Note, Virgin of Christ.
Of the virtues of St. Agnes, SERMONS TO THE triumph for the hard labour of the conflict. Who however do not attribute to themselves the victory over the enemy; but with all reverence and grati- tude lay down their crowns before the throne of God in the presence of the Lamb: and with bound- less exultation and harmonious voice chant and say: “Blessing, brightness, wisdom, praise, honour, glory, salvation, virtue, victory to our God for ever: Who hath led us through many tribulations to the happy obtaining of this glorious crown.” This golden crown with its aureole most blessed Agnes merited to receive abiding firm and con- stant in her passion for faith and chastity; giving herself up to death: that she might receive a crown of glory, never to be forfeited. What more lovely than this crown, what more pleasant, what more sublime, what more blissful; than most clearly to contemplate the King of angels with all the saints in Heaven?
O virgin of Christ despiser of the world, who hast chosen to serve Christ in chastity: rejoice in the hope of the glory to come. If thou desirest to wear a golden crown in Heaven; bear now Christ always in thy heart: always in thy mouth, always in thy work. Turn thine eyes away from the world: lift up thy soul to Jesus in Heaven. Be fervent in His praise, humble and vile in thine own eyes; frequent in prayer, ready in service, prudent in word: patient in pain, silent in re- proaches, cheerful in contempt; simple in raiment, modest in manners: guarded in all thy ways. Do not neglect Christ in any work or moment of time under Heaven: Who never turns His eyes away from thee in whatsoever place thou mayest be. Look upon St. Agnes as if dwelling in the body: and showing thee an example of chastity. So holy, NOVICES REGULAR so chaste, so devout, so modest, so dignified, so guarded was most blessed Agnes in this life: that she did not lift her eyes to the idols of the gen- tiles, or to the spectacle of their games: or to the glittering of gold or silver: nor did she covet the beauty or the friendship of any mortal man; but bearing God in her mind, holding Him by faith, loving Him with her heart, praising Him with her mouth: with the whole desire of her soul she raised her eyes constantly to Heaven; where she knew was Christ her Spouse, the best treasure of her heart: One to be loved and embraced above all things desirable.
Therefore in order to excite still greater devo- tion, let us take pleasure in contemplating the beauty of the crown of most blessed Agnes: which decked with lovely flowers affords wondrous de- light to chaste minds. For it has three silver circlets in honour of the holy Trinity: containing three garlands woven of flowers of most beautiful colour and sweetest odour. He who has ears to hear: let him hear and understand what these things mystically signify. Maidens rejoice in lovely dresses and flowers; soldiers in golden armour and shields: clerics in books and studies, monks in hymns and psalms; seculars in worldly things, princes in luxuries: spiritual men in things divine. But no delight is greater and sweeter: than to exult in God and in works of true virtue wrought to the honour of God. Leaving aside then things dangerous and perishable: with the chaste and sacred virgins let us examine with our inner eyes the unfading flowers in the crown of most blissful Agnes.
The first circlet contains a garland of white flowers and pure lilies: begotten and born in the Of the beauty ofthe crown of St, Agnes.
Of the white flowers.
Of the five lilies of vir- gins.
SERMONS TO THE SERMONS TO THE valley of humility. These flowers designate holy and devout meditations on the Incarnation of Jesus Christ born of the pure and holy Virgin Mary; wrapped in clean swaddling clothes, placed in a narrow manger, suckled at her virginal breasts: honoured by angelic praises, visited by devout shepherds; made known by a brilliant star, sought, found and worshipped by holy kings: worthily venerated by the same with three gifts, the presentation of gold, incense and myrrh; em- braced by holy Simeon in loving arms: by the widow Anna with heart and mouth supremely blessed and praised. In all these good things heard, read and meditated what else is found: but a garden full of flowers and lilies with many sweet herbs? Truly all these shine, flower, glow: are brilliant, sweet smelling and delightful. These flowers of the nativity of Christ and the ever vir- ginity of blessed Mary His Mother have so sweet an odour, so wondrous a taste: so great a beauty, so strong a heat, that they drive all temptation and carnal love from the languid soul; all anger and wrath, all envy and pride: all sloth and luke- warmness, all hardness and trouble; all sadness and distrust, all wickedness and deceit: all turpi- tude and diabolical suggestion; whether from man or woman, whether from youth or ancient, whether from rich or poor: because for all was Christ born, for all He suffered and was crucified; that He might save all, cleanse all from sins: and deck them with the flowers of virtues.
