being of God are quieted in the cross and in virtuous works, and are provoked by a new, inflamed, and ignited love to greater works. Those, however, who are not in this spirit of truth make idols for themselves out of virtuous works, attributing the glory to themselves. And they make their first idol out of the light, knowledge, and discernment given to them, which is to be wept over. For every good that is in us is worked by the uncreated love, which is never extinguished in itself for eternity; to whom be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

\* MS: "commits."

CHAPTER XX.

The way, conditions, and signs of Love.

[233] Ch. 65. The way to love. "The way, moreover, to this love is through continual, constant, devout, and ardent prayer, and the reading of the book of life, about which enough has been said above, through which the knowledge of God is given and received, which is entirely necessary for having his love, as was said above. O dearest ones, I exhort you: let us love God and be transformed entirely into him. For this God-man, uncreated God, incarnate God, is wholly love, and loves us wholly, and wills to be loved wholly. Whence he wills his children to be wholly transformed into him through love. I call, moreover, spiritual children through the love of charity those who live in grace and charity, transformed in God himself, the perfect good, with the perfection of love. For we are all children of God through creation, Who are the spiritual and elect children of God. but his spiritual elect children are those in whom God, who is love, has placed his love, and in whom he delights on account of his own likeness, which he finds in them — which likeness the grace of God alone and perfect divine love places, makes, and forms in the soul of each child of God. Perfect, I say, which has already transformed its life and conduct into the likeness of the life of Christ — poor, despised in this world, and sorrowful. And so God, noble by nature, wills the whole heart of his child, and not a part; and he wills it without a mediator and without any contrary fellowship or impediment. But he is so courteous toward the soul that if the soul gives him its whole heart, he gladly receives the whole; if a part, he receives the part, although perfect love by nature wills the whole and not only a part. For we know that a bridegroom who loves his bride cannot endure in her, whether in secret or in public, any other companion; similarly our God. But I know that if every person were to know and taste in the Son of God that divine love itself — God become man, who has suffered, who is the supreme good — he would give his whole self to him and would take his whole self away from himself, not only from other creatures, and he would love with his whole self and with his whole heart that loving God, and would transform his whole self into that God become man, the supreme love."

[234] God is to be served for his own sake. "If therefore the soul wishes to come to this perfection of perfect love which gives its whole self and serves God not with a view to reward — which it expects here to receive from God or in the future — but gives itself to God and serves God for his own sake, who is wholly essentially good, and everything good for his own sake and through himself is worthy of being loved for his own sake, the soul ought to enter the straight way and walk through it with the feet of pure, right, fervent, and ordered love. The first step, moreover, which the soul must take when it enters this straight way The steps of love. and desires to approach God is to know God in truth, not only outwardly, as if through the color of scripture, as was said above. For as we know, so we love; if we think and consider and know him slightly, obscurely, superficially, and perfunctorily, then similarly and consequently we love him little. About these things, moreover — how and in what manner they should be done — enough has already been said."

[235] Three properties of lovers. "There are, moreover, three properties of lovers which are necessary to know, and also certain signs of love, so that anyone may recognize whether he is truly a lover. The first property is to be transformed into the will of the beloved. 1. To be clothed with the virtues of Christ. The will of Christ the beloved seems to me to be the life which he showed us through himself; he showed us, moreover, poverty, sorrow, contempt, and true obedience, all of which he showed in deed. And when the soul is vigorously exercised in these, no vice, no temptation will be able to enter it. The second property is 2. To be adorned with the characteristics of the beloved. to be transformed into the characteristics of the beloved. I do not wish to tell you now more than three. The first is love — namely, to love all creatures according to their suitabilities. The second is to be truly humble and benign. The third, which God gives to his legitimate children, is immutability; for the nearer the soul is to God, the fewer and lesser changes it has in itself. And therefore we are ashamed when some vile thing moves us, and in this we recognize our misery. The third property is to be transformed entirely into God, 3. To dwell in God himself. and then one is beyond all temptations, because one is not in oneself but in him. And therefore when we return to our misery, let us beware of all creatures and of ourselves. And I ask you that you be your own, and do not give yourselves entirely to any creature or lend yourselves entirely, but give your whole selves to him who says: 'You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart and with your whole mind and with your whole soul and with all your strength.'"

[236] "The signs, moreover, of love are these. Signs of true love. [I.] The first sign of true love is that the lover submits his will to the will of the beloved. [II.] The second is that it causes one to relinquish every other friendship which could be contrary to this, and even causes one to leave father and mother, sister, brother, and every other affection contrary to the will of the beloved. III. The third is that nothing can be hidden in one which is not revealed to the other; and this third operation, in my judgment, is the highest and the complement of all other signs and operations of love. [IV.] The fourth is that the lover strives to become like the beloved — so that if the beloved is poor, the lover strives to become poor; if despised, to become despised; if sorrowful, to have a share in sorrow — so that the condition of both may be alike. For it does not seem that perfect love can be founded between a rich man and a poor man, between an honorable and a vile, between a sorrowful and a delicate one; for these conditions are very distant, and between such persons there cannot be love of perfection, because one does not share the condition of the other. Love, moreover, is a power not only of making alike but of uniting, which is always borne toward what is like itself and not toward what is unlike."

