Sermon XLVII. On the Flower of the Field, the Flower of the Garden, and the Flower of the Bed-chamber

"I am the Flower of the field and the Lily of the valleys."

"I am the Flower of the field and the Lily of the valleys." It appears to me, my brethren, that these words of the Bridegroom¹ are intended as a reply to what the Spouse has just said in commendation of the bed adorned with flowers. Lest she should be tempted to attribute the possession of such flowers to her own industry, the Beloved now proclaims Himself to be "the Flower of the field." He thus reminds her that it is not the bridal-chamber but the field that produces the flowers, and that they owe their beautiful colours and their sweet smell to His bounty and communication. Being an affectionate Mentor as well as a — jealous Lover, He kindly and condescendingly explains to His beloved Spouse to Whom she should ascribe the adornment and fragrance of the couch whereof she is — boasting, so that no man may be able to address her i in the words of reproach, "What hast thou that thou hast not received? And if thou hast received, why dost thou glory as if thou hadst not received it? "Therefore He tells her, "I am the Flower of the field. That in which thou gloriest is My gift." To us also, my brethren, this is a salutary reminder that "it is not expedient indeed "to glory in anything, but that "he that glorieth "should "glory in the Lord." Thus far the literal sense. Let us now endeavour to ascertain the underlying spiritual meaning, with the help of Him to Whom the words belong.

First of all, I wish you to consider the three places where flowers are wont to be seen, viz., in the field, in the garden, and in the bed-chamber, as this will make it more easy to explain why the Bridegroom is pleased to call Himself the "Flower of the field." Now, although there are flowers in the bed-chamber as well as in the garden and in the field, they are found growing in the two latter places only. Again, they serve to adorn and perfume the chamber no less than the garden or the field; yet not there as elsewhere do they do this standing erect on their roots, but rather lying prostrate, as not being indigenous but imported. Consequently, the flowers in this place have to be renewed repeatedly, because they lose both their beauty and their fragrance in a very short time. I have said in a preceding discourse that the bed bestrewn with flowers is a figure of the conscience laden with the memory of good works. If that be so, you will certainly allow, as the perfection of the analogy requires, that it is by no means sufficient to perform a good work once or twice, but that one must be constantly adding new merits to the old, for "' he who soweth in blessings shall also reap blessings." The flower of a good work soon droops and withers and loses all its beauty and life, if it be — not frequently renewed, so to speak, by an unceasing succession of similar acts of piety. All this with reference to the flowers in the bed-chamber.

With the flowers of the garden and the field the case is entirely different. For to these, when once produced, the soil which gives them birth supplies the necessary support and nourishment, so that they can preserve © for a considerable time the loveliness of their origin. — But even as between the garden and the field there is a difference which concerns the manner of their florescence, in this respect, namely, that whereas the © latter blooms of itself and naturally, without the need of any co-operation on the part of man, the former cannot flourish at all unless it be cultivated and tended by human hands. Does it not seem to you, my brethren, — that you can now recognise that fertile field, which © has never been furrowed by the ploughshare, nor © digged with the spade, nor enriched by human culture, — nor sown by human hands, and nevertheless is adorned with the magnificent Blossom upon which the Spirit © of the Lord, as we know, has been pleased to rest? ' For it is written, "' Behold the smell of my Son is as — the smell of a plentiful fleld which the Lord hath blessed." This Flower of the field had not yet put on j Its beauty, although It was already giving forth Its fragrance, when the holy old Patriarch Isaac, in bodily decrepitude, dim-sighted but keen-scented, was given in the Spirit a foretaste of Its sweetness, and expressed his delight in the words I have quoted. It would not therefore have been right for Him Whose bloom is everlasting to proclaim Himself the flower of the a

, i bed-chamber; nor could He be called the flower oi the garden, lest it should be supposed that He had a human father. But what He says of Himself, "I am the Flower of the field" is most beautiful and most appropriate. For not only has He sprung up from virgin soil without any human co-operation, but He is also from His origin eternally exempted from the power of blight or decadence, so that the word might be fulfilled, "Thou wilt not give Thy Holy One to see corruption."