And in this garland there are five lilies very necessary to virgins for the safeguard of chastity: to wit, modesty, silence, sobriety, solitude and the cloister. These strongly guard the virgin’s court: and render her crown more bright. Listen O NOVICES REGULAR NOVICES REGULAR virgin to a virgin: commending holiness, “The virgin,” he saith, “ thinketh on the things that are the Lord’s that she may be holy in body and in spirit inChrist Jesus Our Lord.” Who is this Jesus, Whom holy virgins so love: as to leave even their parents? This is Jesus of Nazareth, the only- begotten of God the Father, the Son of the Virgin Mary, the Spouse of Agnes: the lover of chastity, the guardian of virginity. He is the comforter of the poor: the protector of widows, the receiver of orphans: Who speaks to virgins in the Canticle of canticles. “‘I am the flower of the field and the lily of the valleys: I am the visitor and indweller of holy minds.” Wherefore, virgin of Christ, if thou wilt worthily please the heavenly Bridegroom: strive to have within vir- ginal flowers and pure lilies: and to guard all thy senses from deceptions without. Beware of the hawk, O simple dove: flee the wolf, meek little lamb: beware of the serpent approaching thee, chaste maiden: lest by the windows of the body he enter the chamber of the heart: and the purity of thy conscience be corrupted by heedless sight or evil hearing: or by thy other senses always prone to evil. Therefore the greatest care must be taken with regard to places, persons, times, conversations, greetings, gifts: laughter, joking, sight, adornment, banquets, vain songs.
These and many other blandishments has the world: which alas it offers its lovers who run with blinded mind to the torments of hell. O foolish joys of the world: after which follow eternal lamentations. For all things beautiful and pleas- ant shall perish without delay: when the hour of death shall have come..
But these earthly and carnal delights are poi- Of Jesus of Nazareth, the Spouse of virgins.
Of the en- closure of virgins.
Of flight from the world.
SERMONS TO THE sonous to virgins: they are to be dreaded by the modest, shunned by the devout: hated by re- ligious, very greatly feared by the young: severely chastised in the older and the careless. For the true disciple of Christ and lover of chastity hides herself from the sight of men lest she displease God: lest she lose the comfort of the Holy Ghost lest haply it prove a danger and a stumbling-block to herself and others: and she become the laugh- ing stock of the devil, who was the companion of angels. Therefore the more closely confined she remain in watchfulness and the discipline of the Order: the more beautiful lilies shall she have in her halo and golden crown. And when the virgin recluse, intending and desiring to please God alone, has removed and cleansed herself from al worldly cares and gossip: then by the breathing of the grace of Christ the sweet odour of a good life as the odour of myrrh and incense shall be shed from her: and many daughters of Sion stil. given to the world, hearing of the holy life of the enclosed nun, will be encouraged also to leave all the vanity of the world for the sake of Christ: to attain with the virgins the beauty of the golden crown. O how wisely dost thou act, daughter of Sion: who spurnest the perilous world; resolvest to espouse and ever to cleave to the King of angels: and hastenest to enter to the heavenly nuptials. Enter, enter the cloister of virgins, where thou mayest learn to do the will of the Lord thy King: and make ready thy heart watching with thy companions, praying and awaiting the blessed coming of thy Bridegroom from Heaven. Assuredly if thou dost persevere in what thou hast begun: it shall be without doubt as thou hast often longingly besought of the Lord thy God.