[237] These signs of love shine forth most perfectly in Christ. "The eternal love, moreover, Christ Jesus, had all these signs, because he submitted his will to man, being made obedient even unto death to those who were killing him — although with a single nod he could have resisted if he had wished. Likewise, love caused him to relinquish every other friendship — of parents, of his mother, and of others — indeed, even of his own flesh, for the love of men, delivering himself to death and leaving them on the cross. Again, he revealed his secrets to us, as he himself said: 'I no longer call you servants,' etc. Likewise, he wished to make himself like man; therefore he assumed true humanity and mortality, being made like man in all things except in guilt. Therefore we also ought to do all these things for his sake; otherwise love on our part limps, and we do manifest injury to so great and so heartfelt a lover. Let us therefore make ourselves like him in all things — him who made himself like our miseries in all things — namely, by doing penance in poverty, contempt, sorrow, and contrition of heart, in which he himself always lived. For even if one person alone were to do all the penances which all the men of the world do, it would not be sufficient to repay the least drop of sweat which Christ shed for us, nor would it be sufficient to merit the least joy of Paradise which is promised to us, nor to make satisfaction for the least mortal sin perpetrated by us, nor to make satisfaction to God for our creation. Whence everyone should strive to do penance in secret as much as possible, and to desire what he cannot do, and also to do it in public, provided that in intention he does not wish to be seen; for to omit a good in order not to be seen How good is to be done in public. is tepidity and pusillanimity. Whence we should in no way omit it on this account. In these things we have the example of our master, who did many things which were never written down or known, although for love of us he did many things in public, nor did he omit this because he was seen by others. And even if it may seem hard for us to do penance, let us at least be pleased to endure with patience and joy the tribulations sent upon us by God, and make of necessity a virtue. For those who are afflicted and troubled inwardly and outwardly — there is no doubt that this is a certain sign that they are beloved by the beloved."

[238] In following Christ there is no deceit, but the greatest certainty of salvation. "For what God the Father loved and chose and gave to his most dear Only-begotten, this the Only-begotten loves and inflicts and gives to his most dear children. God the Father chose for his Son poverty, contempt, sorrows, persecutions, afflictions outwardly, and inwardly weariness, dread, fear, anguish, agony, etc. — which the Son of God, the master, sustained in innumerable number, so many and so great that no tongue could express them, nor heart think them. Let us therefore strive to sustain temporal tribulations with patience, indeed even with joy. For in them we receive the sign that we are beloved and chosen by the beloved, and we receive the pledge of his inheritance. Look in your sorrows at the sorrows of this God-man, desolate, Three effects of tribulation. and it will be a remedy for all your sorrow. For this most holy tribulation does three things which we do not recognize. [I.] The first is that it causes us to turn to God, and if we are already turned, it causes us to turn more and to cling to him. [II.] The second is that it causes us to grow; for just as good earth, well prepared, germinates and bears fruit when rain comes, Tribulations are good advocates and true witnesses for our salvation before God. so when tribulation comes the soul grows in virtues. III. The third is that it purifies and strengthens, quiets and tranquilizes. For this most holy tribulation is very fitting for us, and let us not avoid it or abhor it, because I say securely and with my whole heart that the noble advocates and true witnesses who are most believed in the sight of God are these most holy and most precious tribulations, whose value is unknown to us; for by them the kingdom of heaven is purchased, for by poverty, mourning, sorrow, and persecutions everlasting joys are obtained. For I firmly believe that nothing else does so much for living well as this tribulation; whence in all who are tribulated I have a holy envy. For I know, my little children, Tribulations are useful. that the nobility and value which come from tribulation are not known to us; because if they were known, there would be a great scramble and snatching for it, and each one would seize from another something by which he could be tribulated. May the light of the tribulated and the consolation strengthen us under the burden of tribulations; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

[239] "Tribulations, moreover, which consist in poverty, contempt, and sorrow seem to me very useful and fitting for us. The reason for this is that it is necessary for a person to know himself and God; the knowledge of God, moreover, presupposes the knowledge of oneself, in this manner: that a person should see and consider whom he has offended, and should consider diligently whom he has offended. And from this consideration grace is given upon grace, light upon light, vision upon vision, and from these he begins to come to a broader knowledge of God; and the more he knows, the more he loves; and the more he loves, the more powerfully he works. And this working is the sign and measure of love, because in this it is known whether love is pure, true, and right: if one loves and works efficaciously and endures what he whom one loves loved and worked. Christ, moreover, whom one loves, worked and endured with joy the aforesaid three things as long as he lived; whoever therefore loves him ought to love and work those things. The more, therefore, he who is most wise chose these things for himself, the more he showed that they are fitting for us also."