But listen, please, to another interpretation, which, I think, is well worthy of your attention. The reason why the Wise Man represents the Spirit of God as "manifold" is, so it seems to me, because this Divine Spirit is wont to conceal manifold significations of wisdom profound under the one same rind of the letter. Retaining, then, the above threefold distinction of flowers according to the places where they are found, we have the flower of virginity, the flower of martyrdom, and the flower of good works. Virginity blooms in the garden, martyrdom in the field, good works in the chamber. Rightly have I assigned to the garden the flower of virginity, whose characteristics are modesty, avoidance of publicity, love of retirement, and patience under discipline. For flowers are strewn in the chamber, exposed in the field, but enclosed in the garden. So we read, "My Spotse is a garden enclosed, a fountain sealed up." By this enclosure is meant the virgin's protecting modesty and her watchful care to live a life of unblemished sanctity. That is, if she is one who aims at being "holy both in body and in spirit." Rightly also is the flower of martyrdom said to flourish in the field, because the holy martyrs are exposed to the insults of all the world, being made "a spectacle to angels and to men." Is it not their tearful voice which we hear in the psalm, "We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us"'? Nor is it with less propriety that the flower of good works which tranquillises _and lulls to rest the conscience, has been allotted to the bed-chamber. For the repose of contemplation is enjoyed with greater security after the performance of external good works. And the soul approaches the study and pursuit of divine things with the more confidence in proportion as she is the more conscious of not having neglected the duties of charity through love of her own ease.

All this applies in varying senses to Our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Flower of the garden, inasmuch as He is a virgin Blossom produced from a virgin stem. He is the Flower of the field, because He is a martyr, the Crown of martyrs, and the Model of martyrs. For He was led forth from the city, "He suffered without the camp," He was lifted up on the cross, in the sight of all, for the mockery of all. He is finally the Flower of the chamber, being the Example and Pattern of all well-doing, as He Himself declared to the Jews, when He said, "Many good works have I shown to you from My Father."' And the Scripture © bears witness of Him that He "went about doing good, and healing all." But if the Lord Jesus is thus' each of the three flowers, what motive can He have for choosing to call Himself the Flower of the field rather than the flower of the garden or the flower of © the chamber? The reason doubtless is that He desires © to animate His Spouse to patient endurance, as knowing ©

it i that she would have to suffer persecution, since she wished "'to live godly in Christ."'² Therefore, He presents Himself to her under the type of that in which He particularly wants her to imitate Him. This is only what I have said elsewhere, viz., that the Bride is ever longing for repose, and the Bridegroom as constantly urging her to labour, warning her "that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God." Hence, when He was on the point of returning to the Father after newly espousing to Himself His young Bride on earth, He said to her, "The hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth a service to God.' Again,"If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you,' You can discover for yourselves in the Gospel many similar predictions of sufferings to be endured by the Spouse.

"I am the Flower of the field, and the Lily of the valleys." Thus, whilst the Bride invites her Beloved to repose, she is summoned by Him to the field and exhorted to devote herself to labour. And it appears to Him that He can find no surer means of inducing her to enter the conflict than by proposing Himself both as the Pattern of the combatant andas the victor's Crown. "'I am the Flower of the field." In these few words He is manifestly designated in this twofold character, namely, as the warrior's Example and the Prize of conquest. Thou art both to me, O Lord Jesus, Thou art my Model in suffering and the Reward of my suffering. And whether Thou showest Thyself as Pattern or as Prize, we are powerfully attracted to Thee and violently inflamed. It is Thou "who teachest my hand to fight "by the example of Thy virtues. It is Thou Who crownest me after victory by the unveiling of Thy Majesty. For I keep constantly before my mind the representation of Thy combat; and I hope not only to receive the recompense from Thy Hands, but to receive even Thyself as that recompense. Yes, as my Model and my Crown Thou dost draw me to Thyself in a wonderful way, as it were with two chains exceedingly strong. Draw me still after Thee; gladly shall I follow Thee and more gladly enjoy Thee. O Lord, if Thou art so good to those who seek Thee, what wilt Thou be to those who find?³ 'I am the Flower of the field,' Thou sayest. "Let him who loves Me enter the field. Let him not refuse to engage in the conflict for My sake and by My side, so that he may be able today, 'I have fought the good fight.' "

But because it is not the proud and arrogant that are deemed worthy of the grace of martyrdom, but rather the humble and such as know not how to presume on their own strength, therefore the Bridegroom goes on to say, "I am the Lily of the valleys." That is, He declares that He will be the Crown of the humble, the special exaltation in store for whom is indicated by the tallness of the lily. For the time will come © when "every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low." Then, certainly, He Who is the "Brightness of Eternal Life," shall appear s "the Lily' not of the hills but" of the valleys."It is written,"' The just shall spring as the lily."⁴ Now, who is just but the humble? When the Lord Jesus bowed Himself beneath the hands of His servant John, He saw the Baptist trembling with awe in presence of His Divine Majesty, and "said to him: suffer it to be so now. For so it becometh us to fulfil all justice." Thus He made it clear that the consummation of justice consists in the perfection of humility. The just man, consequently, is the humble man; the just man is he who resembles the lily of the valleys in his love of lowly places. And if we, my brethren, are found to be humble, we also "shall spring as the lily," e "shall flourish forever before the Lord." Do you not agree that the Bridegroom shall then in an especial manner prove Himself "the Lily of the valleys," whenHe" will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the Body of His glory"? Notice how the Apostle does not say" our body,"but the" body of our low-— ness,"thereby insinuating that none save the lowly shall be glorified by a participation in the transcendant and everlasting brightness of this Divine Lily. Let so much suffice concerning the words of the Bridegroom,"T am the Flower of the field, and the Lily of the valleys.".@