NOVICES REGULAR The second circlet of this golden crown contains Of the red a garland woven of red flowers, beautiful to see, "°° delicious of odour, wondrous to hear, comforting to the heart. These roses designate chastisement of the flesh, contempt of the world, compunction of heart: and holy meditation with affection of in- timate compassion towards the Passion of Our Lord. These roses grow amid thorns and briars and nettles: that is, amid divers temptations of the flesh and vexations of men; who disturb others now by harsh words, now by evil conduct: and often trouble the devotion of the peaceable man. Woe to them: and well is it for those who suffer annoyance from the perverse. These roses there- fore are called red or purple: because they bring pain and blushing to bashful minds. Nevertheless they give forth a sweet fragrance, if they are roughly bruised: because humble minds answer sweetly and lovingly, when they are reproved and despised by the passionate: and they render the greatest thanks to God: that they have deserved to be wounded and pricked by the thorns of their neighbours. These roses set over the fire and burnt, give forth a sweet water profitable for medicine; likewise the mild and humble enkindled by the fire of the Holy Ghost piously intercede for the injurious and the envious: and often pour forth tears with groaning. Truly great are the merits of the patient, great the trophies of virgins; great with God and illustrious are the honours of the continent: to whom an eternal reward with a crown of gold, more brilliant than all the stars, shall be rendered in Heaven. O virgin meek and _ humble: very much canst thou merit in distresses borne for the name of Christ. For as often as thou - dost patiently endure a harsh word or injurious Of the roses of martyrs and virgins.
Of St. Tiburtius.
Of St. Doro- thy.
SERMONS TO THE action; so often dost thou beget and bring forth red roses from thorns: and addest fresh lustre to thy crown. These roses are found in great plenty among the holy martyrs and the virgins dedicated to God; who armed with faith, enflamed with love, and girdled with patience, shed abundantly for Christ their rose-red blood: and rejoicing in sove- reign glory have merited to receive eternal trium- phal crowns, brilliant with roses and lilies. Whence we read of St. Tiburtius a noble martyr of Christ; that commanded to walk barefoot upon live coal: he trusting in the Lord Jesus approached without fear: and making the sign of the cross stood upon the glowing embers unharmed: and with joyous soul replied to the judge: “In the name of Our — Lord Jesus Christ, I seem to be walking upon rose blossoms: for the creature itself obeys the command of the Creator.” Hence also of St. Dorothy a noble virgin and martyr it is most beautifully related: that praying a while before the hour of her passion she merited to receive from the Paradise of her heavenly Spouse Jesus Christ three most lovely roses with three sweet smelling apples: which by a child of angelic beauty she graciously sent to Theophilus a philosopher who had mocked her and an unbeliever. And when he saw them, he was converted and became a believer; and burning with the heat of faith, speedily following Dorothy by the palm of martyrdom, he joyously entered Paradise: as the beautiful bride of Christ Dorothy had promised him.
Let no one then despair of gaining those blush- ing roses: as if they were set afar off and were difficult to find. For they can be diligently sought and profitably found by all Christians and espe- cially by religious and devout persons both day NOVICES REGULAR and night, both winter and summer: but they must be kept with care. For in reading the Passion of Christ and the sufferings of the holy martyrs, red roses are sought in the Church books: in medita- tion and prayer they are found: by living justly, soberly, chastely and piously they are gathered and preserved. And these red roses are to be sought more in time of trouble near the mount of Olives in a garden apart from the crowd: which Jesus and His disciples entered to pray. Who then taken by the Jews, bound, buffeted, scourged, crowned, crucified, wounded, and bleeding as it were from all His body: appeared more ruddy than any rose, dyed and empurpled with the red of His own precious blood. O how many red roses did the most meek Jesus bring forth from each of His bruises and wounds; sweeter and more lovely than all spices. For the more often these roses are beheld, the more roughly they are bruised, the longer they are revolved in the mind: the more mightily they give forth odour, sweeten, flower, redden, grow and dilate. For the roses of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, brought forth in the rosary of His Passion and crushed by the Jews in Jeru- salem as in a mortar, surpass the sufferings of all the holy martyrs and virgins: in worth, greatness, sweetness, beauty, and fullness of all graces, from the rising of the sun, even to the bounds of the whole world. And these roses are very precious and suitable and lovely to deck the crown of every devout soul; so that they cannot be valued at any worldly price, or bought of merchants: or found in the stores of physicians. Where then can they be seen and obtained? Not in the market, but in the choir: not in the square, but in the Church: not in warfare, but in the cell: not in tumult, but Of the place of the roses.
Of the blue and emerald flowers.