[240] Ch. 66. The gifts and conditions of one transformed into the love of God. "These are the most sweet gifts of God, which whoever is able to obtain, let him know that he is perfectly complete, perfect, and consummated in the most sweet God, Jesus Christ; and that the most sweet Jesus Christ himself is perfect in him through transformation; and the more perfect he will be in these things, the more the transformed being of Jesus Christ will be in him. The first is the love of poverty, 1. To have stripped off the love of every creature. by which the soul strips itself of the love of every creature, so that it wishes to have the possession of nothing except our Lord Jesus Christ, nor does it hope in the help of any creature in this life; and this it should not only love in the heart, but show through works. The second is 2. To desire contempt. that it should desire to be despised, vilified, and reproached by every creature, and should wish that every creature believe it to be worthy of reproach, so that no one should have compassion on it; nor should it wish to live in the heart of any creature except God alone, nor to be thought anything by anyone in any way. The third is that it should desire to be afflicted with sorrow and punished, 3. To desire torments. and to be filled and overflowed with all the sorrows of heart and body of the most sweet Jesus Christ and of his most sweet Mother; and should desire that every creature should inflict these sorrows upon it without ceasing. And if one cannot will these three things, let one know that one is very far from the blessed likeness of Christ; because these three things accompanied him in every place, at every time, and in his every act, and likewise his Mother — namely, poverty, sorrow, contempt, and ignominy in the highest degree. The fourth is that every person should think himself unworthy of so great a good, 4. To consider oneself unworthy of every heavenly gift. and in no way able to have these things of himself; and the more of these he has had, the more it should seem to him that he has less; because concerning a loved thing, whoever believes he has much loses the beloved. Whence let him never feel that he has arrived at this, but let it always seem that he is beginning anew and that he has yet done nothing and has not had any of these things. The fifth is that he should continually strive to think 5. To meditate on the aforesaid things in the life of Christ. how these things were in Christ, and with continual savory prayer should cry out to God that he would send these garments of his and this fellowship into his heart, asking for nothing else; and in the perfect transformation of all these things let his every joy in this life consist. And let him strive to ascend to thinking how the heart of the most sweet Jesus was full of these things, indeed overfull and infinite, more than he showed in his body. The sixth is that he should flee as the supreme pestilence everything which impedes him from these things, 6. To avoid impediments. whether it be a carnal or a spiritual person; and everything in the things of this world which should appear to him unlike or contrary to these things, let him shudder at, despise, and flee as a serpent. 7. To judge no one and to be willingly judged by others. The seventh is that he should pass judgment on no creature, nor occupy himself with judging others, as the Gospel says; rather, he should consider himself viler than all, however evil, and most unworthy of every grace of God. Know that whoever merits to have these things in this life and in the present struggle will fully have God in the fatherland; indeed, the soul through transformation becomes wholly God — to whom in this life God gives of his transformation: namely, that it should be transformed into his contempt, privations, and sorrows. For the soul ought not to desire in this life spiritual consolations, unless perhaps to restore its own weakness, but solely to desire the perfect, sorrowful, poor, and despised crucifixion of Christ."

CHAPTER XXI.

Concerning the most holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.

[241] Ch. 67. The effects of the Eucharist. "Concerning the Sacrament of love and grace, moreover — on account of which it is also called the Eucharist — something more beyond what has been said must now be said. For it has the power to effect in us devout prayer, and by its efficacy of intercession prayer is made effective. Likewise, it gives profound humility of heart, and it is the promoter and bestower of all charity and true love. For I do not doubt but am certain that whatever soul were to see and contemplate in this holy Sacrament This Sacrament is to be considered diligently. could not be so dry of love that it would not be immediately wholly infused with it, perceiving how in this Sacrament it was loved. It seems to me, moreover, that the truth of this Sacrament and this most holy mystery ought to be considered with great diligence by those who wish to celebrate and receive this sacrifice; and the soul ought not to pass quickly in this consideration, nor cursorily, but should stand and linger there with great diligence and weight. Although, moreover, inexplicable are the things which can be said about this most holy Sacrament, it seems to me that they can be reduced to seven considerations, which are to be seen and considered individually."

[242] Seven considerations concerning it. "First, this most holy mystery is new, supremely wonderful, and exceeding our reason. For this mystery, although it was formerly prefigured, as appears in Sacred Scripture, is indeed ancient as to the figure, but new as to the exhibition and truth of the Sacrament itself, 1. New and wonderful. in which the creature receives a great novelty. For we well know and hold by faith without any doubt that that bread and that wine, through the infinite divine power, at those most holy ordained words which Christ, the God incarnate who ordained them, spoke and which the priest, his minister, ought to say and does say, substantially becomes Christ, so that the substance of bread and wine is transubstantiated and becomes the body of Christ; and Christ, God and man, is in that consecrated mystery, while the color remains..."

...and taste, and power, and form, and manner, and the whole quality of the bread and wine — not in him, but by the divine power above their own nature, in themselves. For the color here is in itself, and the taste in itself, and the form in itself, and the quality in itself. Whence this is a great novelty in truth, which the divine wisdom effects by its supreme charity, infinite power, and supreme goodness — which the creator effects in his creature — besides many other spiritual novelties which the body and blood of Christ effect in his friends and elect. Let no one, moreover, wonder at these things or at others which take place in this Sacrament, if we consider the power of the one who effects them. Nor should anyone wonder how he can be on so many altars, likewise both beyond the sea and on this side of the sea, and as much there as here and here, for he himself says: 'I am incomprehensible to you, and I, God, have done this without you and work without you, and nothing is impossible for me. And I am the one who made you such that now, for your good, you cannot understand, because if I had wished, I could have made you capable of understanding; but I did this so that you might merit through your faith, which would have no merit if you clearly saw how this is done. Believe therefore, doubting nothing.'"

[243] 2. Supremely lovable. "Second, this Sacrament is supremely lovable and inflaming to love. For what moved the ordainer of this most holy Sacrament was not fear of anything, nor any advantage which he himself would gain from it; nor do I know what name to give it except love without measure. For on account of the ineffable love which he had for us, he instituted this Sacrament; because he was wholly heartbroken with love toward us, he therefore placed his whole self there, left his whole self, and for always — namely, until the consummation of the age. Christ instituted it out of love. For he did this not only for the remembrance of his death, which is our salvation, but he also did it so that he might remain wholly ours and forever. And whoever wishes to enter this depth must have good eyes. For knowing bodily at his supper that he was soon to be separated, conquered by love — which always seeks to join the lover and the beloved — he instituted this Sacrament so that he could always be bodily joined to us. O inextinguishable love! Truly the love which he had for us was most ardent, for however much the presence of death was present to him, and he was immediately sensing the horrible sorrows about to come, he willed to give himself to those very sinners who were persecuting him, so that at least he could be with us always in this Sacrament, whose delights are to be with the children of men. And what soul is so utterly cruel that, considering this love — if it considered well and deeply — it would not be moved to love in return so great a lover, who wished to forget us neither in life nor in death, but wished to give his whole and so great self, so that through love he might be united to us? Truly there is no soul that, if it well pondered this love, would not transform its whole self into love, conferring its whole self upon him."