It would be profitable to treat here also the Bridegroom's eulogy of His dearly beloved. But the time will not permit. For our Rule tells us that nothing ought to be preferred to the work of God.* By this name of the "work of God" our holy Father St. Benedict willed should be designated the solemn service of praise which we daily discharge in our churches, and his purpose was to impress upon our minds the - brethren, to assist at every hour of the canonical office with zeal and recollection. You must be zealous in? order to join fervently, yet reverently, in chanting the praises of God, not lazily, not drowsily, not yawningly, not sparing yourselves, not mutilating the words o omitting any, not with weak and mincing voices effeminately stammering or sounding through the nose; ] but singing with the manly fulness and sonorousness and the religious affection proper to songs which have been inspired by the Holy Ghost. Recollection is als¢ necessary so that your minds may entertain no other⁵

Footnotes

1. Not all commentators agree with St. Bernard in assigning these words to the Bridegroom. According to St. Ambrose the Bride is here the speaker and is explaining why the bed s "flourishing." The Church, says this author, calls herself g the "flower of the field" on account of the odour of her virtues, and the "lily of the valleys "because of the splendour of her actions. Or, as others explain, she is the "flower of the field "amongst the Jews, the "lily of the valleys "amongst the Gentiles. There are others who declare the Bride to be the *' flower of the field," and the Bridegroom the "lily of the. valleys." But the majority of writers refer both epithets to Christ.—(Translator.) 34 ↩

2. "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim. iii. 12). ↩

3. "Si sic bonus es sequentibus Te, qualis futurus es conse- a quentibus." Compare with the second distich of the third stanza of the ae De Nomine Jesu: "Quam bonus Te quaerentibus, Sed quid invenientibus?" —(Translator.) The lily of the valleys mentioned in the text is entirely — different from the flower which goes by that mame in these countries. It is described as follows by the classical writer 4 Pliny, 1. xxi., c. v., "The lily yields to no other flower in tall- © ness, attaining sometimes to the height of three cubits, whilst p ↩

4. "Justus sicut lilium florebit."This text is not found in the Vulgate, though there are several more or less resembling it, such as," Justus ut palma florebit" (Ps. xci. 13); and,"Israel germinabit sicut lilium "(Os. xiv. 6). —(Translator.) 7 He that is perfectly just will give everyone his due and attribute to himself nothing but what belongs to him. He will consequently ascribe to God whatever good he beholds in imself, whether it appertains to the order of nature or to the er of grace, and acknowledge as his own only nothingness nd sin. _Dhis i is what St. Teresa meant when she said" Humility is truth. Moralists regard humility as belonging to the inal virtue not of justice but of temperance, of which y make it a "potential part." See Hickey, Ethic., 117.— (anslator. ) the neck is always bent beneath the weight of the blossom. Its petals of dazzling white are fluted on the exterior, widen gradually from below and have an outward curve at the lips, so as to present the appearance of a wine-cup.... At the centre of the chalice a number of golden rods stand erect. Thus it has a twofold colour and also a twofold odour."— (Translator.) ↩

5. "Muliebre quiddam balba de name sonantes." evidently an adaptation of the poet's, "Rancidulum quiddam balba de name locutus" (Persius, i. 33).—(Translator.) thoughts than such as are suggested by the psalms you sing. Observe, I do not say you are only bound to refrain from thinking of vain and unprofitable things during the divine office. Even such thoughts as the officials of the monastery are frequently obliged to occupy themselves with for the common good, and which are therefore necessary, must be put away at that time and in that place. Nay, I would strongly recommend you not to let your minds dwell—whilst engaged in the work of God—on what perchance you had been reading in a spiritual book just before, sitting in the cloister, or what might be still fresh in your memories after listening to my lectures in this auditorium of the Spirit of God. Reflections of this kind are doubtless wholesome, but it would not be wholesome for you to admit them during the hour of public prayer. For the Holy Ghost will not take pleasure in any offering whatever which you may make Him at that time to the neglect of the one which He demands of you, and which alone can content Him. May He give us the light and the strength ever to accomplish His will, according to His will, through the grace and mercy of the Bridegroom of the Church, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Amen. ↩