SERMONS TO THE in silence: not in laughter, but in mourning: not in feasting, but in fast. However they are found especially by despisers of the world who daily take up their cross, and very soon by those who seriously meditate upon the Passion of Christ: and they are very plentifully gathered during Mass. For they mightily refresh sorrowful souls: and comfort those that are cast down by adversity. But it behoves the devout soul to have a great watchfulness over herself: lest the cunning thief the devil come of a sudden into this garden of roses with his most wicked lies: and if he find the casket of the heart open, take thence the sweet roses of Christ: and silently cast in instead fetid nettles and black coals. Where is Jesus now, where the cross, where the nails, where the lance: to drive the malignant foe from thy casket? Arise and watch: cry and pray: call upon Jesus, worship the Crucified. Mark thee with the sign of the holy cross against the foe of all virtue: seize the spear of the soldier Longinus against the terror of the raging lion: shut thy heart against the poison of the serpent: strengthen it with the three nails of the Lord as with three strong bolts: that so easy an entry to the secret of thy heart may not lie open to the cunning and rabid enemy.
The third circlet contains a garland woven most beautifully of blue and emerald flowers: sweet- smelling above all the herbs of the field, full of heavenly mysteries. For rightly do these flowers pertain to the beauty of the virginal crown: which keep purity with virgins, And if they are well understood: they aid not a little the virtues of religious: who have utterly forsaken earthly things. Therefore the blue flowers which have the appearance of the colour of the sky, designate 2D NOVICES REGULAR the contemplation of heavenly glory and the great desire of the perfect and recluses: who forgetting all lower and perishable present goods, meditate the eternal: and ceaselessly pant for the presence of God and the fellowship of the angels: where all things are quiet. pleasant, and perfect. These often enkindled in prayer desire with blessed Paul to be loosed of the bond of the body; and with Elias to be carried to Heaven in a fiery chariot: and happily to be presented to Christ in His Kingdom; where they may ever rejoice and feast in the sight of God: praising and singing with the holy angels without any hindrance or fatigue the sublime praises of the sovereign Trinity unto everlasting eternities. These flowers, to wit, medi- tations of heavenly joys, greatly adorn the crown of every sacred virgin and faithful soul heartily loving Christ: and eagerly thirsting for God the living fountain. These sacred flowers are chiefly found and read in the gospel meadows and gar- dens of the Saviour: in meditation on the joys of the Lord’s resurrection, and ascension, and the coming down of the Holy Ghost: and on the miracles gloriously wrought by the apostles of Christ in the primitive Church in the name of Jesus. In like manner from a special devotion flowers of heavenly gladness are gathered on the various feasts of the most blessed Virgin Mary, and on the festivals of other saints: when there is concerning them in the Church devout singing, reading, and celebration: and longing thought on the eternal glory of the saints. For so often do . flowers of heavenly brightness arise, grow, and sweeten in the contemplative soul suspended in God: as often as the mind is touched and en- kindled by the memory of heavenly glory: and Of the blue flowers.
3 Kings, 19. 4.
Of the dan- gers of the flowers.
Of the yellow flowers.
Of the active life.
SERMONS TO THE sighs and pants for the presence of Christ and the saints. Whence often from fervent desires it looks upward: and from the inmost heart cries out with Elias and prays: “It is enough for me, O Lord, take away my soul: for better is one day in Thy courts above thousands of the joys of this life.” But again it is to be considered that these noble roses then fall from the crown of the devout soul, are soiled and wither: when the mind com- mences to take pleasure in vain and curious things below, or is frivolously occupied without: and weighed down by a certain sloth, neglects to meditate on heavenly things which are ever pre- ferable to visible: and better than all the trea- sures of the world. Whence also blessed Paul encouraging his disciples on to the flower-bearing fatherland says: “Seek the things that are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God: mind the things that are above not the things that are upon the earth.” Why? Because the fashion of this world speedily passeth away: and nothing lasts under the sun that can satisfy the heart of man. There are also in the virginal garland many very beautiful flowers of a yellow and a dark blue colour having the glow of fire: agreeable to the sight, sweet to the odour: soft and yielding to the touch, These belong to the active life: and signify the compassionate affections of the heart for the succour of the weak and sickly; and the sweet discourses from the mouth of the prudent man to console the sad and burdened: lest they faint in their temptations and daily toils. For thus the law of God prescribes and brotherly love demands: that the strong carry the weak, the prudent instruct the ignorant: the mild restrain the passionate, the