[244] 3. Supremely compassionable. "Third, this Sacrament is supremely compassionable and supremely provocative to compassion and sorrow. For he had a mortal and ineffable sorrow when he was ordaining this most sacred thing; for he was at the point of separation from his most dear disciples and from the most loving Virgin Mother; and he knew and saw in his presence all who were about to abandon him. He saw his betrayer and another who would deny him, to whom he was handing over his body and himself. And from close at hand the most acute sorrows were imminent, in which he was about to be forsaken. He was sensing in advance the horrible death, the beatings, the insults, the cross, the nails, and the rest being prepared for him — on account of which, immediately after the supper, in prayer he sweated drops of no little blood, namely flowing down to the ground. And yet he did not fail to institute it and give himself to us. Indeed, this Sacrament seems to be nothing other so properly as a certain memorial of that most bitter passion and the shedding of his blood for us wretches. Therefore Christ also said: 'As often as you do this, do it in my remembrance.' And what soul could see these sorrows without being transformed into sorrow? Certainly none, unless one that has no communion from the heart of that most bitter passion."

[245] 4. Supremely venerable. "Fourth, this Sacrament is supreme, worthy, and venerable, and supremely humbling to reverence. For the ordainer of this holy sacrifice is the God-man, the supreme and uncreated God. For the soul, considering this Sacrament, ought to ponder not only the ordainer but what is contained in the Sacrament. For there is contained the uncreated, invisible, almighty, all-knowing, just, supreme, and merciful God, the creator of heaven and earth, of visible and invisible things; and this is the greater thing which presents itself there for thought. Then there presents itself another lesser thing, which one finds in this Sacrament joined with that greater thing — because one finds there God become man, that is, divinity and humanity conjoined and united in one person. And sometimes in this present life the soul receives greater delight in this lesser thing than in that greater, because the soul is more capable and more conformed to this lesser thing which it sees in this incarnate God than it is to the other which it sees in the uncreated God himself, because the soul is a creature which is the life of its flesh and of all the members of its body. Whence in this life it delights in the uncreated God whom it sees there become man — both Christ the creator and the creature, and the divinity and the soul with the flesh and blood and all the members of his holy body. The soul sees there the union of so many things there contained, and from the lesser — namely, from the humanity — it is borne to the divinity, and conversely. The soul therefore sees, if it considers well, first the ineffable divinity, in which are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge and unfading riches. It sees there in that divinity the delights which alone satisfy our mind, and many other ineffable things. It sees there the most precious soul with all the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the most holy immaculate offering. It sees there the body, the most precious price of our redemption. It sees there the blood by which we have been redeemed and vivified, and other ineffable things. All of which ought supremely to provoke us to show reverence; for there truly is and is contained he whom all the dominions of heaven adore, all the heavenly spirits fear, and all the mightiest powers of heaven tremble before. O if we could see as they do, with what great reverence and humility would we handle and receive this Sacrament! For what proud soul is there that, if it well considered these things, would not be humbled in heart and body in the presence of this Sacrament?"

[246] 5. Supremely lofty. "Fifth, this Sacrament is supremely lofty and spiritual, and elevating to heavenly things. For the holy Trinity ordained this Sacrament in order to draw to itself the thing which it loves — namely, to draw the soul from itself to God and outside all creatures, and to unite it to the uncreated God, and thus to give it spiritual and divine life and to mortify it from sins. And the holy Trinity and the infinite goodness ordained it to unite and incorporate us to itself and itself to us; and it wills that we receive it so that we may be received by it; and it wills that we bear it and that it bear us, strengthening and comforting us. What wretched soul is there, therefore, if it considered well, that ought not to be drawn after so great a Lord, after so great a charity which came from heaven to draw us from earthly things to itself?"

[247] 6. Supremely useful. "Sixth, this Sacrament is supremely useful, and bestows all goods and graces upon the soul. For the uncreated God does not come to us in this Sacrament empty, with such perfection of divinity and humanity, but he certainly gives to the soul that receives it — provided that it has examined itself and is not in the will of sinning — the remission of punishments, strength against temptations, restrains our assailants, increases grace, and accumulates merits. Whence it is to be received frequently and with great reverence. As for the saying of St. Augustine concerning the reception of the Eucharist, when he says: 'To receive the Eucharist daily I neither praise nor blame,' I say that St. Augustine was a holy and wise man; and seeing the good mixed with the bad in the Church of God, lest he should impede the good, he did not blame it; and lest he should give security to the bad, he did not praise it. There are other innumerable gifts and benefits which are conferred upon us if we receive it worthily; nor is it possible to say how great a grace the soul receives in a single worthy reception, provided that the demerits of the soul do not resist."

