(10) 'Draw us; let us run after the odor of thy ointments."4 See what he says: 'You cannot follow Christ, unless He himself draws you.' Finally, that you may know He says: 'If I be lifted up, I will draw all things to myself."5

(11) "The king has brought me into his bedchamber'-the Greek has 'into his storeroom' or 'into his pantry'—where are good libations, where good odors, sweet honey, diverse fruits, where various dishes, that your meal may be made pleasant by a great many dishes.

Chapter 3

(12) So you have come to the altar; you have received the body of Christ. Hear again what sacraments you have obtained; hear holy David as he speaks. And he in spirit foresaw these mysteries and rejoiced and said that nothing was lacking to him. Why? Because he who shall receive the body of Christ shall never thirst.1

(13) How often have you heard Psalm 22 and have not understood it! See how it is applicable to the heavenly sacraments: 'The Lord feeds me and I shall want nothing; He hath set me in a place of pasture; He hath brought me upon the water of refreshment; He hath converted my soul. He hath led me on the paths of justice for His own name's sake. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me.' Thy rod is power, the staff suffering, that is, the eternal divinity of Christ, but also cor

4 Cant. 1.3.

5 Cf. John 12.32. 6 Cf. Cant. 1.3.

poreal suffering; the one created, the other redeemed. "Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me how goodly it is!"2

(14) You have come, then, to the altar; you have received the grace of Christ; you have obtained the heavenly sacraments. The Church rejoices in the redemption of many, and is glad with spiritual exultation that the members of her household are at hand dressed in white. You have this in the Canticle of Canticles. Rejoicing, she invokes Christ, having prepared a banquet, which seems worthy of heavenly feasting. And so she says: 'Let my beloved come into His garden and eat the fruits of His apple trees." What are these apple trees? You were made dry wood in Adam, but now through the grace of Christ you flower as apple trees.

(15) Gladly did the Lord Jesus receive and with heavenly dignity reply to His Church. He says: 'I am come into my garden, I have gathered my myrrh with my aromatical spices, I have eaten my bread with my honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk.' 'Eat, He says, 'my brethren, and be inebriated.'4

(16) 'I have gathered my myrrh with my aromatical spices.' What is this gathering? Recognize the vineyard, and you will recognize the gathering. He says: "Thou hast brought a vineyard, out of Egypt," that is, the people of God. You are the vineyard, you are the gathering, planted, as it were, as a vineyard, you are the gathering, who have yielded fruit. 'I have gathered myrrh with my aromatical spices,' that is, 'unto the odor, which you have received.'

2 Ps. 22.1-5.

3 Cant. 5.1.

4 Cf. Cant. 5.1.

(17) ‘I have eaten my bread with my honey.' You see that in this bread there is no bitterness, but there is all sweetness. ‘I have drunk my wine with my milk.'You see that such is the gladness that it is polluted by the filth of no sin. For as often as you drink, you receive the remission of sins and you are inebriated in spirit. Therefore, the Apostle also says: 'Be not drunk with wine, but be ye filled with the Holy Spirit." For he who is inebriated with wine totters and sways; he who is inebriated with the Holy Spirit is rooted in Christ. And so, glorious is ebriety which effects sobriety of mind. So much have we gone over briefly regarding the sacraments.

Chapter 4

(18) There is nothing more, is there, but the prayer? And do not think that it is an ordinary virtue to know how to pray. The holy Apostles said to the Lord Jesus: 'Lord teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." Then the Lord said the prayer: 'Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'2

You see how brief the prayer is, and how full of all virtues. Of what great charm is the first sentence!

(19) O man, you did not dare to raise your face to heaven; you directed your eyes toward earth; and suddenly you

6 Cf. Matt. 26.28; 1 Cor. 11.26.

7 Eph. 5.18.

1 Luke 11.1.

6

received the grace of Christ; all your sins were forgiven. From an evil servant you became a good son.3 So presume not from your own operation but from Christ's grace. 'By grace,' He says, 'you are saved'; so the Apostle says. There is no arrogance here, but faith. To preach what you have received is not pride but devotion. So raise your eyes to the Father, who begot you through the laver,5 to the Father, who redeemed you through His Son, and say: 'Our Father.' A good presumption, but moderate. As if a son you call Him Father, but do not lay claim to anything specially for yourself. He is the special Father of Christ alone, for all of us He is Father in common, because He begot Him alone, He created us. You, too, then say 'Our Father' through grace, that you may deserve to be His son. In the sight and consideration of the Church do you commend yourself!

8

(20) 'Our Father, who art in heaven.' What is 'in heaven'? Hear the words of Scripture: 'The Lord is high above all heavens." And everywhere you have it that the Lord is above the heaven of the heavens. As if even the angels were not in the heavens, as if also the dominations were not in the heavens! But in those heavens of which it is said: "The heavens show forth the glory of the God." Heaven is there where fault has ceased; heaven is there where shameful deeds are idle; heaven is there where there is no wound of death.

(21) 'Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.' What is 'hallowed be'? As if we wish Him to be

hallowed who says: 'Be ye holy, because I am holy,'1o as if something may be added to Him by our prayer for hallowedness! No, but let Him be made hallowed in us, that His hallowedness may be able to come to us.

(22) 'Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come.' As if the kingdom of God were not eternal! Jesus himself says: 'For this I was born,'11 and you say to the Father: 'Thy kingdom come,' as if He had not come. But then the kingdom of God has come, since you have obtained His grace. For He Himself says: "The kingdom of God is within you.' 12

(23) Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread.' By the blood of Christ all things were pacified both in heaven and on earth;13 heaven is hallowed; the Devil is cast down. He turns there, where the man also is whom he deceived. "Thy will be done,' that is, let there be peace on earth as there is in heaven.14

(24) 'Give us this day our daily bread.' Remember my words, when I discussed the sacraments. I have told you that what is offered before the words of Christ is spoken of as bread; when the words of Christ have been brought forth, no longer is it spoken of as bread, but is called body. Why, then, in the Lord's prayer, which follows afterwards, does He say 'our bread'? Surely He has spoken of it as bread, but as EπιοÚσLOV (sufficient for the day), that is, substantial. That is not the bread that enters the body,15 but that is the bread of eternal life, which supports the substance of our soul.16

10 Cf. Lev. 19.2.

11 John 18.37.

12 Luke 17.21.

13 Cf. Col. 1.20. 14 Cf. Luke 2.14. 15 Cf. Mark. 7.19.