fervent arouse the lukewarm: NOVICES REGULAR the joyous comfort the sad, the grave reprove the dissolute: the discreet restrain the over-eager, the humble repress the proud: the simple keep in the curious, the constant keep back the frivolous; the silent reprove the talkative: that he may rather edify his hearers by his silence than by a flow of words. From these yellow flowers a most sweet odour often breathes; which strengthens weak souls with spiritual remedies: that they may make greater progress in virtue. Hence it is that St. Paul adorned with many flowers of virtue: exhorts his disciples to gather the flowers of charity, saying: “ By charity serve one another, for we are members of one another.” And again, “‘ Bear ye one another’s burdens: and so you shall fulfill the law of Christ.” These flowers of bro- therly compassion and instruction are found most fully in the field of Our Lord’s preaching: to wit, in the sweet sermons of Christ and in the eight ¢, beatitudes; in the mystic parables, and the happy revelations of the heavenly kingdom: in various signs on the sick and the possessed: in pity for the needy and poor; in kindness for sinners and the penitent: in meek words to the hard and per- verse; in blameless life and humble service and want with His disciples: in weariness of His tender body, and long nights passed in devout prayer: on high mountains and retired places: suitable for meditating on heavenly joys. Behold as many as were His sacred discourses so many beautiful flowers: as many as His mystic parables, so many splendid roses. And when Jesus spoke to the apos- tles of the kingdom of God and the angels: then He showed His friends ethereal flowers in heavenly secrets. And when He gave them a new com- mandment that they should love one another; and Of the preaching of rist.
Of the example of Christ.
Matth. 20.
Of the fruits of obedience.
SERMONS TO THE washed their feet instructing them by word and example: then He shed among them a fragrance of most excellent odour from the yellow flowers.
O what a stupendous sign Jesus wrought: when He showed Himself to all as an example of true humility. O wonder above all wonders; that the most holy of all the saints and the most high of all lords should become the lowest servant of all His servants: that the sovereign majesty freely lowered itself below simple and poor men, His guests, saying: “I am in the midst of you as he that serveth: for I came not to be ministered unto: but to minister. If I being your Lord and Master have washed your feet: you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” What more, Lord? One ought to pray for another: to teach by example, to injure no man: to wish to do good to all. These flowers of brotherly compassion and pious assistance greatly adorn the crown of virginal purity and the life of religious observance: both in the contemplation of heavenly secrets and in the visiting of a sick neighbour. For then the flowers of virtue shed a sweeter perfume among brethren, and grow more luxuriantly, when the devout contemplator abandons the angelic ranks for a while: and joyfully goes to serve the sick and needy, as if he. saw Christ in person. For when the studious reader of the Scriptures, or the diligent writer of books being called closes the volume and puts down the pen from his hand: and at the sound of the bell at once arises and goes to choir: or hastens without delay to the common labour of the community; then in the garden of his heart by the grace of the Holy Ghost fresh flowers begin to arise, to grow and to become glorious with the fruits of obedience: NOVICES REGULAR and they shall be reckoned to him unto very great merit and the more beauteous adorning of his crown. But the lover of solitude and the con- templator of devout meditation must be on his guard against frivolities and rumours: lest by long occupation and unnecessary conversations he lose the sweetness of the mystic ointment: and a slight infection of vinegar and gall destroy the taste of honey. For who is so devout in prayer, so studious in holy reading, so strenuous in toil; who so speedily recollects himself within; as easily as he inclines to things exterior? Who so quickly mends what has been broken; as easily as he breaks anything? Who so soon cleans away stains; as easily as he falls into filth? Therefore O virgins of Christ, O religious servants of God: stand upon guard over your heart and mouth; lest your senses be corrupted by various desires of the world: which bring no profit to them that walk therein with many dangers and distresses. Behold with numberless deceits and snares: the world is full. Therefore according to the word of Christ, it behoveth to watch and pray against temptations and tribulations arising from every side: and not to fail in well doing as long as strength is there and the time for meriting grace abounds. For it is not a matter of losing a shoe lace, to forfeit the grace of God: to neglect the time of penance: to spend the days idly: and to spurn everlasting life for a little pleasure. Think over the boundless goodness of Christ towards the human race, what great good things He did, what great evils He suffered: and what great rewards He has promised to His elect after the conflicts of this life. Have a good trust in the Lord always; and fly to the divine assistance in every need: and