[248] 7. Supremely praiseworthy. "Seventh, this Sacrament is supremely praiseworthy and supremely worthy of all graces and the proclamations of praise. Whatever is good, whatever is beautiful, whatever is holy — all of it is in this Sacrament; for in it is the supreme uncreated good itself — namely, the divinity — and the supreme created good, the humanity of Christ. Whence we ought to praise it constantly. For the Angels never cease to praise, saying: 'Holy, Holy, Holy.' And not only the Angels, but also the Saints and all the Blessed see and feel it and stand within this sacrifice in that infinite good God, who makes them blessed; for there they always have in their presence the uncreated God, the supreme good, and the God become man, placed admirably in this Sacrament. And in this mystery they receive a new sweetness and joy, and they make a new exultation and proclamation. And I believe this is on account of the fellowship they have, because they are in communion with the head and the members — that is, with Christ the head, who is God, and his faithful. For they see and feel and know that Christ delights greatly in this most lofty mystery, and there he shows and manifests his goodness, and there he has a singular pleasure for the good, and in the good, of his devout ones and friends, whom he joins to himself through this sacrifice. And therefore all the Angels and Saints delight in this mystery with Christ; and they make a new joy and exultation and praises, because what pleases Christ pleases them likewise. For it pleases Christ to be with men in this Sacrament; indeed, his delights are to be with the children of men. All the Blessed of the Church triumphant likewise rejoice for the good and benefit which holy souls in the Church militant receive on account of it. Whence the whole Church ought to rejoice and praise God for so great a benefit, showing thanks and honor to God."

[249] Things to be considered when approaching this Sacrament. "Everyone therefore, when he must approach this holy Sacrament, ought to consider: to whom he goes, in what condition he goes, how he goes, and why he goes. Because he goes to a certain good which is every good and the cause of every good. Whence it alone is the good without which nothing is good — which good suffices and fills all things and satisfies all the Saints and blessed spirits, and all the just through grace, and all the souls and bodies of those Blessed who reign in glory. He goes to receive that good — namely, God become man — which satisfies, surpasses, and gladdens in all creatures, and beyond all creatures, without measure and without limit; which good a creature cannot know or have except insofar as the good itself wills; and the good wills as much as the creature according to its being can have of him who is and makes every being and is above every being. He goes to that good, outside of which and besides which there is no other good. O unconsidered, unknown, unloved good — found, namely, by those who with their whole selves wish you wholly! If therefore a man considers and looks at the morsel which he must eat bodily, why does the soul not look at and reconsider before it receives so great a good, which is eternal and infinite — What purity is required in those who receive communion. which, if unworthily received, is the death of soul and body everlasting? But if worthily, it puts death to flight and brings eternal and blessed life, and without its reception there is no life: 'Unless,' says Christ, 'you eat the flesh,' etc. One ought therefore to approach so great and such a good and such a table with great reverence, fear, and trembling, and above all with great love. And the soul ought to approach wholly washed and adorned, because it goes to him who is the good of all beauty and glory, who is the supreme sanctity, happiness, beatitude, loftiness, nobility, true love, and the sweetness of love without end. And one ought to go to receive in order to be received; to go clean in order to be cleansed; alive in order to be vivified; just in order to be justified; joined in order to be incorporated with God himself, uncreated and sweetly become man, and to be one with him for infinite ages of ages."

CHAPTER XXII.

Concerning the Incarnation of the Word and other benefits of God.

[250] Ch. 68. "This is the last writing and the last letter which the most holy Angela of Foligno, our Mother, composed before she fell ill unto death, declaring then that it was her last letter. Blessed Angela foreknew her death. For she foreknew her happy passing a long time beforehand. Whence with great affection she spoke these words and almost compelled the writer to write, and she said: 'O my God, make me worthy to know your most lofty mystery which your most ardent charity wrought — that is, the most lofty mystery of your most holy Incarnation which you accomplished for us, which Incarnation was the beginning of our salvation.' This ineffable Incarnation, moreover, does two things for us. The mystery of the Incarnation fills us with the love of God. First, it fills us with love. Second, it makes us certain of our salvation. O how ineffable is this charity! Truly above it there is none greater than that my God, the creator of all things, should become flesh in order to make me God. O heartfelt love! You emptied and diminished yourself in order to make me; you received the form of the vilest servant in order to confer upon me royal and divine beauty. When, however, you received my form, you did not do so in such a way as to diminish anything from your substance or detract from your deity, but the abyss of your most humble Incarnation causes me to say and compels these heartfelt words: O you, the incomprehensible, made comprehensible for my sake! O uncreated one, you were made a creature! O inconceivable one, you were made conceivable! O impalpable one, you were made able to be touched! O Lord, make me worthy to see the depth of this most lofty charity which you communicated to us in this most holy Incarnation. O happy fault — not, however, from yourself, but from the piety of God — which merited to show us the most hidden depth of the divine charity, which was hidden from us. O in truth I cannot think of a greater charity. O Most High, make me capable of understanding this most lofty and ineffable charity."

[251] "O Lord, there are five mysteries which you wrought for us; make us, Lord, capable of understanding them. Christ wrought five mysteries for us. The first is the mystery of your most holy Incarnation. The second is the ineffable mystery of your teaching, example, penance, and affliction. The third is the most bitter death endured for us. The fourth is the glory of your Resurrection. The fifth is the exaltation of your glorious Ascension. 1. The Incarnation. The first is the ineffable love of the Incarnation. O supreme and transformed love! O ineffable love! Blessed are you, Lord, because you make me understand that you were born for me. O how glorious it is to know and understand this — that I should see and understand that you were born for me! This understanding is in truth full of every delight and sweetness. Whence the certainty which we had from the Incarnation, the same we have from the nativity; because for that purpose for which he was incarnate, behold, he is born. O admirable one, how wonderful are your mysteries 2. His life among men. which you wrought for us! The second thing he did for us makes us certain of the way of living; for he was born and incarnate and lived in such a way that we would have the presence of instruction from Jesus Christ, born of poverty, sorrow, and contempt, because in these he was born, lived, and ended."

[252] 3. Redemption on the cross. "The third mystery is of his death, because he was born also for this purpose: to be our redemption and to die for us. Five things, moreover, are to be considered in this death of Christ. Five things to be considered in it. The first is the declaration and working of our salvation. The second is our strengthening and victory against our enemies. The third is the fullness and superabundance of the divine love manifested through that death. The fourth is that he filled us with a most lofty, heartfelt, and profound truth; for through this we can know, see, and understand how God the Father showed us, glorified, and declared his Son in this most holy Incarnation. The fifth is that through this we can know how the Son of God manifested the Father to us through the obedience which he kept in his whole life even unto the death of the cross, and through that obedience he answered God the Father for the whole human race. Make me worthy, O uncreated God, to know the depth of your love and the abyss of your most ardent charity. Make me worthy to understand the ineffable charity which you communicated to us when you showed us your Son Jesus Christ in this Incarnation, and when this your Son manifested that you are our Father. O admirable and joyful love, because in you is every savor of all sweetness and every delight! And such is the contemplation which raises the soul from the world and makes it stand above itself and be pacified and tranquilized."

[253] "The fourth mystery is in the resurrection, in which two things are to be considered. The first is 4. The Resurrection. that his resurrection gives us a firm hope of our own resurrection. Two things to be considered in it. The second is that it makes us know the spiritual resurrection which God effects by his grace, when he makes the dead alive and the infirm well. O most lofty, unutterable, unknown, and ineffable mystery, in which you have fulfilled our perfection! Make me, Lord, worthy to know this most lofty mystery. 5. The Ascension. The fifth mystery is the Ascension. O Lord, make me worthy to be capable of knowing the most lofty mystery of your Ascension, in which our whole salvation has been completed. O Jesus Christ, then you placed us in the possession of your Father and ours. These five mysteries are the school of those who are true scholars; the true school where these five mysteries are learned is the school of continual prayer. Make me therefore, Lord, to understand and know the heavenly charity with which you created and redeemed me. O Incomprehensible one, make me capable of understanding your inestimable and most ardent charity, and that heartfelt love with which you chose the human race from eternity to obtain the vision of yourself, and you, Most High, deigned to wish to see ours. Make us, Lord, to know our fault, so that we may escape the punishments which you have threatened to those who are ungrateful and do not recognize these ineffable mysteries and benefits of yours."

[254] After these things she spoke of the seven gifts or most special benefits conferred upon us by the divine goodness, Ch. 69. and said: Seven gifts given by God to man. "O most sweet Lord, make me capable of understanding these seven gifts which you have given us among the multitude of your other gifts. The first gift is our ineffable creation. The second is the admirable election, by which you deigned to choose us for your glory. The third is the ineffable gift which you gave us when you sent your Son to give us life. The fourth is the most lofty gift of your goodness, when you deigned to make me sensible and rational, and not a beast or an irrational creature. This admirable reason which you have placed in me does three things in me. The first is that through it I know you to be admirable. The second is that it causes me to know my sins. The third is that through it, with the aid of your grace, I resist my sensuality which inclines to sins. O Incomprehensible one, because there is nothing above this gift which you have given us! You formed us, Lord, in your image, and you made us rational, and you clothed us with your light and with your reason. The fifth gift is understanding. Make us, Lord, to know that gift which you have given us — namely, understanding — so that we may be able to understand you, my God. The sixth gift is wisdom. O Lord, make me taste your most ardent charity, with which you gave us this gift — namely, wisdom. O in truth this gift is the greatest of all gifts — namely, to taste you in truth. The seventh gift is love. O Supreme Being, make me understand this gift, because all the Angels and Saints have nothing else to see except to see you who are loved, and to love you and contemplate you. O gift which is above every gift, because you yourself are love! O Supreme Good, you have deigned to make us know you who are love, The efficacious power of divine love in the soul. and you make us love such a love. And therefore those who will come before your face will be rewarded according to the love which they had, and there is nothing else that leads contemplatives to contemplation except true love. O admirable one, you do wondrous things in your children! O heavenly good! O incomprehensible goodness and most ardent charity! O divine person, who has deigned to substantiate us in the midst of your substance! O this is wonderful above every wonder, which you do in your children! O hidden and admirable thing! There is no human understanding which does not fail before this substance. But with grace and divine light we perceive the said substance; and this is the pledge of those who are true solitaries. And all the choirs of Angels are occupied here, and in this occupation let all those occupy themselves who are true contemplatives; and afterward they will be solitaries and separated from the earth. Their conversation is in heaven. Thanks be to God. Amen."

CHAPTER XXIII.

The testament and death of Angela.

[255] Ch. 70. "The testament and last admonition of the holy Mother Angela, which she made to her children while she was near to death, speaking thus: 'My little children, what I say to you, I say only for the love of God, and as I promised you — that I would not willingly carry under the earth anything which could profit you. Behold, God says to the soul: All that is mine is yours. O who is there who merits this — that all the goods of God are his! O in truth there is nothing else that merits this except charity. In what I wish to say, however, I have nothing to do of myself, but it is all God's. The spiritual children entrusted to Blessed Angela's care by God. For it pleased the divine goodness to give me the care and solicitude of all his sons and daughters who are in this world, both beyond and on this side of the sea. And I have guarded them as I could, and I have grieved for them, and the sorrows for them have been more than you believe. O my God, henceforth I reassign them to you, and I ask, through your ineffable charity, that you guard them from all evil and preserve them in all good, in the love of poverty, contempt, and sorrow, and in the transformation and imitation of your life and perfection, which you were pleased to show us by word, deed, and living life.'"

[256] "'O my most loving little children, I exhort you with this last exhortation: that you strive to be little and truly humble and meek, not only outwardly in deed, but from the depth of your heart, so that you may truly be scholars and truly disciples of him who said: Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart. Do not care about power, honors, or prelacies. O my little children, strive to be little, She commends to her followers the practice of self-denial. so that Christ may exalt you in the perfection of merits and his grace. Be so humble that you may be continually considered as nothing. Cursed are those sufficiencies which steal the soul — namely, power, honors in prelacy. Flee from them, for there is great deception and danger in them, although there is less deception in them than in spiritual sufficiencies — namely, in knowing how to speak of God, understanding scripture, performing great displays, having a heart seemingly occupied with spiritual things. For very often such persons fall into error and are more difficult to correct than those who have temporal sufficiencies. Therefore consider yourselves to be nothing. O unknown nothingness! O unknown nothingness! In truth the soul cannot have a better vision or knowledge than to see its own nothingness and to remain in its own prison.'"

[257] "'O my little children, strive to have charity, without which there is no salvation nor merit. Behold, God says: All that is mine is yours. O who is there that merits this — She insists on charity toward God and neighbor. that all the goods of God should be his! In truth there is nothing else that merits this except charity. O my little children and fathers and brothers, strive to love one another and to have this charity and mutual love; for by this the soul merits to inherit the divine goods. And I exhort you to wish to have this charity not only among yourselves, but also toward all peoples. For I tell you that my soul has received more from God when I wept and grieved for the sins of my neighbor than for my own. And the world mocks at what I say — that a person could weep for the sins of the neighbor as for his own, or more than his own, because it seems to be against nature. But the charity which does this is not of this world. Rash judgment is to be avoided. O my little children, strive to have this charity, and judge no one. And if you should see a person sinning mortally, I do not say that the sin should not displease you, or that you should not abhor the sin; but I say that you should not judge sinners or despise them, because you do not know the judgments of God. For many who appear damned before men are saved before God, and many who appear saved before men are already reprobate and damned before God. And I could tell you that there are some whom you have despised, of whom I have a firm hope that God will bring them back to his way.'"

[258] The testament of Angela. "'I make no other testament except that I commend to you this mutual love and profound humility. And I leave you my whole inheritance, which is also that of Christ Jesus — namely, poverty, sorrow, and contempt — that is, the life of Christ. Those who will have this inheritance — namely, of the life of Christ — will be my children; for they are the children of God. And there is no doubt that afterward they will have the inheritance of eternal life.' She bestows her blessing on each one. Having said these things, she placed her hand upon the head of each one and said: 'Be blessed by the Lord and by me, my little children — you and all others who are not here present. And as it was signified to me and shown by the Lord, so I grant this eternal blessing to you, present and absent. May Christ himself give it to you with that hand which was nailed on the cross.'"

[259] Afterward Angela herself, shaken by her final illness, and with her mind more abundantly than usual absorbed in the abyss of the divine infinity, spoke interruptedly and with pauses, and rarely. Yet her words, insofar as we who were present could grasp them, we briefly collected; and they are these. She said on a certain occasion, near the feast of the Nativity of the Lord — at which time she passed to Christ — she said: "The Word was made flesh." And after a long pause, as if coming from elsewhere, she said: "O every creature fails, and the entire Angelic understanding does not suffice." And being asked by us: "For what does every creature fail, and the Angelic understanding not suffice?" She answered: "For comprehending." And afterward she said: "O in truth, behold my God, who has rendered me the promise, because Christ his Son has presented me to the Father." For she had said before: "You know that Christ was in the boat, and there was a great tempest there? In truth it is sometimes so in the soul, when he permits temptations to come, and he himself seems to sleep." And again she said: "In truth, until God permits a person to be entirely broken or crushed and trampled upon, he does not sometimes allow the temptations and tempests to end; and this he does especially to his legitimate children." Likewise on another occasion she said to us: "O my little children, I would gladly say certain words to you, if I knew that God was not deceiving me" — namely, concerning the promise of her departure, because on account of her desire to die she greatly feared, as she herself said, lest she should recover from that illness. And she said: "What I wish to say, I say only so that you may follow that which I have not followed." And afterward she added: "My soul has been washed and cleansed in the blood of Christ, which was so fresh and warm as if it had just come from the body of the crucified." And it was said to the soul then: "This is that which has cleansed you." And the soul answered: "O my God, shall I be deceived?" And it was said to her: "No." Afterward she said: "Christ the Son of God has now presented me to the Father, and these words were said to me: 'O bride and beautiful one! O beloved by me with love and in truth, I do not wish you to come to me with these sorrows, but with jubilation and innumerable joy, A glorious garment prepared for the dying woman. as it befits a King to lead his bride, long beloved, with a royal garment.' And he showed me the garment, as a bridegroom shows his bride whom he has loved long and greatly; but it was not of purple, nor of scarlet, nor of silk,* nor of samite, but it was a certain wonderful light with which the soul is clothed. And then he showed me the bridegroom himself, the eternal Word, so that now I understand what the Word is, and what it means to say 'the Word' — namely, the Word who willed to be incarnated for me. And the Word itself passed through me Christ embraces the dying woman. and touched my whole self and embraced me and said to me: 'Come, my beloved, my loved bride, with true love; come, because all the Saints await you with joy.' He also said to me: 'I will not entrust you to Angels or to other Saints to lead you, but I personally will come for you and take you to myself; for you have been made fitting for me and pleasing to my majesty.'"

[260] In death there occur the things that were practiced in life. While therefore she was near her passing — namely, on the preceding day — she said frequently: "Father, into your hands I commend my soul and my spirit." And once, after that word, she said to us who were present: "Just now, at that word, a response was made to me thus: 'What has been impressed upon your heart in life, it is impossible that you should not have in death.'" And then we said: "Do you then wish to depart and leave us?" And she answered: "I have hidden so much from you, but henceforth I hide no more from you. I tell you that I must altogether depart." Before death she is freed from all torments. On that same day, when all the pains ceased — by which for many days before she had been horribly tormented and variously afflicted through every member, inwardly and outwardly — she lay in such bodily quiet and joyfulness of spirit that she already seemed to be tasting the joy promised to her. Then indeed we asked her whether the aforesaid jubilation had already been given to her, and she answered that the aforesaid jubilation had already begun. And in this bodily quiet and joyfulness of spirit, lying most joyfully until after Compline on Saturday, with many friars standing around her and performing the offices of the mysteries, on that very day — namely, the octave of the Innocents — She dies peacefully on the fifth of January. at the last hour of the day, as if lightly sleeping, she rested in peace. And that most holy soul, freed from the flesh and absorbed in the abyss of the divine infinity, received from Christ her bridegroom the robe of innocence and immortality, to reign with Christ; to whom may he himself lead us through the power of his cross and through the merits of his Virgin Mother and through the intercession of this most holy Mother of ours, Angela. Amen. The venerable bride of Christ, Angela of Foligno, passed from the shipwreck of this world to the joys of heaven, long before promised to her, in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 1309, on the day before the Nones of January, in the time of the Lord Pope Clement V.

\* MS: "tentato" tent-cloth.

CONCERNING BLESSED ANGELA AND HER LIFE:

The judgments of Ubertino da Casale and Maximilian Sandaeus.

Angela of Foligno, widow (Blessed).

What two illustrious writers have transmitted concerning Blessed Angela seems worthy of being added here. The first is Ubertino da Casale, a man of great piety and extraordinary spirit. He, in the Prologue I of Book 1 of the Tree of the Crucified Life of Jesus, writes thus: "In the twenty-fifth year of my deformed religious life (this was, as is clear from other places, the year of Christ 1298), in a wonderful way which I pass over, he mercifully led me to the acquaintance of the revered Mother and most holy Angela of Foligno, of a truly Angelic life on earth. To whom Jesus so revealed the defects of my heart Ubertino was inflamed to virtue by the counsels of Angela. and his own secret benefits that I could not doubt that it was he himself who was speaking in her; and he restored all my first gifts, lost through my malice, multiplied immensely, so that from that time onward I was no longer the one I had been. And in the previously unexerienced splendors of his inflaming truth he changed the whole countenance of my mind, and drove out the infirmities and languors from my soul and body, and renewed my former distractions, so that no one of sound mind who had known me before could doubt that the spirit of Christ was newly born in me. And through this, whether they will or not, the rivals who detract from the sanctity of the irreproachable life of that most holy soul and from the divine change which arises from her word and merit in the lives of many — Angela herself has been established by God, with respect to many spiritual children, as a Mother of beautiful love and fear and greatness and holy hope, because all good things come to them together with her, and innumerable dignity through her hands — even to many who had been dissolute in former times." A great testimony about Angela from a holy and divinely illuminated writer.

The second is Maximilian Sandaeus, a theologian of our Society, most illustrious by far in his writings. He, in Various Theology, Book 1, Commentary 19, after relating certain things about Angela — in almost the words of Arnaldus — concerning her state, condition, occupation, the wisdom divinely given to her, her zeal for Evangelical perfection, knowledge of divine secrets, etc., adds the following: "Thus a pious man prefaces the work which contains the narratives and counsels of Angela of Foligno. Whoever reads that work (and would that many would read it!) A commendation of the life of St. Angela. is compelled to say: God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, sex, and condition of men he designates some to whom he most graciously reveals his secrets and infuses sacred wisdom. Such was Angela, the Mistress of Theologians, whose doctrine, as is stated in the preface of the book, was entirely excerpted and extracted from that book of life written within and without, which is Jesus Christ our Lord, true God and man, the giver of infused theology."

The same author, Commentary 43 of the same Book 3, treating of the intuitive theology of religious persons distinguished by divine visions, writes thus of Angela: "In the writings of this most pious matron, the mention of visions — indeed of God and the most holy Trinity — is so frequent that one might suspect that, if the grace of intuitive theology were granted in this mortal life to any of the souls beloved by God, Whether Angela saw God. it was by no means lacking to Angela. It is better, however, in this as in many other extraordinary cases, to recognize a certain species of the most eminent contemplation, below the clear vision of the Divine Essence, as a gift proper to the Blessed." He confirms this with many passages adduced from her life.